Tiffany Glover, LLM CL candidate at UBC Law, penned this research essay on the concept of equality of arms for Access Pro Bono last September.

Originating from the “right to a fair trial” provisions in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the modern principle of equality of arms seeks to ensure that each individual litigant is provided reasonable opportunity to present his/her case under conditions that do not place him/her at a substantial disadvantage to another.

We look forward to a version of the equality of arms principle being advanced in Canadian courts in assertion of a right to civil legal aid.