Here is an alphabetical list of 60 of the best sources of legal information, assistance, advice and representation for low-income clients in British Columbia.
Contact information for government services is available through:
This guide refers to many websites for further legal information. To find a free public access computer, try visiting your local public library (listed below), a local Service BC office (listed below), a local college or university library, or a Courthouse Library (listed below), if you have one. You may be able to get some assistance with finding your information from these locations also.
Access Justice
Access Pro Bono operates free legal clinics in a number of communities throughout BC. Clients who meet the financial means test (see website for details) can receive 30 minutes of free legal advice and sometimes additional appointments. Access Pro Bono lawyers generally do not appear in court or tribunals but they can give advice, make calls, and assist with documents.
AdminLawBC.ca describes administrative tribunals — the specialized government agencies, boards and commissions that provide resolution of disputes involving government laws and how they are applied. They can hear complaints about decisions made by government agencies related to such topics as minimum wage, Employment Insurance, safety standards, telephone service rates, or rules of conduct of doctors and other professionals. The site also features a BC Administrative Law Directory which lists information and many of the decisions of over 100 federal and provincial tribunals.
The Advocacy Access Program is a service of Disability Alliance BC (formerly BC Coalition of People with Disabilities) that provides information, assistance, advice, and occasional representation for people with disability-related issues such as welfare benefits for people with disabilities, Canada Pension Plan disability benefits, and the Registered Disability Savings Plan.
Website:Advocacy Access Publications has a number of fact sheets about disability-related money and income support issues.
Seniors First BC (formerly BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support - BCCEAS) is a non-profit organization helping older adults. They operate Seniors' Legal Clinics in the Lower Mainland and a toll-free Seniors Advocacy and Information Line (SAIL) that provides information and referrals.
Website: The Resources section has fact sheets and e-books on residential care and elder abuse.
The BC Civil Liberties Association works to maintain and extend civil liberties and human rights in Canada. In addition to public education and advocacy, the BCCLA engages in select legal actions, often involving the police or government and on the topic of civil liberties.
Website: See the Our Work page for links to handbooks, guides and reports.
The BC Human Rights Clinic is operated by the Community Legal Assistance Society and funded by the BC Ministry of Justice. The Clinic provides free representation to complainants who have cases before the BC Human Rights Tribunal on a province-wide basis. Accepted applicants are assigned an advocate to assist with the early stages of a complaint.
Website: The Legal Services page under the Services menu has information on how to get advice or representation.
The BC Laws website is maintained by the BC Queen’s Printer and includes British Columbia statutes and regulations, orders in council, and regulations bulletins. It has a simple search function, and is current seven to 14 days after changes in legislation.
The BC Society of Transition Houses offers support to the programs and services who work with women who have experienced violence. The programs and services the BCSTH supports include transition and safe houses, safe homes, children’s and victims counseling, and violence prevention education.
The CanLII website offers a well-designed and comprehensive database of legislation, regulations, and court cases from across Canada. The search function can be limited to a specific province or to a federal court, and notable cases can be found through the "most cited" feature. The site includes an ebook on Wrongful Dismissal and Employment Law in the Commentary section.
Website: Hover your mouse over one of the question marks for help in using the search.
The Clicklaw website provides a window into plain language legal information and education resources designed for the public in BC from over 25 contributor organizations, as well as selected others. Clicklaw includes a HelpMap to find those who can help with legal problems in communities across the province, and starting points for over 150 commonly asked legal questions.
Website: The Court Forms & Guides page brings together court forms and step-by-step guides for both Provincial and Supreme Court.
The Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) provides legal assistance to disadvantaged people with housing security, income security, human rights, mental health rights, and workers’ rights problems. Services include summary legal advice, support for self-represented litigants, and full representation. Their Mental Health Law Program provides advice and representation at the BC Review Panel to persons detained under the BC Mental Health Act. Their BC Human Rights Clinic provides representation to complainants who have cases before the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
Website: The Self-Help Guides page has links to guides and information sheets, including one on representing yourself in a judicial review.
Courthouse Libraries BC provides legal information to the legal community and the public in 28 locations throughout British Columbia. Resource libraries in Vancouver and Victoria and regional libraries in Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, New Westminster and Prince George provide research assistance to clients. The library hosts the portal website Clicklaw, which provides a one-stop window into legal information and education aimed at the public in BC, as well as Clicklaw Wikibooks, featuring free plain language legal publications that are available to download in multiple formats and can also be printed.
Website: The Locations & Contact Information page has the contact information, including an email address and a list of library locations.
The Courts of BC website from the provincial government provides information about Provincial and Supreme Courts, and the Court of Appeal. Links include recent judgments, contact information and resources for self-represented litigants (people going to court on their own).
The Credit Counseling Society of BC provides information and advice to clients on the topic of debt and insolvency. Clients can take advantage of free and confidential credit counselling and debt consolidation services as well as obtain practical advice on budgeting.
Website: The Debt Help page has information about debt and insolvency counselling options.
Dial-A-Law features free information on the law in British Columbia in over 130 topic areas. A service of People's Law School, Dial-A-Law is available on Clicklaw Wikibooks, a dedicated website at dialalaw.ca, and on the telephone at 1-800-565-5297.
At People's Law School, we believe accurate, plain English information can help people take action to work out their legal problems. This information explains in a general way the law that applies in British Columbia. It is not intended as legal advice. For help with a specific legal problem, contact a legal professional. Some sources of legal help are highlighted in the page on free and low-cost legal help.
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Duty counsel services include a variety of free advice services (and some limited representation) provided by the Legal Services Society for otherwise unrepresented clients facing immediate legal challenges. See the entry below for a detailed description of duty counsel services.
Lawyer Referral Service
Access Pro Bono Society of BC's Lawyer Referral Service provides referrals to lawyers in private practice who specialize in various areas of the law. Any member of the public may call this service to obtain the contact information of a lawyer who will provide a free half-hour legal consultation.
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The Legal Services Society provides a variety of legal aid services including legal aid representation (getting a lawyer to take your case for free). See the entry below for a detailed description of legal aid representation.
Private Bar Lawyers
As well as the Lawyer Referral Service, lawyers in private practice provide three main free or low-cost services. These are free initial consultations, contingency fee agreements, and pro bono services. See the entry Private Bar Lawyers below for an explanation of these services and a description about hiring private bar lawyers.
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