Law Talk: Getting the legal help you need
Access to Justice: Legal Aid Ontario Community Legal Clinics
Persons with housing, social assistance, human rights, consumer protection, employment, disability pension and Criminal Injuries Compensation issues may be able to access the justice system through the Legal Aid Ontario Community Legal Clinics program. Potential clients must be financially eligible for services according to guidelines set by Legal Aid Ontario.
Community legal clinics are non-profit organizations funded by Legal Aid Ontario and governed by locally elected Boards of Directors. The Boards match their services to the needs of the communities they serve. In addition, clinics often engage in public legal education and community organizing. To locate a community legal clinic in your area, please refer to www.legalaid.on.ca.
Legal Aid Ontario also funds specialty clinics that deal with either a specific area of law (i.e. housing, social assistance), or represent specific individuals (i.e., seniors, disabled, urban Aboriginals). While general clinics serve a local geographic area (such as London-Middlesex), all areas of the province are serviced by specialty clinics. They support the work of local clinics and engage in test case litigation and law reform initiatives.
Finally, each of the six Ontario universities with a Faculty of Law has a Student Legal Aid Service Society (SLASS). Under the supervision of experienced lawyers, volunteer students represent clients in landlord and tenant matters, civil matters at Small Claims Court and summary conviction criminal matters where imprisonment is unlikely. To find the nearest student legal clinic to you, see http://www.legalaid.on.ca/en/student.asp.
This column provides legal information only. If you need legal advice please contact a lawyer, community legal clinic or the Lawyer Referral Service at 1-900-565-4LRS (a $6.00 charge will apply). You can contact Community Legal Services at the Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario at 519-661-3352 to book an appointment to discuss your legal issue. Fanshawe College students may also book an appointment to attend our outreach clinic at the college. Please call us at 519-661-3352 to book an appointment.
Persons with housing, social assistance, human rights, consumer protection, employment, disability pension and Criminal Injuries Compensation issues may be able to access the justice system through the Legal Aid Ontario Community Legal Clinics program. Potential clients must be financially eligible for services according to guidelines set by Legal Aid Ontario.
Community legal clinics are non-profit organizations funded by Legal Aid Ontario and governed by locally elected Boards of Directors. The Boards match their services to the needs of the communities they serve. In addition, clinics often engage in public legal education and community organizing. To locate a community legal clinic in your area, please refer to www.legalaid.on.ca.
Legal Aid Ontario also funds specialty clinics that deal with either a specific area of law (i.e. housing, social assistance), or represent specific individuals (i.e., seniors, disabled, urban Aboriginals). While general clinics serve a local geographic area (such as London-Middlesex), all areas of the province are serviced by specialty clinics. They support the work of local clinics and engage in test case litigation and law reform initiatives.
Finally, each of the six Ontario universities with a Faculty of Law has a Student Legal Aid Service Society (SLASS). Under the supervision of experienced lawyers, volunteer students represent clients in landlord and tenant matters, civil matters at Small Claims Court and summary conviction criminal matters where imprisonment is unlikely. To find the nearest student legal clinic to you, see http://www.legalaid.on.ca/en/student.asp.
This column provides legal information only. If you need legal advice please contact a lawyer, community legal clinic or the Lawyer Referral Service at 1-900-565-4LRS (a $6.00 charge will apply). You can contact Community Legal Services at the Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario at 519-661-3352 to book an appointment to discuss your legal issue. Fanshawe College students may also book an appointment to attend our outreach clinic at the college. Please call us at 519-661-3352 to book an appointment.
