Free (pro bono) legal clinics

There are several pro bono (free) legal clinics in BC that provide lawyer services to people who are not eligible for legal aid but cannot afford to pay for a lawyer.

• Access Pro Bono Society of BC promotes access to justice in BC by providing free (pro bono) legal services to people and non-profit organizations of limited means. Access Pro Bono provides summary legal advice clinics in community centres, social agencies, churches, and courthouses located throughout the province; a province-wide roster program providing representation services to individuals and non-profit organizations of limited means; a superior courts civil duty counsel project in Vancouver; and a children's lawyer project in Nanaimo. To apply for free advice and help to prepare for court (though they can't prepare typed legal documentation or go into court on your behalf), call 604-878-7400 (Lower Mainland) or 1-877-762-6664 (no charge, elsewhere in BC).
• The Salvation Army British Columbia Pro Bono Lawyer Consultant Program provides free legal advice to people who meet the program's guidelines. Legal advice includes helping you prepare court documents, fill out wills, notarize documents, and prepare to appear in front of a judge. For more information, call 604-296-3816.
• The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, BC Division Volunteer Legal Advocacy Program (VLAP) makes legal information and advocacy available by telephone, email, or in person to people living with multiple sclerosis in the Lower Mainland (including the Fraser Valley), Victoria, and Kamloops. To get help with a particular legal or advocacy issue, call 1-800-268-7582 (no charge) or 604-689-3144 and ask to speak with the VLAP co-ordinator.