Inventory of Reforms

[T]o increase access to justice by providing pro bono legal assistance and representation to low- and modest-income individuals who would otherwise not appear or appear unrepresented in civil chambers at the Vancouver locations of the British Columbia Supreme Court and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

Each Wednesday, volunteer lawyers from several large Vancouver law firms provide pro bono (free) legal assistance and representation to otherwise unrepresented low- and modest-income litigants appearing in civil chambers at the Vancouver locations of the British Columbia Supreme Court and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

For those unrepresented chambers litigants whose cases show merit, who clear conflict checks, and who meet the Project's financial eligibility criteria (set out below), Duty Counsel provide a range of helpful services in connection with the matter scheduled for hearing in chambers on the scheduled Wednesday, which may include:

• evaluating the merits of the matter scheduled for chambers;
• advising the client on substantive legal issues and on the client's legal rights and responsibilities;
• reviewing the client's documents;
• drafting and filing documents on behalf of the client;
• exploring the possibility of resolution by agreement or settlement; and
• (if the matter proceeds) representation in chambers.
  Handbook at 19

The Project office is located in the Vancouver Courthouse Library, directly adjacent to the BC Supreme Court civil chambers. The office space is very generously provided free of charge to PBLBC by the British Columbia Courthouse Library Society. The office's central location is critical in providing Project clients with maximum accessibility and convenience. It also provides Duty Counsel with immediate access to legal research resources available through the courthouse library.

The Project office is equipped with resources for Duty Counsel, including a desktop computer with internet access, a Quicklaw account for online case research, a scanner/printer, stationary, and a selection of quick-reference legal texts and books. The office also features self-help resources for unrepresented litigants.

By all indications, the Project is a resounding success thus far. As gleaned by anecdotal feedback and completed feedback forms, both Duty Counsel and Project clients have expressed very high satisfaction levels with their experiences connected to the Project. Despite heavy demand for their services, Duty Counsel have almost all described their volunteer day as a very gratifying experience. Most Duty Counsel have expressed a strong desire to volunteer for the Project past its pilot phase.

Although most Project clients express a deep-rooted frustration with the legal system as a whole, a strong majority of Project clients have expressed satisfaction and sincere gratitude for the services provided by Duty Counsel- this despite often not achieving their optimal desired outcome. A representative Project client comment, gratitude mixed with frustration, is as follows: "the Project is an essential service for a justice system often out of reach of ordinary people."...

PBLBC staff are working to adjust a few troublesome aspects of the Project: i) the possibility that Duty Counsel are being over-loaded and may eventually suffer burn-out; ii) the small number of second-tier clients being served by the Project in comparison to third-tier clients (something perhaps beyond the control of Project staff); iii) the limits to effective representation brought about by the single day per week service; and iv) the short periods of time available to second-tier and third-tier clients for consultation and advice from Duty Counsel. The Project may benefit from a reduction in client intake numbers so as to provide more time and better quality service for high-priority clients, at least until the Project expands to include more service days.

Despite these few problems, the Project has met or exceeded PBLBC's expectations.