Helping people through a major life crisis: Spotlight on Amy Secord

The best part of working as a duty counsel lawyer is helping someone navigate the justice system who might otherwise be overwhelmed and confused by their legal matter. That’s the view of Amy Secord, hybrid duty counsel at the London office of Legal Aid Ontario (LAO).

Duty counsel are usually the first legal support for low-income clients. When someone suddenly finds themselves in the justice system, it can feel complex and overwhelming. Duty counsel are legal professionals who can help people understand what’s happening, what options are available and how to exercise their rights. This role is crucial in the justice system, helping improve efficiency and reduce delay in the legal process for people in need.

Previous work experience

Amy first worked at LAO as a staff member from 1999 to 2002, serving as executive assistant to LAO’s first general counsel, who was also vice president of appeals. She then moved to Halifax, working for the Atlantic Regional Office of the federal Department of Justice, and subsequently decided to pursue a law degree.

“My first experience at LAO got me interested in legal aid, and it led me to believe I could help people on a more meaningful level,” says Amy. “I wanted to be able to speak up and express things for people who couldn’t do that, and to help those who couldn’t afford a lawyer.”

School days

Amy earned an Honours BA in French language and literature from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo. She later obtained a law degree from the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick, pursuing legal studies entirely in French. She completed her articling at a Hamilton firm, focusing on personal injury claims, before working at the Centre francophone du Toronto’s legal clinic.

Across the province

Amy rejoined LAO as a staff lawyer in 2011, working as family duty counsel at the North York family court, and then for four years from 2015 to 2019 at the Toronto Central Family Law Service Centre. While at the latter, she also served as a duty counsel at the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice in downtown Toronto.

In 2019, Amy moved to the tri-county region (Peterborough, Lindsay and Cobourg), providing family duty counsel services and gaining experience in criminal duty counsel work. In August 2026, she took on a new role, moving to London to serve as duty counsel there and in St. Thomas, for both family law and criminal law matters.

She helps with family law matters involving issues such as parenting time, decision-making responsibility and child support, as well as children’s aid matters. Much of her time is spent negotiating issues to help clients resolve their matters through written agreements. She also drafts court documents for self-represented clients and acts as a facilitator for LAO settlement conferences, helping parties and their counsel resolve family law disputes outside of the courtroom.

Amy also handles criminal law matters, assisting clients with Crown resolution meetings, bail matters and general case management. She is an accredited family mediator with the Ontario Association for Family Mediation and a notary public for the province of Ontario.

Job satisfaction and challenges

“As duty counsel, we encounter many people who are overwhelmed by their legal matter and don’t know where to turn,” says Amy. “We navigate highly emotional situations that can feel like matters of life and death to the clients.”

In these emotionally charged situations, Amy helps clients understand their legal options and what they can realistically expect. “We must give honest opinions about their chances of success and whether their position is reasonable,” she says. “When they gain an understanding and level of comfort with our advice, that’s a success as well.”

“It’s satisfying when you really help somebody through a major life crisis and you know they couldn’t have done it without you. I believe that if I can speak up for people who aren’t able to do that themselves, I should use that ability.”

“I’d like people to know that if they are self-represented, they can always reach out to duty counsel,” says Amy. “If you’re not certain whether you quality for legal aid or duty counsel services, don’t hesitate to contact us, and we will provide whatever level of assistance we can, even if it’s a simple referral. If your question is about a court appearance or important deadline, please reach out as soon as possible.”