Where Can I Find Help with My Legal Problem?

There are a range of services in BC that can offer assistance with your legal situation. Many of them help people with a low income.

Clicklaw’s HelpMap can point you to legal information and advice services in your community. It indicates if the service is free, low cost and/or dependant on proof of low income.

The following legal advice services can help you with your legal situation:

• Low Cost and Free Legal Services. This Dial-A-Law script provides an extensive list of services.
• Legal Advice and Representation on a Budget. This information sheet compares three services that provide legal advice: Access Pro Bono; Legal Services Society (Legal Aid); and Lawyer Referral Service.
• Legal Help and Information If You Represent Yourself in Court.

This information from the Justice Education Society lists a range of legal resources you can use to get started.

• Know any good lawyers? This section of the Clicklaw wikibook Legal Help for British Columbians describes the steps involved in seeking a lawyer.
• A Guide to a Successful Interview with a Lawyer. This Supreme Court guidebook describes how to get the best out of your first meeting with a lawyer by preparing your information ahead of time.
• CBABC Legal Directory. Published by the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch, this annual print resource is available in most public libraries as well as at branches of Courthouse Libraries BC. It lists all lawyers in BC by region, area of law practice, and languages spoken.

If you are unable to find a service that helps with your legal problem, you might want to contact the office of your local Member of Legislative Assembly or Member of Parliament.

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Courthouse Libraries BC staff, October 2015.

Beginner's Guide to Finding Legal Information © Courthouse Libraries BC 2015 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.