PRO BONO
GOING PUBLIC
2022FREE LEGAL
ADVICE-A-THON

FREE LEGAL ADVICE-A-THON

SURREY/VANCOUVER/BC-WIDE TELEPHONE CLINICS
SEPTEMBER 7-21, 2022

14 Years

1,515 VOLUNTEER LAWYERS

2,734 CLIENTS SERVED

$921,427 RAISED

Sponsors

TITLE SPONSOR

“We are very excited to continue our support of Access Pro Bono’s ‘Going Public’ again this year”, says Richard Bereti, Managing Partner of Harper Grey LLP. “Lending our support as title sponsor is in keeping with our firm’s ongoing commitment to access to justice, a real and pressing need in the communities  in which we live and work. Our lawyers actively participate in this event, and provide free legal advice to those in need throughout the year. This event shines  a light on that need and on the important work of Access Pro Bono.”

MEDIA SPONSOR

Global BC has been British Columbia’s leading television station for over 60 years. With its flagship broadcast Global News Hour at 6 with Chris Gailus and Sophie Lui and the only provincial 24 hour news channel, Global News: BC1; Global BC is the place more British Columbians turn to for local news than any other news stations. Global BC provides viewers with award-winning journalism, digging deeper to find the truths behind major issues that matter most to residents, and unique stories that they won’t find anywhere else.

SUPREME COURT SPONSORS

At BLG, we are proud of our strong tradition of pro bono representation. Our pro bono initiatives make a profound difference for people and organizations that otherwise would be unable to access the legal system. As Canada’s Law Firm, we are honoured to have taken on a leadership role in our profession and in the regions we serve across the country. BLG Vancouver is pleased to continue our support of Access Pro Bono and is committed to advancing the welfare of our community. Please encourage our team of volunteer lawyers as they share their passion and professional experience by making a donation towards increased access to justice in BC.

The Canadian Bar Association is a national, legal professional association for almost 38,000 lawyers, students and judges in Canada, including over 7,600 in BC. We are dedicated to protecting the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the Bar, and improving laws, the justice system and access to justice.

CBABC is a vocal advocate for increased access to justice for British Columbians. Our widely-distributed Agenda for Justice 2021 outlines specific issues that create hardship or uncertainty for those who engage with our justice system. In recent years, we have called for increased investment in legal aid, changes to the eligibility criteria so more low-income people can access legal aid, and support for the unbundling of legal services. All this with a vision that society and individuals should be able to access the justice system to resolve issues impartially, swiftly and before they become more serious.

At Lawson Lundell, we believe in using our resources to serve the greater good by supporting quality programs in a meaningful way, including doing pro-bono work. This year, we are delighted to continue our partnership with Pro Bono Going Public to provide access to free legal advice as well as raise awareness and funds for the provision of pro bono legal services in BC. Our Firm’s pro bono clients include charities, community organizations and individuals who are marginalized or disadvantaged and without means to obtain legal counsel.

Hunter Litigation Chambers is a twenty-three lawyer litigation boutique in Vancouver. The practice of the firm is restricted to dispute resolution, with an emphasis on commercial litigation and arbitration, class actions, labour and employment, criminal and regulatory, and constitutional and administrative law. The firm is consistently listed at the top rank in independent third party guides such as Lexpert Canada, Canadian Lawyer, the Chambers Global Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Benchmark Canada, The Legal 500 and Best Lawyers of Canada.

Since its founding in 2006, the firm has provided practical and cost-effective advice to clients to resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation. Four of the firm’s lawyers are Queen’s Counsel. With more than twenty active trial and appellate lawyers and a distinguished former appellate judge to draw on, Hunter Litigation Chambers provides clients with effective representation in a broad range of private and public disputes.

Citadel Law Corporation is delighted to assist Access Pro Bono through sponsorship. Citadel is a great believer and supporter of pro bono legal advice for those who need it. When not assisting with pro bono work, Citadel assists its clients with all matters relating to estate litigation, strata corporation legal matters, tenancy matters for commercial and residential landlords and tenants, and many tribunal matters. Check us out at www.citadellawyers.ca

Coach My Case is a different kind of law firm. We assist people who are representing themselves in court, mediation or arbitration in family law in BC or Alberta. We provide legal coaching and paralegal navigation so that clients can represent themselves better. While we have offices in Calgary and Vancouver, our services are 100% remote which makes it accessible BC and Alberta-wide.
Through Coach My Case, clients can hire their own paralegal navigator or legal coach to assist them in the background with various services such as ghostwriting legal documents, preparing for court, providing information on legal procedures and more so they can represent themselves with confidence.

