Bryn Rieger

What I do here:

I help to coordinate our Educator Support department. I organize volunteers to plan mock trials and hearings, lend support to OJEN resources and professional development, and oversee the coordination of classroom and courtroom visits. Mostly, I try to make sure our programs build legal capability in young people; I love helping to train new advocates!

Why I work at OJEN:

Before joining OJEN, I practiced Criminal Defence in Winnipeg, with an emphasis on youth justice. In this role, I worked mostly with young people. It was my experience in advocacy that led me to legal education. I’ve seen first-hand the consequences of a lack of resources, a lack of support and lack of understanding of our legal systems. Many of the barriers faced by young people I have worked with can be directly addressed through legal education.

3 things I did before OJEN:

1. I went to the United Nations in Geneva to participate in Canada’s Review before the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
2. I recorded an album composed mostly of solo piano and tape splicing (cutting up old cassettes to make music samples).
3. In university, I worked as a book-buyer for the notorious Neighbourhood Bookstore in Winnipeg.