Civil Claims Duty Counsel

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.

In the virtual dispensation, students will assist volunteer lawyers with legal research prior to and during a virtual advice shift. They will also be able to sit in on virtual advice sessions where they will help manage client flow, provide legal and referral information and support the drafting or completion of required project documents. 

– 3 student volunteers, with the possibility of adding additional students at a later date.
– 1L students are encouraged to apply
– At least one student volunteer must be an upper-year to complete the research components of this project

– Civil Law
– Court Procedure

– Delivery of legal information
– Client interviewing skills

Court-Based Project

Students will be scheduled for a 3-5 hour shifts every other week. All shifts will be scheduled at the beginning of each semester so students have an opportunity to plan in advance, and around their course schedules.

Student volunteers on this project are expected to volunteer from October to March (excluding December). PBSC students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week. Additional hours are at the student’s discretion. Overall, all PBSC projects are easily manageable alongside academic demands.

All training for this project is schedule and provided by PBSC Calgary and the organization. This training will take place in September-October, and will not conflict with students’ course schedules.

PBLA will deliver training to student volunteers. The training sessions will provide an overview of: 
– The CCDC program 
– Student roles and expectations (tailored to in-person, virtual, or both formats, depending on volunteer preference). 
– PBLA program policies, resources, and other administrative matters relating to the operation of the CCDC Program. 
– Technical training on virtual platforms for program delivery. 

PBLA will oversee shadow shifts for new volunteers virtually and at physical program locations whenever in-person services resume. Program information will also be available to students on an ongoing basis through a Volunteer Student Manual and periodic project updates. 

In addition to the training provided by PBLA, the following PBSC training sessions are mandatory to volunteer on this project:
– PBSC Process Overview
– PBSC Ethics and Professional Responsibility Training
– PBSC Anti-Oppression Training
– Westlaw Research Strategies Training

Specific dates and times will be provided once volunteers are placed on their respective projects.

Applications for the 2023/2024 are currently open! Please fill out the Google Form linked below.