How does our pro bono program work?

The basic concept of the program is to provide a professional setting in which lawyers give 2-4 hours of their time free per month to help those who cannot obtain legal help elsewhere. The key is to protect the lawyers' time and boundaries as well as to facilitate high professional standards. The Society works with various social and charitable agencies to arrange and administer half-hour legal appointments. Follow-up appointments are available.

Our pro bono lawyers give advice and help clients do the work. They do not prepare typed legal documentation as would normally be done for their office clients. They do not take work home. The lawyers do not go into court or go on record. They prepare the client to go into court, help the client gain a winning attitude (with emphasis on preparation) and take the fear out of the legal process.

The pro bono clients do not call the lawyers if they want to follow up, they call our clinic.

What progress have we made in delivering our services?

Video-conferencing project:
We are now operating video-conferencing clinics to serve more remote areas of the Province.

Website:
Our website has a calendar system for booking clients and lawyers and a system for storing client information.

Resource manuals:
See our Lawyer / Legal Resources tab.

Volunteers & staff:
We have several full-time workers, and over 100 non-lawyer volunteers who coordinate the program and provide administrative, typing, clinic chaperone and other services.