Who We Are

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.

Academic Clinic Director

Gemma Smyth

Education

BA(Hons), 1999, University of Western Ontario
LLB, 2002, University of Windsor
LLM, 2004, Osgoode Hall Law School

Professor Gemma Smyth (she/her) is Associate Professor and Externship Director at the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor, on the territories of the Three Fires Confederacy. She manages and teaches in the Judicial Internship Program and Externship Program at Windsor Law, and is the Academic Clinic Director for the Class Actions Clinic.

Professor Smyth has held various positions including Law Foundation Chair at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, Associate Dean (Academic), Academic Clinic Director and Associate Professor and Externship Program Director and Director of University of Windsor Mediation Services. She has taught Clinic Seminar, Learning in Place (an Externship Program seminar), Dispute Resolution, Access to Justice, Mediation Clinic, and Research Methods. Professor Smyth researches and writes in the areas of clinic law, dispute resolution, lawyering skills, and legal education. Professor Smyth is the co-author of the first text on clinical legal education in Canada, with Professors Sarah Buhler and Sarah Marsden. Professor Smyth has written and annually published updates to an online, open source book, “Learning in Place: A Living Landscape of Practice”, now in its third edition. This text is freely available to clinical, internship, externship, co-op and other work-informed learning programs.

Professor Smyth hosts an open-access Youtube channel with materials on law practice with a focus on clinical law skills and a website on clinic supervision for lawyer-supervisors and law students in work-integrated learning environments. She is Past President of the Association for Canadian Clinical Legal Education, a national collaborative working on issues related to clinical and experiential legal education in Canada. Professor Smyth’s papers and other publications can be found on the University of Windsor’s digital repository . Professor Smyth is also a member of the Judicial Advisory Committee (West and South) and a Board member for the Canadian National Negotiation Competition.

Staff Lawyer

Andrew Eckart

Email: aeckart@uwindsor.ca

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 is the founding Staff Lawyer at the Class Action Clinic. Prior to his role here, 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.

Articling Student

Incoming August 2025!

Student Case Workers

Asha Holland

Asha Holland is a JD candidate at the University of Windsor. Prior to law school, she held leadership positions at Real North Strategies, an advocacy and communications firm in Toronto, and the Ontario Real Estate Association, where she led the policy and research department.

Asha has a broad background in public policy, having served in the Ontario Public Service with the Ministries of Health and Transportation. Her work included supporting the implementation of Medical Assistance in Dying legislation and contributing to the development of regulations for autonomous vehicles in Ontario.

Asha is committed to housing justice and client advocacy, recently completing an externship with the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, where she worked as a student caseworker. She is also an active community advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ issues and recently co-authored an article with Windsor Law Professor Daniel Del Gobbo addressing the rise in misinformation and restrictive laws targeting trans women athletes in university-level sports.

Asha holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Queen’s University. Outside of work, she can be found pursuing creative hobbies like photography, thrifting, and preparing four-course meals for her friends and family.

Alexis MacDonald

Alexis is a second-year law student at the University of Windsor and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Queen’s University.

Prior to law school, Alexis worked in the equestrian industry for 12 years training horses and clients in Ireland, Germany, and throughout Ontario. Her interest in access to justice was sparked during her experience at Community Legal Aid and Canadian Centre for Housing Rights and she is thrilled to be working at the Clinic this summer.

In her spare time, Alexis enjoys horseback riding, chess, guitar, and spending time with her dogs.

Afaf Zafirah

Afaf is a first-year student at the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Economics and Political Science from McGill University.

Before attending law school, Afaf built a strong foundation in business consulting, institutional sales, and investment research, where she honed her critical thinking, advocacy, and strategic problem-solving skills. Throughout her academic and professional journey, she has been driven by a longstanding passion for equity, advocacy, and community empowerment. At Windsor Law, Afaf has taken on leadership roles with Windsor Women of Colour in Law and the Windsor Health Law Initiative, where she has championed initiatives advancing access to justice and inclusion. During her undergraduate studies, she also served as Co-President of McGill Women in Leadership and as Equity Commissioner for the Students' Society of McGill University, leading efforts to create more equitable and representative communities.

Afaf is passionate about collective advocacy and is excited to join the Class Action Clinic.

Outside of her professional and academic endeavours, Afaf is an avid volunteer with community organizations, a passionate traveller eager to explore new cultures, and a proud speaker of four languages.

Nick Kinnish

Nick is a second-year student at the University of Windsor's Faculty of law. Prior to law school, Nick earned a double major in Philosophy & Political science and a master's degree in Philosophy.

Nick comes to law with a variety of career experiences ranging from working in the UK music industry to retail management here in Canada. As a passionate cyclist and road safety advocate, he is involved in several projects working towards safer roads for vulnerable road users.

Outside of his studies, Nick can usually be found training on his bike for the next big race he has planned, or volunteering at the community bike shop.