​WHO WE ARE

"One of the most visionary undertakings I have seen in my 40 years at the bar.” 
​– Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella​

Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) is the first pro bono organization in the country and a nationally respected program that is actively supported by the bar, judiciary, and academy. PBSC was founded at the University of Toronto in 1996 and today operates in 22 law schools across Canada. Each year, PBSC harnesses the talent and drive of approximately 1500 law students across the country to provide legal services free of charge to low-income citizens and not-for-profit organizations. We operate more than 500 projects involving research, public legal education, court assistance, and legal clinics annually. These projects run in partnership with over 400 community organizations, and PBSC's student volunteers directly serve an estimated 12,000 people facing barriers to justice each year.

Access to Justice

"The most important issue facing the legal system"
​– ​The Honourable Thomas Cromwell

PBSC aims to train future lawyers by providing practical, supervised learning experiences for students; to increase access to justice for low-income individuals and non-profit organizations; and to promote a culture of pro bono in the profession. "Access to justice" has been defined as "assuring that people have the knowledge, skills, resources and services to meaningfully address their civil and family issues".

WHAT WE DO

public legal education.

Research and writing projects include the reviewing and monitoring of pending legislation, writing legal memos or analyzing current policy questions, and writing for media such as newsletters or blogs. These projects are often great for first years, though some more sophisticated writing projects could appeal to upper years. The CCLA Blog Project, or research on a pro bono appeal for a lawyer are all examples of a research and writing project.

Client INTAKE & Assistance.   

These placements provide students with an opportunity to develop and deliver legal education materials (e.g., FAQs, info sheets, etc.), workshops and seminars to low and middle-income individuals, newcomers, survivors of violence, and other target audiences. Volunteers provide legal information in an accessible format about a particular area of law. These placements are most appropriate for upper years, and are carefully supervised by a lawyer to ensure the content is accurate.

   Legal Research & WRITING.

These projects involve sitting down with clients of partner organizations or clinics to collect their personal information and the facts of their case, and in some cases providing them with legal information or helping them complete court forms or other documents. These projects are good for upper years, who love client contact. They are structured in such a way that the students are getting very close supervision from the lawyer supervisor wherever the intake is taking place, which is usually at a legal help centre or clinic setting.

SEE PROJECTS

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PBSC TRU is grateful for the generous support we receive from our funders and partners.

Our principle funder

Our national firm partner

Our national research partner