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
Victoria Delicata
Victoria is a second-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.
Jordan Haworth
Jordan is a third-year law student at Toronto Metropolitan University, fulfilling the Professional Placement component of the Integrated Practice Curriculum at the Clinic during the Winter 2024 term He has a strong interest in advocating for others, which transferred from his previous job as a news reporter, magazine writer, and federal public servant, but mainly stems from growing up marginalized. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University with a double minor, where his love for written storytelling blossomed. Jordan and his team won Best Overall at the 2023 Walsh Family Law Moot. In his free time, Jordan enjoys boxing, travelling, and being active with friends.
Gigi Joseph
Gigi, a second-year law student at the University of Windsor, holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree in Political Science from Western University. With a background in political research, she has worked on projects such as political risk and democratic analysis’, and producing policy proposals for Members of Parliament. Additionally, she has undertaken research initiatives dedicated to evaluating public policy and legal reform, focusing on enhancing access to justice. Outside of school, Gigi serves as an executive director for the non-profit organization Women Empowerment of Canada for Newcomers (WECanN) and enjoys attending concerts and baking.
Aislyn Sax
Aislyn is a second 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.
Nina Zibar
Nina is a second-year law student at the University of Windsor. Prior to law school, she earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science specializing in Forensic Anthropology. She has worked in various fields including retail, the food industry and construction. Her recent work volunteering at Community Legal Aid at Windsor further solidified her commitment to assisting equity deserving groups. Outside of her role at the Class Action Clinic, Nina is an avid reader, traveler and fashion enthusiast.
