Pro Bono Students Canada

Who We Are

PBSC is a national pro bono organization with chapters at 22 law schools across the country. Each year about 1,500 law students provide approximately 120,000 hours of free legal information and services to nearly 400 organizations, courts, and tribunals across the country.

Check out the Pro Bono Students Canada website for more information about the organization!

Why We Do This

Through our program, PBSC law student volunteers are given an opportunity to enhance their legal skills by providing free legal services to individuals and communities facing barriers to justice in Canada. We envision a society with accessible legal systems, where the dignity and rights of every person are upheld.

The Benefits of Volunteering with PBSC

PBSC offers a range of practical experiences in a wide array of legal settings: PBSC law students are matched with public interest organizations, community groups, legal clinics or other legal service organizations, government agencies, pro bono lawyers and courts, and tribunals.

PBSC supports projects that interest students from all backgrounds: PBSC creates projects in many areas of the law, including administrative, civil, constitutional, corporate non-profit, criminal, environmental, family, human rights, immigration and refugee and all areas of poverty law.

PBSC serves a range of diverse Canadian populations: PBSC student volunteers have an opportunity to work with and serve diverse groups of Canadians.

2024-2025 Projects:

Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario
Type of Project: Legal Research and Public Legal Education (3 Positions)
Hybrid Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, & 3Ls
Link to Organization: Elizabethfrynwo.org

Project Description:
The law student volunteers will support the Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario by
conducting tasks related to developing a comprehensive understanding of the legal processes
from arrest to sentencing and beyond, and by participating in public legal education presentations.
Key responsibilities may include:
● Creating a detailed roadmap of the legal processes from arrest to incarceration,
highlighting diversion opportunities and decarceration strategies
● Compiling and summarizing legal information and evaluation data
● Researching access to justice challenges such as high remand and over-incarceration rates faced by Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in Northern Ontario and rural communities.
● Assisting in the development and delivery of public legal education (PLE) presentations on topics such as legal processes, decarceration strategies, and community support.
● Creating informative materials such as blogs, brochures, FAQs, and website posts to provide legal information regarding the services offered by the organization and instructions on how to access them.
● Collaborating with the Court Support Navigator and other stakeholders to enhance the impact of public legal education efforts.
These efforts will culminate in a comprehensive final report/PLE presentation, collaboratively
drafted by the organization and the law student volunteer, with the goal of enhancing access to
justice for Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.
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Environment North
Type of Project: Legal Research and Public Legal Education (2-3 positions)
Remote Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls
Link to Organization: Environment North

Project Description:
This project aims to address critical environmental and legislative issues in Northwestern Ontario by focusing on two major parts: (1) the proposal by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to construct a deep geological repository (DGR) for high-level nuclear waste and (2) the current policies on lithium mining and refining. The project will support Environment North (EN) in its opposition to the NWMO's proposal and enhance public understanding and engagement in lithium mining policies. By combining these two parts, the project seeks to develop comprehensive legal research and strategic insights on how to protect the environment and advocate for the rights of impacted communities.

Part 1: Legislative Issues Concerning Nuclear Waste Disposal
Once the NWMO makes a siting decision, the decision will be subject to an impact assessment as part of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) licensing process. Among the concerns raised by EN is that the siting decision has failed to consult with all the communities impacted along the transportation route, in the watershed and downstream from the facility. First Nations are objecting to this process on the grounds that they have not given their free, prior and informed consent.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's (CNSC) decision to approve the construction of a nuclear waste facility near Chalk River has three outstanding judicial review applications before the Federal Court.
EN is interested in understanding the legal decision-making process for the Chalk River Nuclear Waste Site court challenges. Some of these decisions may pertain to NWMO's proposal to build a DGR in Northwestern Ontario.

Part 2: Policies for Lithium Mining and Refining
If capacity permits, Part 2 of this project will continue EN's research examining current policies on lithium mining and refining by monitoring and summarizing recent legislative changes. This will also include opportunities for public outreach and participation. The conclusion of this project will result in a detailed research report highlighting any gaps in the consultation process and the legal implications of NWMO's proposal. The report will also thoroughly analyze the judicial review applications and their potential impact on nuclear waste disposal projects in Northwestern Ontario. Based on the research findings, the report will highlight advocacy avenues for EN.
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Kind Space Virtual Trans-ID Clinic
Joint Project with the University of Ottawa Common Law Program
Type of Project: Client Assistance (1 Position)
Remote Placement
Who Can Apply: 2Ls
Link to Organization: Kind Space