Unlike traditional law firms, at Coach My Case clients control their file, choosing when to use our services and only paying for what they need, when they need it. No expensive retainer is required to get started and clients simply pay-as-they-go.

Fasken is committed to improving legal access and justice for all. We celebrate the unwavering commitment and dedication of our lawyers and the pro bono community who continue to render access to justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. As an international leader in law, it is our duty to improve our legal system as well as the community’s ability to have those within it well served. Through our provision of pro bono legal services, we strive to create a more socially conscientious society that not only promotes the rule of law but hopefully also creates opportunities for economic growth. As a Canadian-based international law firm with more than 800 lawyers worldwide, Fasken is the largest law firm in British Columbia with over 150 lawyers. Clients rely on us for practical, strategic and innovative legal services. Visit us at fasken.com to learn more.

BC Housing was established as a Crown agency in 1967 and operates on the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples to develop, manage and administer housing options for British Columbians. We work to address critical gaps across the housing continuum, which range from emergency shelters, supportive housing and rent assistance in the private market to affordable home ownership. We also license residential builders, administer owner builder authorizations and carry out research and education that benefits the residential construction industry and consumers. BC Housing’s mission is to make a positive difference in people’s lives and communities through safe, affordable and quality housing. We work with about 800 non-profit housing providers and other partners to help more than 121,000 households in communities throughout British Columbia.

McMillan is a leading Canadian law firm committed to client service and professional excellence. As a full service business law firm, McMillan serves public, private and not-for-profit clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. With globally recognized expertise and acknowledged leadership in major business sectors, we provide integrated, creative and solutions-oriented legal advice through our offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, Calgary, Ottawa and Hong Kong. Our firm values — respect, teamwork, commitment, client service and professional excellence — are at the heart of McMillan’s commitment to serve our clients, our local communities and the legal profession.

APPEAL COURT SPONSORS

The Law Society of British Columbia protects the public by regulating the practice of law in the province and setting and enforcing standards for lawyers. To meet our commitment to the public, the Law Society investigates allegations of lawyer misconduct, resolves complaints, takes disciplinary action as necessary, provides an indemnity program to lawyers and trust protection coverage for the public. If you need more information or have concerns about a lawyer’s conduct, visit our website: www.lawsociety.bc.ca.

Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP is a leading full-service, Canadian law firm with offices in Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. We act for clients located across Canada, the United States and Europe. With close to 100 lawyers, we provide the full spectrum of litigation, business and personal law services. We have operated in British Columbia for nearly 50 years and recently opened our Ontario office, which has been steadily growing since 2019. As a multi-service firm, we are well-versed in managing and servicing the legal needs of clients of all sizes.

Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP is a litigation focused law firm practicing principally in the areas of corporate, commercial and real estate litigation. We also have active practices in contaminated sites litigation, securities litigation and class action defense. At Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP, we pride ourselves on offering practical advice to clients to resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation. We are committed to contributing to the community through advancing social justice, civil rights and environmental causes.

As one of Canada’s top business law firms, Blakes is proud to lead one of Canada’s largest pro bono programs. We have a longstanding policy that treats time spent on pro bono legal services as equivalent to billable hours, and a national committee that reviews and proactively seeks out pro bono opportunities. Since 2010, Blakes has represented the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association in six interventions before the Supreme Court of Canada, involving a wide variety of issues of public importance. Blakes regularly assists individual pro bono clients regarding tenancy disputes, debt claims, society governance matters and other legal issues.

DLA Piper (Canada) LLP is part of DLA Piper, a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, positioning us to help clients with their legal needs around the world. With 5 offices and 250 lawyers across Canada, our firm has deep roots in the Canadian and International markets. We believe in the importance of conducting business in a manner that is consistent with our values, which are reflected in how we engage with our clients and within our communities. Our support and resources are concentrated on issues where we can have the greatest positive impact to benefit the individuals we work with, strengthen ties within the community, and contribute to the overall cause of access to justice.

PRO BONO GOING PUBLIC 2022FREE LEGALADVICE-A-THON