Meredith Francis
Meredith Francis is a senior litigation and eDiscovery law clerk and holds numerous legal and eDiscovery certifications, including Certified Expert in Civil Litigation and Fellow Member of the Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario (ILCO) and Certified eDiscovery Specialist (CEDS).
Meredith has worked in the litigation field since 1996 and her previous experience includes extensive work on multi-party, document-intensive and complex litigation cases at all levels of Court. Prior to joining the firm, Meredith contributed significantly to the implementation of an eDiscovery department at a leading national law firm developing policies, procedures and best practices for eDiscovery workflow and consulting on the main phases of the eDiscovery Reference Model (EDRM).
Meredith dedicated two decades of her career specializing in trauma-informed litigation on behalf of survivors with emphasis on civil sexual assault and abuse, Indigenous rights and Aboriginal law. Meredith has worked extensively with Indigenous survivors of abuse perpetrated at Indian Residential Schools and Federal Indian Day Schools, first through civil actions within the court system and then through the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) as a result of the implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2007. She also has broad experience in tribunals and professional disciplinary matters, health law, personal injury and medical malpractice, commercial litigation and securities, employment law, family law, insurance defence and insurance subrogated claims.
Meredith’s knowledge and efficiency during all aspects of the litigation process, including the initial stages of litigation, the discovery process and trials, ensures clients receive quality, cost-efficient results throughout their actions.
Meredith is an Ipro Eclipse SE Certified Administrator and regularly attends continuing education programs and conferences to stay up-to-date with the legal landscape and ever-evolving changes in the eDiscovery industry.
Meredith is a Commissioner of Oaths for the Province of Ontario.
Education
- Certified eDiscovery Specialist (CEDS), Association of Certified Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), 2021
- eDiscovery Certificate, Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario (ILCO), 2021
- eDiscovery Advanced Theory & Practices for Litigation Support, ILCO Fellowship Course, 2016
- Legal Administration Diploma (3 year Law Clerk Program), Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology (President's and College Honour Rolls), 1996
Professional Affiliations
- Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario (ILCO) – Certified Expert (Civil Litigation) and Fellow Member
- Association of Certified eDiscovery Specialists (ACEDS) – Certified eDiscovery Specialist
- International Legal Technology Association (ILTA)
- Women in eDiscovery (WIE)
- Relativity User Group
- Ipro Tech, LLC