The Free Legal Clinic at the Halifax Law Courts is looking for lawyers to volunteer their time providing Pro Bono legal advice for self-represented litigants.
This initiative was first launched in Halifax in 2015 to fill a gap in services for people needing assistance with their civil law matters and family law appeals, excluding child protection matters. Nova Scotia Legal Aid provides duty counsel services at most courthouses to help self-represented individuals with criminal and family law matters, but there was nothing available for other types of cases. Since 2015, this work has expanded to include free legal clinics at the courthouses in Yarmouth, Truro, and Sydney.
The Halifax Free Legal Clinic offers appointments most Thursdays between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., excluding holidays. Each session lasts one hour. Appointments can be in person on the 2nd Floor at the Law Courts or by telephone.
The next session of the clinic begins on Thursday, June 8, and continues until the end of August. Volunteer lawyers are needed for the following dates:
- June 8
- June 15
- June 22
- June 29
- July 6
- July 13
- July 20
- July 27
- August 3
- August 10
- August 17
- August 24
These clinics provide a valuable service to litigants who may not otherwise have access to a lawyer and are a rewarding experience for volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering during the spring session, please contact [email protected] by Friday, May 19, and indicate which dates you are available and whether you prefer to attend appointments in person or via telephone.