Objective of Program Who are we?
1. We are a non-profit society formed in 1990.
2. Our directors are volunteer lawyers dedicated to justice for those who cannot afford it.
3. All services are provided free of charge by our volunteer lawyers.
4. Facilities are provided by social agencies committed to providing help to the needy.
5.We are a Canadian registered charitable organization.
Who are our directors?
Boothman, Stacey Cameron, Craig Campbell, Ian
Christie, Dugald Feller, H. Del Fraser, Bruce Q.C. Lee, Richard Walker, Graham (all practicing lawyers)
What is our vision?
To provide first-class pro bono lawyers assistance to all persons who cannot obtain Legal Aid or afford a lawyer, through pro bono clinics throughout the Western provinces (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba).
What are our objectives?
1. To foster the principle that all Canadians are entitled to access to justice regardless of income or status
2. To research, develop and promote a model of pro bono clinics for use by other organizations
3. To improve the image of lawyers in the general community
4. To foster pro bono activity of other pro bono providers by a process of example and challenge
The objects in the society's constitution are:
1. To research the length of court proceedings and the effect of delays in such proceedings on the poor
2. To develop and operate pro bono programs to provide free lawyer services to the poor
3. To educate lawyers, the poor and the public with respect to the need for access to justice for the poor and the means of improving such access
4. To otherwise promote access to justice for the poor
How did we get started?
The society was incorporated in August of 1990 and was originally known as the Lower Mainland Society to Assist Research of Trials (START), comprising mainly of senior litigation lawyers. Access Justice has a history of research and has provided a number of work papers on the length of court proceedings and other legal access issues. More recently, the society has broadened its mandate and constitution to include pro bono work.
Since 1999, the society's main thrust has been in the development of pro bono clinics across Western Canada. Access Justice now has 37 clinics from Campbell River to Winnipeg and over 306 lawyers each giving approximately 2 hours of their time per month. The Society continues to research issues around access to justice and is presently conducting a study of the duration of Provincial Supreme Court claims in Vancouver.
