Legal

Below are some free resources to support low-income people in seeking legal remedies.

Helpful Links

Amici Curiae Friendship Society (AC): volunteers help British Columbians understand legal procedures and complete paperwork. For free. AC’s services are provided on the principle of equal access to justice.

Clicklaw: guides you to trusted resources from non-profit organizations, the government, and the legal profession in British Columbia. Find practical legal information for everyone. Connect with legal service providers.

The QMUNITY Legal Clinic: offers free, low-barrier legal services tailored to the unique needs of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual individuals in BC.

Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS’s): Stand Informed legal advice services provides up to 3 hours of free and confidential legal advice to anyone who has experienced sexual assault in BC and resides in BC.

The Disability Law Clinic (DLC): provides a Summary Advice and Referral Service which is a free, confidential legal service, directly to persons with disabilities from across BC.

Legal Aid BC: Offers a range of free services. Priority given to people with low incomes, but many services are available to all British Columbians.

Nanaimo Justice Access Centre: Provides free services to British Columbians going through separation or divorce.

BC Family Maintenance Agency: Provides a free service available to families in British Columbia who are eligible to receive or pay family support.

Access Pro Bono: Operates a free lawyer referral service and several pro bono programs serving the critical legal needs of people and non-profit organizations across BC.

Rise Women’s Legal Centre: Community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia. Programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC.

Tillicum Lelum: Free legal advice is available Thursday mornings from 9:30 AM–12:00 PM at Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Health Centre (602 Haliburton St.). Confidential consultations with a lawyer and Aboriginal Community Legal Worker can help with child protection, family law, court documents, and referrals. The Parents Legal Centre (Legal Aid BC) supports parents addressing child protection concerns, offering legal advice, representation, and advocacy. Eligibility depends on income and assets. To book, call (250) 753-6578 or contact Kristina at 778-455-5070 or Kristina.PLCDuncan@legalaid.bc.ca. Learn more at legalaid.bc.ca.

Nanaimo Courthouse Library: The Nanaimo Courthouse Library at 35 Front Street offers free legal information services to help reduce barriers to legal resources for everyone in BC. For more details, visit courthouselibrary.ca or call 250-716-5968.

Together Against Poverty Society: TAPS is now offering legal advocacy services in Nanaimo, Parksville, Ladysmith, and adjacent Gulf Islands. TAPS provides legal Advocacy services for the following areas: Income Assistance, Residential Tenancy, PWD Application Help.

Everyone Legal Clinic: is a first-of-its-kind public interest law incubator fostering a more inclusive and culturally responsive justice system in BC, by increasing the diversity and affordability of legal professionals. Their highly trained legal professionals provide fixed-fee and client-centred services locally or virtually, in a wide range of areas covering everyday legal problems.

BC First Nations Justice Council – Indigenous Justice Centres in British Columbia: (IJCs) provide culturally appropriate information, advice, support and representation directly to Indigenous people at the community level. All Indigenous Peoples, regardless of whether they qualify for legal aid, can access free legal and outreach services if they are facing a criminal or child protection issue. Get free help at one of our Indigenous Justice Centres in British Columbia or through our Virtual Indigenous Justice Centre.

BC First Nations Justice Council – Gladue information for the public: Gladue report writers are members of a unique and important group working to change the landscape of the criminal justice system for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Anyone who self-identifies as First Nations, Metis or Inuit has Gladue rights and can request a Gladue report. The BCFNJC prepares Gladue reports for bail, sentencing, appeals, long-term offender hearings, dangerous offender hearings and parole hearings.

VictimLinkBC: provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence.

Seniors First BC – Advance Planning Clinics: can help eligible low-income older adults (55+) with drafting and executing Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Representation Agreements.