We love volunteers!
Thank you for your interest in Amici Curiae (Friends of Court) Legal Forms Workshop. Our pro bono service is powered by paralegals and legal professionals. It is supported by licensed members of the Law Society of BC. We assist the public in completing legal forms, for matters before the courts and tribunals. We do not provide summary legal advice nor take conduct of the client's files. We also help the public prepare for their appearance before courts and tribunals. (updated: July 20, 2022)
Your Role:
As a supervising lawyer, you are experected to review documents, educate clients and volunteer; and support the teams:
The most common involvement is: supervising teams who have three key tasks.
Supervising Lawyers are invited to attend free CPD which count towards their LSBC requirements.
LSBC Conflict of Interest Rules
The Law Society changed the rules on conflict of interest in 2013 to make it easier for lawyers to provide pro bono services at court-annexed and non-profit clinics. The rules permit lawyers in the same not-for-profit organization to provide limited legal services to clients that may have opposing interests, as long as information about each client is kept confidential.
For details, see Code rules 3.4-11.1 to 3.4-11.4 regarding conflicts.
Scheduling and Cancellation
Periodically, we provide you a schedule of workshops using Survey Monkey every quarter. You select dates that work for you. Book as much or as little as you are comfortable with. We will inform you of your assignment.
Approximately 4 business days prior to the assigned date, we will provide you with a client roster, so you do a conflicts check.
LSBC rules permit lawyers in the same not-for-profit organization to provide limited legal services to clients that may have opposing interests, as long as information about each client is kept confidential. For details, see Code rules 3.4-11.1 to 3.4-11.4 regarding conflicts.
If you have to cancel, we ask that you let us know no later than when conflict checks are being done.
Qualification
A licensed member of the Law Society of BC. We presently do not work with non-insured members (ie crown counsel, retired and non-practicing).
More: https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/Website/media/Shared/docs/insurance/LIF-probono.pdf
How to apply
Read and sign our Volunteer Application Package (click here), email it along with your CV to Jenny Ho, our deputy executive director.
Once you are accepted, our volunteer coordinator will arrange for you to observe workshops that interest you. Once done we can connect again.
Questions? Write Dom Bautista executive director.
updated July 17, 2024.
Thank you for your interest in Amici Curiae (Friends of Court) Legal Forms Workshop. Our pro bono service is powered by paralegals and legal professionals. It is supported by licensed members of the Law Society of BC. We assist the public in completing legal forms, for matters before the courts and tribunals. We do not provide summary legal advice nor take conduct of the client's files. We also help the public prepare for their appearance before courts and tribunals. (updated: July 20, 2022)
Your Role:
As a supervising lawyer, you are experected to review documents, educate clients and volunteer; and support the teams:
- provide legal information and to answer questions but not to provide legal advice
- supervise volunteers on a designated session;
- provide Aboriginal law expertise during a session; or
- provide practice area expertise to assess the needs of a first time client.
The most common involvement is: supervising teams who have three key tasks.
- there are generally 4 teams you supervise (we like to leverage your time);
- along with a volunteer workshop manager, ensure the timely movement of each appointment; and
- you must approve the drafted form and the next steps for the client, before sending the client home.
Supervising Lawyers are invited to attend free CPD which count towards their LSBC requirements.
LSBC Conflict of Interest Rules
The Law Society changed the rules on conflict of interest in 2013 to make it easier for lawyers to provide pro bono services at court-annexed and non-profit clinics. The rules permit lawyers in the same not-for-profit organization to provide limited legal services to clients that may have opposing interests, as long as information about each client is kept confidential.
For details, see Code rules 3.4-11.1 to 3.4-11.4 regarding conflicts.
Scheduling and Cancellation
Periodically, we provide you a schedule of workshops using Survey Monkey every quarter. You select dates that work for you. Book as much or as little as you are comfortable with. We will inform you of your assignment.
Approximately 4 business days prior to the assigned date, we will provide you with a client roster, so you do a conflicts check.
LSBC rules permit lawyers in the same not-for-profit organization to provide limited legal services to clients that may have opposing interests, as long as information about each client is kept confidential. For details, see Code rules 3.4-11.1 to 3.4-11.4 regarding conflicts.
If you have to cancel, we ask that you let us know no later than when conflict checks are being done.
Qualification
A licensed member of the Law Society of BC. We presently do not work with non-insured members (ie crown counsel, retired and non-practicing).
More: https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/Website/media/Shared/docs/insurance/LIF-probono.pdf
How to apply
Read and sign our Volunteer Application Package (click here), email it along with your CV to Jenny Ho, our deputy executive director.
Once you are accepted, our volunteer coordinator will arrange for you to observe workshops that interest you. Once done we can connect again.
Questions? Write Dom Bautista executive director.
updated July 17, 2024.