Searching for Community Legal Services

Clinical services to families involved in matters before Family Court

• the clinic offers assessment in matters relating to child welfare and the Youth Justice Act
• assessments are assigned to a primary worker and are comprehensive and detailed (taking 12 to 15 weeks to complete) and require interviews with the parties, children, and other involved individuals

Specialized legal clinic providing advice, assistance and representation in the area of prison law

• legal services are provided to clients by students under the supervision of the Clinic's lawyers, as part of their legal education
• teaching program for Queen's law students
• represent clients at Disciplinary Court Hearings
• represent clients at Hearings before the Parole Board of Canada
• draft grievances
• provide legal opinions
• conduct meetings with inmate groups at Kingston-area penitentiaries
• conduct test case litigation

Free and confidential legal services

Areas of law:

• Summary Criminal Offences
• Summary Drug Offences (e.g. possession)
• Serious Provincial Offences and AMPs
• Ontario Human Rights claims
• Small Claims Court matters
• Creditor/debtor and consumer problems
• Employment law matters where no union is involved
• Income support appeals to the Social Benefits Tribunal
• Landlord and Tenant matters other than routine maintenance problems
• For family law matters, please contact the Queen's Family Law Clinic
• For wills and Powers of Attorney, please contact the Queen's Elder Law Clinic
• Notary Public and Commissioner of Oaths available for Queen's University Students only

Support, education, consultation, and collaboration for anyone affected by or serving individuals with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in Southeastern Ontario

• this includes those living with a brain injury, their loved ones, professionals, and the community at large

Information and referral to appropriate resources in the community

• information and training to service providers
• advocacy for ABI concerns

Means-based legal services for those who would otherwise have difficulty affording legal counsel. All of the work on QELC files is undertaken by student caseworkers, under supervision of a fully-licensed review counsel.

Assistance With Future Planning: Wills and Codicils

• Powers of Attorney for Property and for Personal Care

Assistance With Court Applications:

• Application for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee With or Without a Will
• Guardianship Applications
• Minor Estate inquiries

Legal Advice Regarding Issues Affecting Seniors:

• Elder Abuse and Neglect
• Elder Discrimination
• Assisted Living and Long-Term-Care

Public Legal Education:

• Can present a public legal education seminar to the community or professional group on issues related to aging

Complete intake form online here

Legal clinic promotes justice, equality, rights and independence for low-income people by:

• providing legal services in matters relating to poverty
• housing, income support, human rights, health, employment and education
• pursuing law reform activities
• providing community legal education
• engaging in community development

Legal clinic

Services

• rental housing (tenant duty counsel)
• income security
• education
• human rights
• consumer debt
• public legal education
• ODSP walk-in-clinic

Psychiatric patient advocacy and rights advice services as well as systemic advocacy and public education

• assistance resolving individual or systemic issues
• resolution of issues impacting patient rights and entitlements
• rights advice services
• public education through speaking engagements

By-law information

• council support
• process Municipal Freedom of Information and protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) requests

Information on the family court process

• assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid)
• referral to specialized services and supports in the community
• safety planning
• court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate

In-person, video or phone services available and based on client preference.

COVID-19 (November 9, 2021): Provincial and legal aid offices closed to the public. Services still offered by phone. Visit the website for latest service updates.

Lawyers available to give immediate legal assistance to people who appear in court without a lawyer

• assists with criminal or family law issues
• referrals to other legal aid services

Family duty counsel:

• advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• help to negotiate and settle issues
• help to review or prepare court documents to be filed
• assistance in the courtroom with child protection hearings, garnishment and support hearings, requesting adjournments, arguing motions, hearings for issues such as custody, access, or support where the issues are not complicated

Criminal duty counsel:

• advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• assistance with diversion, guilty pleas and adjournments
• may also provide assistance in specialized courts such as mental health, drug treatment, domestic violence and Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court

Team of accredited family mediators providing assistance for families who are separated to resolve issues related to parenting, child support or property division

Areas of expertise:

• family dynamics
• related law
• child growth and development
• issues of domestic violence

Services:

• Information and Referral
• Child Protection Mediation
• Elder Mediation

COVID-19 (November 9, 2021): Provincial and legal aid offices closed to the public. Services still offered by phone. Visit the website for latest service updates.

Lawyers available to give immediate legal assistance to people who appear in court without a lawyer

• assists with criminal or family law issues
• referrals to other legal aid services

Family duty counsel:

• advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• help to negotiate and settle issues
• help to review or prepare court documents to be filed
• assistance in the courtroom with child protection hearings, garnishment and support hearings, requesting adjournments, arguing motions, hearings for issues such as custody, access, or support where the issues are not complicated

Criminal duty counsel:

• advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• assistance with diversion, guilty pleas and adjournments
• may also provide assistance in specialized courts such as mental health, drug treatment, domestic violence and Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court

COVID-19 (23 Apr 2020): Centre remains open until further notice.

