Joan C. Manafa is the principal of Manafa Law Office, Professional Corporation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (French Language) obtained in 1984 from the University of Nigeria. She also holds a diploma in French literature obtained in 1983 from the University of Grenoble, in France. This diploma counted as Year 3 of the 4 year degree programme she undertook at the University of Nigeria.
Prior to undertaking legal studies, Ms. Manafa was a high school teacher. In 1989, she obtained a Nova Scotia Teacher’s License, Class 5 Permanent, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
She studied common law (in French language) at the University of Moncton, in New Brunswick, Canada, where she obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree in 1994. She also holds a diploma in Quebec Civil Law, obtained in 1993 from the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada. This was part of the Common Law /Civil Law Exchange programme organized by the Department of Justice Canada and designed to expose Canadian law students to the two legal systems in Canada. She was chosen to represent the University of Moncton Law School, in New Brunswick, Canada.
Upon completion of her Bachelor of Laws degree in 1994, she immediately proceeded to Dalhousie Law School (now known as Schulich School of Law) at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where she obtained her Master of Laws degree in 1995.
She was called to the Ontario bar in October, 1997 and has run a successful private practice since February 1998. She is fluently bilingual in both English and French and practises in both languages.
Ms. Manafa is an experienced Divorce and Family Law lawyer with unique years of experience in Child Protection Law, Divorce involving the elderly or the special needs child, the emerging Transgender Family Law and the diverse legal issues involved in family law practice. Her clients come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds.
Ms. Manafa has a unique experience in the area of assisted reproductive technology, having personally undergone these procedures in Toronto, Canada. Although she started practising law in February, 1998, it was not until 2001 that she started practising Fertility or Assisted Reproduction Law. She is a member of the Legal Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the leading medical organization that deals with medical-ethical issues in assisted reproduction. She is also a member of American Bar Association’s Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technologies. She has undergone and continues to undergo extensive continuing legal education in the area, including international conferences. She is fully familiar with the interplay of Fertility Law and other areas of the law and has developed a robust Fertility Law practice dealing with a wide range of Fertility Law issues, the first of its kind in Canada. She taught Family Law (in French language) at College Boreal, in Toronto, Canada from 2003 to 2004 and Assisted Reproductive Technology was a component of the Family Law course.
She is very passionate about social justice issues and has been a staunch advocate for the disabled, the elderly and the mentally ill. She represents them before Administrative tribunals as well as in court on issues involving disability benefits, findings of incapacity, guardianship disputes, involuntary hospitalizations, substitute decision making disputes, elder abuse, nursing home negligence etc. Her patience and compassion have helped her work effectively in these areas. She uses the most effective resolution to her clients’ legal issues. Although the issues involving the disabled, the elderly and the mentally ill can be quite complicated and challenging, it has been a very rewarding experience for her due to the unique role she plays in the lives of her clients and their families. Her best advertisement has been her satisfied clients. Through many years of working with this highly vulnerable and underserved segment of our population, she has acquired extensive experience and expertise in dealing with the complex legal issues facing them. She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Elder Law Section.
She practices in all aspects of Canadian Employment Law in the non-unionized workplace and is very familiar with the constantly evolving human rights issues in the workplace.
She regularly appears before the Ontario Court of Appeal, Ontario Divisional Court, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Justice as well as administrative tribunals, especially the Social Justice tribunals.
She also belongs to several other professional organizations such as the Law Society of Upper Canada, Ontario Family Lawyers Association, Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association ( OTLA), the American Bar Association ( ABA), the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and Association des Juristes d’Expression Francaise de l’Ontario ( AJEFO).
She has been quite active in the community and has been profiled in several community newspapers. She volunteers her time and talent to many community organizations. She has also been on the Board of Directors of some community organizations within the Toronto area. She has served as Ontario Bar Examiner, marking Ontario Bar examination papers for Professional Responsibility and Family Law courses in the summer of 2002, 2003 and 2004. She marked both English and French papers.
In 2004, she received the Afro-Caribbean award for her contributions in the community.
