British Columbia is a national leader in accessibility of pro bono legal services for its individuals and non-profit organizations of limited means. Each year, more than 1000 lawyers and law students provide free legal advice to low-income and modest-income individuals at over 100 pro bono clinics throughout BC. Hundreds of other lawyers provide pro bono assistance and representation to individuals through roster programs and court-based projects.
There are several pro bono programs operating in BC, but the main pro bono programs include the Western Canada Society to Access Justice, Pro Bono Law of BC and the Salvation Army Pro Bono Program.
Established in 1990, Access Justice is a non-profit society dedicated to providing first-class free legal assistance to all persons who cannot obtain legal aid or afford a lawyer. Access Justice operates pro bono summary legal advice clinics in over 60 locations throughout BC. Its clinics are staffed by dedicated volunteer lawyers, and are supported by host agencies and non-lawyer volunteers.
www.accessjustice.ca
PBLBC is an independent charitable organization established in April 2002 by the Law Society of BC and the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association to coordinate, promote and facilitate the delivery of pro bono legal services in BC. PBLBC's mission is to advance access to justice by developing and facilitating opportunities for the effective provision of high-quality pro bono legal services to people and non-profit organizations of limited means throughout BC, and by supporting potential and existing pro bono legal service providers in BC.
www.probononet.bc.ca
The main objective of the Salvation Army Pro Bono program is to bring volunteer lawyers together with the poor in order to eliminate barriers to justice. The Salvation Army operates dozens of pro bono summary legal advice clinics throughout BC, and supplements its pro bono services with a full range of social services.
www.probono.ca
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