Lawyer Referral Service

You can get in touch with a lawyer through the Lawyer Referral Service, an online program that lets you meet with a lawyer for 15 minutes to discuss your legal problem. This meeting is free.

The program is available to any BC resident with a family law problem. You can meet with the lawyer by phone or videoconference, when meeting in person is not possible or not advised.

Greater Vancouver: 604-687-3221
Elsewhere in BC: 1-800-663-1919 

Hours
8:30am – 5pm (Monday – Friday)

You can also book an appointment online or by email.

For more information, go to Access Pro Bono's website.

What should I do when I contact the service?

By phone or email:

  • explain briefly the type of problem you have,
  • get the name of a lawyer and a phone number to call, and
  • call the lawyer to set up an appointment (say that the Lawyer Referral Service referred you).

Using the online system:

  • explain briefly the type of problem you have,
  • choose an appointment time and a lawyer available at that time,
  • create an account in the online system, and
  • confirm the scheduled appointment.

What will happen at my appointment?

When you meet with your lawyer:

  • The lawyer will meet with you for up to 15 minutes. This meeting is free. You can use this time to explain your situation.
  • The lawyer will tell you whether you have a legal problem. They will tell you what your choices are, what is involved, and how much they would charge to help you with the case.

What if I want a lawyer to help with my case?

  • If the lawyer is located near you, you get along with them, and you can afford legal help, you might want to hire them to help you with some or all of your case (see What can you expect your lawyer to do?). Be sure to ask for an estimate of the total fees before agreeing to hire the lawyer.
If the first appointment doesn't work out, you can contact the Lawyer Referral Service and get another name.