The Class Action Clinic at Windsor Law is the first clinic of its kind in North America. Our focus is on class members – people who are part of a large civil lawsuit launched on their behalf by representative plaintiffs and class counsel.
The Clinic is staffed by a team of law students, a staff lawyer, and a faculty director who provide a range of legal services, information, assistance with filing claims in settlement distribution processes, public education and outreach.
Because we serve class members across Canada, the Clinic provides its services online, by telephone and by video conference, as well as in person for those in the Windsor–Essex community.
Director
Jasminka Kalajdzic
Education
- B.A. (English Literature and Lettres Francaises), University of Ottawa, 1992, magna cum laude
- LL.B., University of Toronto, 1995
- LL.M., University of Toronto, 2009
Professor Jasminka Kalajdzic joined the University of Windsor Faculty of Law in 2009 after twelve years in private practice as a civil litigator. Her current research focuses on three areas: access to justice; class actions; and legal ethics.
Professor Kalajdzic regularly presents her research at academic conferences worldwide, bar conferences and judicial education seminars.
Professor Kalajdzic is the author of two books on class actions: The Law of Class Actions in Canada (Canada Law Book, 2014), a text co-authored with the Honourable Warren K. Winkler, Justice Paul Perell, and Alison Warner; and Class Actions in Canada: The Promise and Reality of Access to Justice (UBC Press, 2018). She has published numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles. She was the co-lead researcher for the Law Commission of Ontario’s Class Action Project, and co-authored its final report (July 2019).
See a full list of Professor Kalajdzic’s publications here.
Staff Lawyer
Andrew Eckart
Education
- B.A. (Economics and North American Studies), McGill University, 2005
- LL.B., University of Windsor, 2010
- Mediating Disputes, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, 2017
Andrew joined the Class Action Clinic as the staff lawyer shortly after it opened in 2020. Prior to that, he gained class action experience in private practice as a plaintiff side lawyer. His first introduction to this work was as a an articling student clerking at the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, where he assisted judges on many class action matters, including a multi-year common issues trial.
As the Clinic’s Staff Lawyer, Andrew supervises and mentors student caseworkers and routinely represents clients through claims processes, at settlement approval hearings, and providing important, non-partisan, independent legal advice.
In addition to his work at the Clinic, Andrew is a mediator of civil disputes and sits on the OBA’s Class Action Bench-Bar Liaison Committee.
Student Case Workers
Akshay Arora
Akshay is an incoming third-year law student at the University of Windsor and the University of Detroit Mercy. Before pursuing law, he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He has experience in various fields, including commercial leasing, digital marketing and logistics. Driven by his passion for justice and advocacy, Akshay supports underserved communities through his involvement with Community Legal Aid. Outside his role, he finds joy in cooking, exploring new destinations, and watching sports.
Victoria Delicata
Victoria is an incoming third-year law student at the University of Windsor. Prior to her law school journey, she completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Philosophy at the University of Toronto. As the President of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Club at Windsor Law, she dedicates a lot of time to exploring advocacy and equitable means of achieving justice in society. In her spare time, she enjoys watching movies and going for long walks by the Detroit River.
Aislyn Sax
Aislyn is an incoming third-year law student at Windsor Law. Before that she went to McMaster for a Bachelors in Integrated Business and Humanities. After hearing about class actions in first year she couldn't wait to learn more. Outside of school you can find her on Chess.com trying to memorize the moves to the Fried Liver Opening.
Cristine Wanes
Cristine is an incoming third-year Single JD student at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law. She holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a minor in Criminology from Wilfrid Laurier University, where she first discovered her passion for advocacy and community engagement, sparked by her involvement in initiatives supporting marginalized communities. This passion translated to her time in law school thus far, and her interest in clinic work was particularly peaked during the semester she spent working at Legal Assistance of Windsor. Beyond her professional pursuits, Cristine is a huge fan of all things pop culture and spends as much of her free time as possible with family and friends.
