Lawyers working with clients with ABI may need to adjust communication, pacing, and follow-up. Small changes can improve understanding and help clients participate more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This resource is general information for Ontario readers. It is not legal or medical advice, and it cannot replace advice from a lawyer, doctor, or qualified professional who knows the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read the page once for the main idea, then choose one action to take next. People living with ABI often do better with one clear step than with a long list of instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are supporting someone else, ask permission before taking over reminders, paperwork, or communication. Support should make the process easier while still respecting the person’s privacy, dignity, and choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many brain injuries are invisible. A client may look organized but struggle with memory, fatigue, processing speed, emotional regulation, or sequencing events. Stress can make those symptoms more pronounced during legal conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accessible communication can also protect the quality of instructions. When a client understands the question and has time to answer, the lawyer receives better information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a court or legal setting, the practical details matter. Write down what the person needs, what makes the situation harder, and what has helped before. Those details can make conversations with lawyers, court staff, and support workers more useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A client may need a different approach when they:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These patterns are worth writing down. Specific examples are easier to explain than broad statements, especially when the person is tired or stressed. A short example such as ‘I forgot the date twice even with a paper notice’ is often clearer than a general statement such as ‘my memory is bad.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adjustments do not need to be complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep the plan simple. A short written step that gets used is better than a detailed plan that is too hard to follow on a stressful day. If a step involves a court order, release condition, legal deadline, or decision about a case, confirm it with a lawyer or legal service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can also help to review the plan after each court date or legal appointment. Brain injury symptoms, schedules, and legal instructions can change, so the support system should be updated when new information is received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accommodation needs, privacy, capacity concerns, and litigation strategy may overlap. Lawyers should use professional judgment and seek appropriate guidance when cognitive barriers affect instructions or participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For official background, review Ontario court accessibility information<\/a>. Use official information together with advice from a lawyer or qualified support professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not wait until the next court date if something is unclear. Asking early gives the person and their support network more time to correct misunderstandings, gather documents, or request accessibility support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related ABI Justice pages: Meeting With Your Lawyer<\/a>, How the Court Process Can Be Made More Accessible<\/a>, Brain Injury 101<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A respectful question about communication or support needs may be helpful, especially when signs suggest cognitive barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. Written next steps can reduce memory load and create a shared reference point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It depends on consent, confidentiality, and legal strategy. The lawyer should decide case by case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose one practical step from this resource and write it down. If a court date, condition, or legal decision is involved, speak with a lawyer or legal service before acting on assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need help finding a starting point, visit the Resource Library<\/a> or Contact ABI Justice<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Practical guidance for lawyers working with clients who may have acquired brain injury and communication needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[112,113,39,111,114],"class_list":["post-2612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lawyer-professional-resources","tag-abi-clients","tag-accessible-legal-services","tag-communication","tag-lawyers","tag-professional-resources"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2612"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2612\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abijustice.org\/legal-professionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Should lawyers ask directly about brain injury?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Are written summaries useful?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can a support person attend client meetings?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Next Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n