Cohen Highley LLP’s Commitment to Accessibility

We at Cohen Highley believe that accessibility enables people to achieve their full potential. As such, ensuring that our offices and services are accessible is an integral part of our commitment to providing our clients with exemplary service. We are very proud of our lawyers and staff who have demonstrated a continued commitment to accessibility in the community. Outside of the office, our lawyers and staff have been actively involved in putting accessibility issues front and centre through their Community Involvement  and Speaking Engagements.

Cohen Highley LLP encourages a workplace in which all employees can reach their full potential. We are committed to doing what is necessary to attract the brightest, most creative and dedicated people to join our team. Please visit our Careers Section (/careers) for more information on our recruitment process.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

The purpose of the AODA is to ensure that by the year 2025, the Province of Ontario is completely accessible and barrier free for persons with disabilities. In order to reach this goal, five standards are being developed in the areas of Customer Service, Employment, Information and Communication, Built Environment, and Transportation.

The Customer Service Standard

Cohen Highley is committed to providing a respectful, welcoming and inclusive environment to all individuals who seek access to our goods and services. To that end, we are pleased to announce that Cohen Highley has complied with the Customer Service Standard, which is the first of five standards in the AODA. Compliance with the Customer Service Standard is simply the beginning and we appreciate your feedback in order to make our services and our offices even more accessible.

We have designed our policies, practices, and procedures to be consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equal opportunity.

Download our full Customer Service Standard Policy.

Upon request, this policy can be provided in a format that takes into account the disability of the person submitting the request.

Training

Cohen Highley’s training program is outlined in our Customer Service Standard Policy. All of our lawyers and staff will be trained in accordance with this policy to improve the service we provide to our clients by identifying, breaking down, and preventing barriers to accessibility.

Our training program includes instruction in the following areas:

  1. How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability.
  2. How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or the assistance of a support person.
  3. How to use equipment or devices available on Cohen Highley’s premises or otherwise provided by Cohen Highley that may help with the provision of goods or services to a person with a disability.
  4. What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing Cohen Highley’s goods or services.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding our training program, please contact our AODA Compliance Officer in accordance with our Feedback Procedure.

Notice of Feedback Procedure

Our aim is to ensure that all individuals are treated with respect and dignity and we would appreciate your feedback concerning the manner in which we provide goods and services to persons with disabilities. In order to achieve this, we have created a feedback procedure and designated a member or our staff as our AODA Compliance Officer.

Download our standard Customer Feedback Form.

Upon request, this form can be provided in an alternative format that takes into account the disability of the person submitting the request.

Completed Customer Feedback Forms may be provided to the AODA Compliance Officer in person, by mail, fax, e-mail, by diskette or otherwise. Feedback may also be provided in person, in writing, by email or telephone directly to the AODA Compliance Officer.

Customer Feedback will be reviewed by the AODA Compliance Officer in accordance with our Customer Service Standard Policy. Upon request, we will provide these documents in an alternative format that takes into account the disability of the person submitting the request.

AODA Compliance Officer

Laura Gurr
Cohen Highley LLP
One London Place, 255 Queens Ave., 11th Floor London, ON N6A 5R8
Tel: (519) 672-9330
Fax: (519) 672-5960
E-mail:

Notice of Temporary Disruption in Service

Cohen Highley will provide notice when there is a temporary disruption in those services or facilities that persons with disabilities may rely on. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and, if applicable, a description of alternative facilities or services that may be available. Notice of service disruptions will be provided as soon as reasonably practicable after we are made aware of the disruption, or in advance in the case of planned disruptions.

Notice will be provided by a variety of methods, depending upon the circumstances, and may include postings in conspicuous places at the office, in other facilities of the building (i.e. the lobby), on our website or by any other means that will reasonably ensure that the notice reaches those persons potentially affected by the temporary disruption in a manner that is accessible to them.

If you have any questions or concerns about a temporary disruption in our services, please contact the AODA Compliance Officer.

Policies

Related Links

For more information on Accessibility, you can visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services website at:

www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/accesson/index.aspx

The AODA legislation can be accessed through the e-laws website. For more information, visit:

www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_05a11_e.htm

The Customer Service Standard regulation can be accessed through the e-laws website. For more information about Regulation 429/07, visit:

www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2007/elaws_src_regs_r07429_e.htm