Founder and Chief Information Officer
LEGAL LINE
Antree Demakos has devoted her entire 30-year career to demystifying the law and helping millions of Canadians obtain Access to Justice.
Pardons Canada
During her early days as a lawyer, Antree had her first big insight — that a significant number of the Canadian population suffered in silence, full of shame over their past criminal misdeeds. In answer to this need, Antree Co-founded Pardons Canada in 1990, whose purpose was to give people HOPE, and help people start fresh on an honourable path.
For twenty years, Antree continually researched the minutiae of records creation, retention and destruction, as well as inter-bureau policies between Canada and the USA. During Antree’s term as General Counsel, Pardons Canada successfully cleared 250,000 records, thereby removing this otherwise insurmountable barrier affecting employment, education, licensing, and so on. As a direct result of her agency’s help, criminal recidivism was lowered from the recorded government rate of 28% to 0.03% amongst her clients. As a leading expert, Antree went on to write the authoritative 300-page book, Canadian Criminal Records and How to Start Fresh, used as a reference at over 4,200 police services and probation offices across Canada.
Legal Line
In 1993 Antree Founded and continues to be the driving force behind Legal Line, a federal, non-profit organization. For over 30 years, she has helped millions of people obtain free legal information and professional help.
Antree collaborates with over 725 volunteer lawyers and judges who help keep the legal information up-to-date and accurate. She has also received the endorsement and support of 8,000 government departments and agencies (representing over 200,000 offices) across Canada, who promote Legal Line through the distribution of Legal Line materials, and by linking to the Legal Line website.
An ongoing concern is that almost all of our population have been left out of traditional Access to Justice programs. Their legal issues are numerous, including — employment, tax, family law, mortgages, immigration, business matters, insurance for life, health, or property, lawsuits for breach of contract or injuries, and so forth. By removing barriers to justice, Antree Demakos continues to empower Canadians within the legal system.
Professional Highlights
• Guest Lecturer, Radio Talk Shows, TV Ontario Documentary, Professional Associations, Law Schools
• Mentor, Graduate Students (LL.M., Ph.D.)
• Volunteer Lawyer, Pro Bono Ontario Hotline
• Western University Law Alumni Honours Dr. Antree C. Demakos, Juris Doctor
• Founder, Canadian Law Students Pro Bono, International (2020)
• Founder, Chief Information Officer, Legal Line (1993-present)
• Co-Founder and General Counsel, Pardons Canada (1990-2009)
• Lawyer, Carson, Gross & McPherson
• In-House Counsel, Crown Life Insurance
• Corp.& Commercial Lawyer, Antree Demakos
Nominations
• 2024 Order of Ontario
• 2021 YWCA, Women of Distinction
Recent Awards
• 2021 ‘Lady Justice Award’, a Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2021 Amnesty International presents Best Documentary Award to ‘The Arrest’, featuring Legal Line Founder Dr. Antree C. Demakos
• 2019 Ontario Paralegal Association ‘Public Legal Education (PLE) Award’
• 2019 Acquisition International ‘Best Online Canadian Law Advisory’
• 2018 Law Society of Ontario ‘John Shirley Denison Award’
• 2017 City of Toronto Access, Equity and Human Rights, ‘Constance E. Hamilton Award’
• 2017 Thomson Reuters’ Zenith Award, ‘Celebrating Women in Law’
• 2016 Thomson Reuters’ Canadian Lexpert Award, ‘Diversity and Inclusion’
Publications
• Legal-Line.ca, Content © Copyright, Dr. Antree C. Demakos, 1995-2024
• Your Guide to Canadian Law, Fitzhenry Whiteside, (700 pgs. ref. book, 7th printing)
• Canadian Criminal Records and How to Start Fresh, Fitzhenry Whiteside (300 pgs.)
• Published in: The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and countless national community papers and social media platforms
Education
• York University, B.A., Economics
• Western University, Faculty of Law, LL.B., Juris Doctor