The Road to Your Name Podcast

This episode was recorded in January 2025.
The Road to Your Name
Justice, Trust, and the Power of the Circle: A Conversation with Jaime Stephenson

Episode Description

Is law really black and white? Criminal defense lawyer Jaime Stephenson doesn't think so — and in this episode, she joins host Lisa to unpack what that means in practice. Jaime is a partner at Stephenson and Valeri, based in Hamilton, and practices regularly in the Brantford Indigenous People's Court, where she and Lisa first met.

After 18 years of practice, Jaime speaks candidly about the realities of criminal defense: how legal aid works in Ontario versus the public defender system in the US, why she screens potential clients as carefully as they should screen her, and the cases she won't take on. She shares the story of one of her first Indigenous clients — a meeting so disconnected that it became the turning point in how she approaches cross-cultural trust, education, and the role of Gladue reports in sentencing.

The conversation moves into the heart of the Indigenous People's Court: the circle process. Jaime describes her first circle as one of the most powerful experiences of her career, and the two discuss what's gained when the system slows down enough to actually listen — and what's lost when it doesn't. They also talk about the uphill battle to bring an Indigenous persons court to Hamilton (update:  The Hamilton Indigenous People's Court opened on June 16, 2026), the inconsistency of judicial education around Gladue principles, and the gap between knowing the law and knowing how to apply it with care.

Jaime also opens up about life outside the courtroom — her farm, her seven horses, and the role animals have played in helping her carry the weight of a job that asks a lot of the people who do it well.

In This Episode

- [00:42] Meet Jaime Stephenson: criminal defense lawyer, Stephenson & Valeri
- [00:51] Is the law black and white? Jaime's take
- [01:31] The path to becoming a lawyer in Ontario: law school, articling, and the bar exam
- [04:00] Does justice depend on what you can afford? Legal aid vs. the public defender system
- [06:01] The cases Jaime won't take on, and why
- [08:46] Jaime's philosophy after 18 years: respect, honesty, and managing expectations
- [10:02] Why clients should interview their lawyer too
- [13:09] The story that changed her practice: an early client, a Gladue report, and a hard lesson in trust
- [18:05] What Gladue reports are, why they're not always requested, and what's at stake
- [21:32] The education gap: why there's no real course on handling Gladue reports with care
- [25:28] Inside the circle: how sentencing circles work in the Brantford Indigenous People's Court
- [26:19] Jaime's first circle, and why it still affects her
- [29:58] When the system slows down — and when it doesn't
- [32:31] A proposal: circling back after rehabilitation, not just before sentencing
- [35:33] The challenge of consistency: rotating Crowns, court officers, and judges
- [37:19] The decade-long fight for an Indigenous People's Court in Hamilton
- [44:33] A day in the life: driving circuit, client loyalty, and the commitment behind the wheel
- [44:44] Horses, dogs, and the role they play in coping with the weight of the work
- [47:53] A future goal: equine therapy for clients
- [49:39] Final thoughts: education, sensitivity, and getting clients out of the revolving door

Credits

The Road to Your Name Podcast is hosted by Lisa, produced by Aboriginal Legal Services with technical assistance from True Seed Media.