Q&A With Paralegal Wallace Roy
As part of its ongoing Spot Light series on Canadian legal practitioners, uLaw recently sat down with Wallace James Roy, a paralegal based in Belleville Ontario.
Roy's paralegal firm serves clients in Belleville, Trenton, Sharbot Lake, Brighton, Trenton, Carleton Place, Newburgh, Port Hope and Colborne.
Q: How long have you been a legal practitioner? And what's your academic and work history prior to getting your licence?
"I got my license last April. I graduated in 2023 and first took the P1 Exam in July of 2023. Two days before the exam I got Bell's Palsy. I couldn't read the questions because of the tears running down my face. My eye's couldn't shut so they continued to water. After that, I decided to take the test in February of 2024 and that is when I passed. Before going to school at Loyalist College in the paralegal program, I worked at a call centre for 20 years. My wife and I were also foster parents for 10 years as well."
Q: At what point in time did you decide to pursue law? Why did you make such a decision?
"I've loved the law since I was a child. Circumstances prevented me from becoming a lawyer. After 20 years of working in customer service, the opportunity presented itself where I could go to school and assist people with navigating the law. It can be a daunting task and many people need help. With my vast experience in customer service and my knowledge of the law, it was time to use my life experience and my wisdom to help people with their challenges. "
Q: What were your reasons for becoming the legal practitioner who you are today? Which areas of the law do you focus on. Are there any trends that you've noticed during your practice?
"Marketing can be a challenge when starting up. Getting people to know you and gaining a good reputation is slow. I have looked at ways I can improve this but it seems like it is always slow. I have gained mentors in every field I focus on and they are helping me with marketing strategies."
Q: Can you remark on any particular court cases and/or regulatory changes/shifts which you've encountered and had to work around while working in the field of law?
"Covid changed how a lot of people practice practice. I graduated at the tail end of COVID-1, but I had one case while I was in my placement where the 11(b) was denied several times because of COVID-19. 11(b) cases could be challenging because of covid and my placement supervisor tasked me with finding case law to help with this. I was able to do this but it was challenging."
Q: Please highlight some of the most satisfying moments in this career? Without being too specific (client confidentiality, etc) can you give some examples of momentous occasions in your career and describe their significance?
"I assisted a client who needed help with a small claims court case. My years of customer service experience helped her feel comfortable and not as stressed. It was a great feeling to have my years of de-escalating situations and providing empathy and reassurance become a valuable asset. There have been many other situations where my clients have needed to be heard and led through their trying, stressful situations to resolutions."
Q: How has the practice of law shifted or changed over the time you've been a practitioner? Where do you see this direction going in the future?
"I am new to the legal field. It sometimes seems like a dream. I haven't seen many changes. I do know there was a time that paralegals were not licensed. Ontario became the first province to do so and still, to this day, remains the only province to have paralegals licensed. I think more provinces will do this as they see the success that Ontario paralegals have in private practice. The access to justice will become better as more provinces license paralegals. I also see that there will be more areas available for paralegals."
Q: How do you think the legal profession will change in the next 10 years?
"The future will have more options for online and many practices will go towards a more green initiative by becoming paperless. Having tablets, computers and even phones can provide lawyers and paralegals with information quickly and more efficiently. It will take time and patience but as the younger generation comes into the field it will be the way most firms go."
Wallace Roy can be contacted via his paralegal firm's website, www.wjroyparalegal.services