Project Description:
This project has two components—a clinic and a public legal education component. The first component of this project involves the operation of a Trans ID Clinic. The Clinic will operate virtually. If issues arise with operating the clinic virtually, there is space available at Kind Space to shift the clinic to in-person. Kind Space will be responsible for advertising the clinic on their website and providing the appointment booking platform for clients. The clinic will comply with PBSC's Confidentiality and Privacy regulations (Policy 4), where students will not provide their personal contact details while volunteering with the clinic. The Clinic will be opened to assist with the process of updating personal identification. The students and Lawyer Supervisor will provide support and information on the process of requesting a name change.
Students will be provided with streamlined notes and training by Kind Space about the clinic operations.
The second part of the project involves public legal education produced content. If there is downtime during the drop-ins, students are encouraged to ask questions and receive mentorship from their Lawyer Supervisor. Students will also work on their public legal education research during downtime. The public legal education component will be determined in consultation with the lawyer supervisor and the organization on what information clients often request. In the past, this part of the project was a one-page reference document on the name-changing process.
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Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic
Type of Project: Client Assistance and Legal Research (2 positions)
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls
In-Person Placement
Link to Organization: Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic

Project Description:
Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic provides Tenant Duty Counsel services daily and regularly provides intake and case representation to community members in various areas of poverty law. This project will focus on the organization's ongoing needs regarding different client files and other Clinic needs. Student volunteers will perform client assistance and intake-based tasks as the Clinic requires.
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Lakehead University Community Legal Clinic
Type of Project: Client Assistance (1 position)
In-Person Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls
Link to Organization: Law Clinic | Lakehead University

Project Description:
This project will have the student volunteer reviewing birth certificate registrations from ID clinics hosted by the clinic during the summer months. The clinic receives many applications during each free ID clinic and requires a student to help reach out to clients to finish the application process with the goal of successfully obtaining the birth certificate and providing it to the client. During the summer, applications were sent to various provincial governments for approval, and follow-up will be required on an ongoing basis starting in the fall. The student will review the status of these applications and contact clients for the next steps. The student will also be able to assist new clients with completing birth certificate applications.
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Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence (LAND)
Joint Project with the University of Toronto
Type of Project: Legal Research and Public Legal Education (3- 4 positions)
Remote Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls & 3Ls
Link to Organization: Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence

Project Description:
This project is responsive to Bill C-73, the Nature Accountability Act, introduced by the federal environment Minister on June 13, 2024. This Bill is particularly significant, as Canada's first-ever environmental law which aims to protect biodiversity.
Bill C-73 compels Canada to recognize its commitment to protect nature and biodiversity in alignment with its international commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (as agreed to at COP15) and requires the establishment of a national biodiversity strategy and action plan.
Student volunteers will conduct research and draft accessible, public legal education (PLE) briefing notes on this Bill with the intent that their research be relied upon by LAND, its clients or members of the public, in public consultations that will be occurring on this Bill, as it moves through Parliament.
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Mino-Waabandan Inaakonigewinan Indigenous Law and Justice Institute
(Bora Laskin Faculty of Law)
Type of Project: Public Legal Education (1-2 positions)
Hybrid Placement
Who Can Apply: 2Ls and 3Ls
Link to Organization Website: Mino-Waabandan Inaakonigewinan (Seeing Law in a Good Way) Indigenous Law & Justice Institute | Lakehead University

Project Description:
The student volunteers will work with the Institute to develop public legal education (PLE) materials and presentations with respect to (1) the Institute's activities and (2) Indigenous law (as opposed to Aboriginal law). The main goal of this project is to create presentable materials which can be delivered virtually or in person. The student volunteers will also develop other PLE materials that the organization can continue to use in the future.
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Newcomer Legal Clinic
Type of Project: Client Assistance (1 position)
In-person Placement
Who Can Apply: 2Ls & 3Ls
Link to Organization: Newcomer Legal Clinic

Project Description:
The Student Volunteer will support the work of the Newcomer Legal Clinic by participating in, planning for, and attending drop-in immigration and refugee legal advice clinics at the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association. The Student Volunteer will be trained to assist with the intake of clients for the drop-in and with outreach to organize the drop-in under the direct supervision of the Supervising Lawyer.
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Northwest Community Legal Clinic
Type of Project: Legal Research and Public Legal Education (2-3 positions)
Remote Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, & 3Ls
Link to Organization: Northwest Community Legal Clinic

