Current Projects

In collaboration with Pro Bono Law Alberta (PBLA), this project assists self-represented litigants (SRLs) with their civil claims in Calgary’s King’s Bench Masters and Justice Chambers. Volunteer lawyers act as amicus curiae and appear in morning chambers to assist SRLs. This project also includes a “storefront” afternoon shift where SRLs can receive summary legal information regarding civil matters. Students participate by providing assistance with triage, client intake, client evaluation, research, and completion of project documentation and court forms. Students can also assist with procedural matters in morning chambers, thereby having an opportunity to practice oral advocacy and provide legal or referral information.

In collaboration with Pro Bono Law Alberta (PBLA), the Civil Claims Duty Counsel (CCDC) project provides summary legal assistance to self-represented litigants (SRLs) engaged in civil claims in Provincial Court. Students on this project assist volunteer lawyers with triage, client intake, and administering client evaluation forms. Students also provide research support, legal and referral information, and assist with the completion of required project documentation. All major Calgary firms participate in this project, thereby providing student volunteers with a great networking opportunity whilst also volunteering to improve access to justice for SRLs.

Legal Aid Alberta provides legal services and expertise to individuals and the legal community to support fairness in the justice system. It is an independent, publicly funded, not-for-profit organization that provides a broad range of services in family law and child welfare, adult and youth criminal law, immigration, and refugee law.

In collaboration with Calgary Legal Guidance and with support from the Alberta Human Rights Project, students on this project will assist community members in dealing with human rights complaints. Students will develop their interview skills as they listen to the clients’ stories to gather the theory of the case. During the interview students will also explain the basics of the Alberta human rights process (including matters such as limitation periods, the Commission’s complaint resolution processes, the likely timeline for getting to a hearing, and the range of possible remedies).

The Kerby Centre is committed to enhancing the ability of generations 50+ to live healthy, productive lives with a focus on their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being. This Project will provide free Will, Enduring Power of Attorney, and Personal Directive documents for low-income seniors from the Kerby Centre on fixed incomes. Suitable clients will be determined via a prescreening process conducted by the Kerby Centre staff.

PBSC’s Trans ID Clinic is run in partnership with the Skipping Stone Foundation and supervising lawyers from Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. Skipping Stone is a Calgary-based not-for-profit whose mission is to support and empower trans and gender diverse youth and their families in the province of Alberta. The Trans ID Clinic provides free legal information, form-filling services, and referrals in a learning space that strives to be trans-positive, non-judgemental, anti-oppressive, and inclusive. Students on this project will assist the supervising lawyers in helping members of the trans community with applications to change names and gender markers on government-issued identification.

With assistance from Calgary Legal Guidance (CLG), students will participate in the creation of public legal education materials focused on areas of law most often affecting Indigenous populationsStudents on this project will create public legal education materials such as presentations, how-to guides, and research for CLG’s Dial-A-Law series on Indigenous legal issues and areas of law most often affecting Indigenous populations. These materials will be reviewed and approved by the Supervising Lawyer and CLG, and subsequently provided to Indigenous clients obtaining assistance from Calgary Legal Guidance.

In collaboration with the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Alberta (AJEFA – French-speaking Legal Professionals Association of Alberta), the student volunteer(s) on this project will assess and create an inventory of the legal information resources available in French and English in Alberta. The student will also identify areas where there is little to no information available in French. Depending on the student’s command of French, they may also have the opportunity to work with AJEFA and the supervising lawyer to select a legal resource(s) that require French translation and produce a French legal information resource from it.

Animal Justice is a federally incorporated not-for-profit dedicated to advocating for animal protection. Animal Justice is Canada’s only national animal law advocacy organization.

In the pilot year, students on this project will conduct mock trials on three separate days for three separate sections of grade 9 students at St. Gregory School in February and March.

The Consent Project is a public legal education initiative targeted at students grades 8-12. The project focuses on consent education and the legal and practical issues surrounding consent, sexual activity, and sexual assault. The workshops are designed to help students understand their rights and responsibilities with respect to sexuality and consent, particularly when it comes to their intimate relationships. Topics covered include: the meaning of consent, the Criminal Code as it applies to consent, a discussion of the sexual activities that require consent, sexting, and child pornography.

Historically, Calgary Legal Guidance’s Dial-A-Law service allowed clients to call, select a legal topic from the options available, and listen to pre-recorded messages that broke down those topics into plain language. The topics provide only general information on legal issues within the province of Alberta. The purpose of this service is to provide free legal information to increase legal literacy and individuals aware of their legal rights and responsibilities.

The Family Advocacy Support Centre (FASC) reduces barriers faced by parents/families dealing with welfare services by increasing access to resources and supports for families with the goal of minimizing intrusive interventions and family separation.

Law student volunteers on this project will create eight 30-minute legal education podcasts on current legal topics. In addition to the 30-minute podcasts, students will also have the opportunity create 5-10 minute segments. These segments can be specific legal information or a part of the edited podcast that did not fit into the 30-minute episode.

Student volunteers would be asked to research and develop or update legal information slide decks to be delivered to high school students during a 45-minute class period. Volunteer students will develop slide decks include legal information sessions on Business Law; Identity Theft; Sexual Exploitation, Sexting, and Social Media; and Property.

Mamas for Mamas is a national charitable organization that supports mothers and caregivers in crisis by providing ongoing support to individuals and families facing various poverty-related struggles.

Student volunteers on this project will work closely with McCarthy Tétrault lawyers to deliver an educational program in 2-4 Calgary elementary schools. The workshops delivered will prepare elementary students to participate in an interactive civil mock trial where they will play the roles of clients, lawyers, witnesses, and jury members. The workshops will be taught to one classroom per school (approximately 25-35 students maximum per workshop). The focus of this project is to prioritize underserved schools in Calgary so that students who experience barriers to opportunity can learn about the law in an inspirational way.