📅 March 4 at 12pm EST | 📍Zoom
Person-Centered Investigations: Building Trust & Fairness in Investigations
A person-centered investigation shifts the focus from simply gathering facts to understanding the people behind them. It helps individuals feel respected, valued, and able to participate fully—regardless of their personal history or circumstances. By fostering inclusion, psychological safety, and cultural awareness, investigators can create an environment where participants feel supported in sharing meaningful and accurate information.
In this 60-minute webinar, we’ll explore how person-centered practices enhance investigative integrity, build trust, and ensure fairness. You’ll learn how to apply this approach in real-world scenarios, balancing neutrality with sensitivity while mitigating unconscious bias and power imbalances.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from top experts in the field.
Key Takeaways:
- Why person-centered practices lead to more effective investigations – Learn how a participant’s experience can impact their ability to fully participate in an investigation.
- Core principles of person-centered practice – Explore how empathy, cultural humility, and psychological safety enhance investigative effectiveness.
- Recognizing and adapting to individual needs – Discover practical ways to adjust your approach based on a participant’s background, identity, and level of vulnerability.
- Navigating power dynamics and bias – Gain strategies for identifying and addressing unconscious bias, privilege, and procedural inequities in investigations.
- Creating trust while maintaining neutrality – Understand how to balance investigative objectivity with a commitment to fairness and dignity.
This webinar has been accredited for Law Society of Ontario professionalism hours:
- This program contains 45 minutes of Professionalism Content
- This program contains 15 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content
Whether you conduct workplace or regulatory investigations, this session will provide actionable tools to improve participant engagement, enhance the quality of investigations, and ensure fair processes.
Your Presenters:
Laura Hutchinson, BSc, MScPT
Co-CEO
As our Co-CEO, Laura is responsible for the firm’s operations, policy and process design, and ensuring our executive team has the tools they need to effectively lead our sophisticated team of investigators. She draws on her extensive investigative experience and healthcare knowledge to lead our team in empathetic, trauma-informed practices that look beyond the surface to the underlying issues of each matter.
Laura practised as a physiotherapist for nearly a decade, treating private clients and elite athletes alike, before she joined Barker Hutchinson. She understands the nuances of working with individuals facing high-stakes situations, and she stewards a team that centers the human beings at the heart of each investigation.
Sheena Lessard, J.D., B.A.
Manager of Investigations
Sheena is a skilled, empathetic investigator whose person-centered, trauma-informed approach results in thorough, balanced investigations that help regulators and employers make informed decisions. As a Manager of Investigations, Sheena provides strategic oversight of investigations while maintaining her own smaller caseload.
Sheena practised law, regulatory administration, and social work before joining Barker Hutchinson. She draws on her diverse experience to collaborate with investigators and ensure each investigation meets Barker Hutchinson’s standards for quality, thoroughness, and efficiency.
Hailey Gladstone, J.D., B.A.
Senior Investigator
Ready to Get Started?
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The Trauma Informed Investigator's Toolkit
The complete guide to to managing sensitive investigations and achieving the best outcomes. Backed by proven strategies and insights from hundreds of successful investigations.
Hailey draws on extensive legal experience in her analytical, nuanced approach to investigations. She is dedicated to approaching every interview with understanding and attention to the human at the heart of the matter, which results in balanced, thorough, and fair investigations.
Hailey practised criminal defence at a respected boutique law firm before joining Barker Hutchinson. She brings clarity to complex matters and is versed in navigating cases that involve strict timelines, large volumes of evidence, reluctant witnesses, and/or mental health concerns.