Project Description:
Student volunteers will support the Northwest Community Legal Clinic's staff with legal research and the development of Public Legal Education (PLE) materials. This will involve researching and proactively monitoring pending legislation, as well as researching local statistics, demographics, and the evolving needs of community members in the Fort Frances, Kenora, and Atikokan regions. This may include researching systemic poverty and homelessness, the increasing number of temporary foreign workers in Northern Ontario communities, as well as employment, disability, and other legal issues related to social assistance to identify gaps in the Clinic's services.
The research will culminate in a memorandum jointly developed by the Clinic and the student volunteers, addressing the findings and proposing solutions to the issues identified. The Clinic and students will use this research to develop PLE materials to increase access to justice for the demographics identified through the memorandum.
The PLE materials may consist of quarterly newsletters, pamphlets, brochures, Zoom and in-person presentations, and blog posts on the Clinic's website. The most effective PLE materials and delivery methods will be determined based on the student volunteers' findings regarding the Clinic's demographics and community needs.
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Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre
Type of Project: Client Assistance and Public Legal Education (2 positions)
In-Person Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls
Link to Organization: nwowomenscentre.org

Project Description:

The student volunteer(s) will be responsible for helping support and orient clients regarding their legal issues, including the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) High-Risk Protocol. The student's involvement in providing client assistance will include researching gender-based legal issues to provide clients with legal information. The student will also assist the GBV navigator in preparing court documents for clients. In addition, the student will be able to observe court events on Zoom and in person.
It is important to note that students will not be providing legal advice or assistance but will be exposed to the court system and non-legal courthouse advocacy. This work will always be done under proper supervision and support.
The PLE projects will centre on informing and supporting women in navigating legal issues. The Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre already conducts significant PLE work within the community; therefore, the student will assist with these projects where needed.
The PLE projects may include:

● Information about domestic violence.
● How to flee situations of violence.
● Knowing your rights in family law proceedings.
● Navigating sexual assault proceedings in criminal law.
● Researching local court processes to study their treatment and effects on women.
● Conducting case law studies regarding GBV and plea bargaining.
● Researching the effectiveness of Peace Bonds and Emergency Order applications in Thunder Bay and the surrounding district.
● PLE presentations.
● Participating in virtual legal clinic training.
● Actively monitoring pending legislation, including:
○ Bill 173 - Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, 2024
○ Bill C-334 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Judges Act and the Director of Public Prosecutions Act.
○ Bill C-332 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (coercive control of intimate partner), etc.

Any PLE project that NWOWC commits to focuses on informing women of their rights as they move through the justice system, with a particular focus on criminal and family law.
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Thunder Bay and District Injured Workers Support Group

Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing and Public Legal Education (2 positions)
Remote Placement
Who Can Apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls
Link to Organization: Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group

Project Description:
This project is a returning research partnership concerning the Dryden Project. The Dryden Project involves gathering information from workers who were exposed to noxious smoke. The project is supported by a committee that collects, analyzes, and organizes stories to make those in positions of power aware of the experiences of workers and their families, with the goal of helping them access justice for the harm they have endured.
In addition, to connect with younger workers, the student volunteers will be developing PLE targeting the new and younger generations of Ontario workers and informing them of their rights. This includes research, maintenance, and building of the Dryden Project website to continue to raise awareness and support injured workers, provide legal information for younger workers and injured workers as well as continue the work of identifying any other workers who may have been working at the Dryden Mill during 2002-2004 construction of Recovery Boiler #4.
This is in conjunction with research being conducted by Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), which collects, analyzes, and organizes stories to bring to those in positions of power and get justice for these workers and their widows. The culmination of this research will result in developing a "Model Act" using the data collected.
The student volunteers will collect data, analyze the data, and present their findings. They should aim to develop 1 or 2 PLE presentations this year, informing workers of these findings. The "Model Act" will be a research memorandum outlining current/pending legislation. Students will critically analyze these findings using the statistics gathered from workers to highlight legal issues facing workers in Northern Ontario.
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Application Process

Are you passionate about making a difference and gaining invaluable experience? Applications for this year’s PBSC (Pro Bono Students Canada) student volunteer positions will be open from August 26th, 2024, at 10:00 am until September 16th, 2024, at 5:00 pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to get involved and contribute to impactful legal work in your community!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with all the latest information, and check The Bulletin and your student emails for further details.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE APPLICATION FORM NOW

If you have any questions about the application or the process, please contact Cameron Crawford at probono.law@lakeheadu.ca.

We look forward to your application!