Current, affordable housing listings * voice mail services * mail agreements * public phone * computer access * prevention and diversion services

COVID-19 (July 14, 2020): Covid-19 procedures to enter these premises are in place - hand sanitization, wearing of masks, taking of temperatures, and recording contact information

Variety of services related to seeking, gaining or maintaining affordable housing in Kingston

• Housing Help Centre
• two emergency shelters
• two supportive housing programs
• prevention diversion and housing first services
• youth hub
• street outreach
• see separate listings for details

Student organization matching law students with volunteer opportunities such as: legal research, lobbying, community outreach work, and assisting lawyers with legal proceedings

• participating community organizations include: government agencies, tribunals, public interest groups, and law firms
• students are supervised by a lawyer and cannot engage in the practice of law

COVID-19 (November 15, 2021): Open and reachable by phone.

Child protection services agency

• investigates child abuse and neglect
• individual counselling and support to youth in care and former youth in care
• family counselling
• in-home support
• access visits
• development of care alternatives including family when alternate care for children is necessary
• adoption services, adoption disclosure services, foster care services and recruitment of foster parents
• pregnancy counselling
• participates in community partnerships to develop services to support individual families and youth
• promotes community awareness events and presentations including annual Child Abuse Prevention Month, Foster Family Week, Adoption Awareness Month to raise community awareness of child welfare issues

Services include:

• information and referral
• art, craft, culture, and language classes
• wide variety of fitness and sports programs
• recreational activities
• café and dining room
• special events
• legal advice

Counts 5,000 members

Provincial ministry is responsible for income and employment supports and social and community services

• developmental services
• adoption
• youth group home
• foster care licensing
• child protection
• children with special needs
• foster care
• children and youth mental health
• autism

Private adoption agency

• information on all aspects of adoption
• private adoption placements and birth parent counselling
• specializes in openness in adoption
• licensed and approved by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services

Access to a wide range of Ontario government services and information

• staff assistance, information and referral
• computer access available

Business:

• business and corporation registration

Driver and Vehicle:

• accessible parking permits
• copies of records
• drivers' licences
• enhanced drivers' licences
• motorized snow vehicle permits
• off-road vehicle permits
• product sales
• vehicle permits and plates

Fish and Wildlife:

• fishing licences
• hunting licences
• outdoors cards

Forms, Publications, and Official Documents:

• request commissioner of oaths service

Health:

• Ontario health card registration, renewal, replacement (lost, stolen or damaged) and change of name or address
• Healthy Smiles Ontario
• organ and tissue donor registration

Housing and Property:

• Landlord and Tenant Board application filing

Photo Identification:

• Ontario Photo Card provision, renewal or replacement

Taxes:

• tax return or payment information on the beer tax
• corporations tax insurance premium
• corporations tax payment-in-lieu
• debt retirement charge
• employer health tax
• estate administration tax
• fuel tax
• gasoline tax
• international fuel tax agreement
• land transfer tax
• mining tax
• retail sales tax
• retail sales tax insurance premium
• tobacco tax
• wine tax

COVID-19 (November 10, 2021): Provincial and legal aid offices closed to the public. Services still offered by phone. Visit the website for latest service updates.

Provides eligible clients with a certificate that covers the cost of hiring a lawyer to deal with serious types of civil or criminal cases

• helps with separation and child custody, but not divorce
• lawyers may or may not accept Legal Aid certificates

Services

• criminal legal issues
• domestic violence
• family legal issues
• mental health issues
• refugee and immigration legal issues
• legal clinics

COVID-19 (November 9, 2021): Provincial and legal aid offices closed to the public. Services still offered by phone. Visit the website for latest service updates.

Lawyers available to give immediate legal assistance to people who appear in court without a lawyer

• assists with criminal or family law issues
• referrals to other legal aid services

Family duty counsel:

• advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• help to negotiate and settle issues
• help to review or prepare court documents to be filed
• assistance in the courtroom with child protection hearings, garnishment and support hearings, requesting adjournments, arguing motions, hearings for issues such as custody, access, or support where the issues are not complicated

Criminal duty counsel:

• advice about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• assistance with diversion, guilty pleas and adjournments
• may also provide assistance in specialized courts such as mental health, drug treatment, domestic violence and Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court

Access to a wide range of Ontario government services and information

• staff assistance, information and referral

Driver's licence:

• retake a driver's licence photo
• change information on a driver's licence
• convert an enhanced driver's licence to a regular driver's licence

Vehicle permits, plates and stickers:

• register a vehicle
• renew or replace a licence plate sticker
• get a temporary licence plate sticker
• change status of a vehicle permit
• replace a vehicle permit
• replace a licence plate
• order or replace a personalized licence plate
• order a sample personalized licence plate
• order a French slogan licence plate
• buy a personalized licence plate gift certificate
• get a dealer or service licence plate and permit
• get or replace an off-road vehicle permit
• get or replace an off-road vehicle licence plate
• get or replace a snow vehicle permit
• get a snow vehicle validation sticker

Accessible parking permit:

• get an accessible parking permit
• change information on an accessible parking permit * renew or replace an accessible parking permit

Driver and vehicle records:

• get or renew a commercial vehicle operator record
• order an off-road vehicle history record
• order a snow vehicle's history record

Health card and insurance (OHIP):

• switch to photo health card
• apply for a health card
• change the name on a health card
• replace a health card
• register to keep OHIP coverage while outside Canada
• resume OHIP coverage after moving back to Ontario

Photo card:

• get or renew an Ontario Photo Card

Authentication of documents:

• Commissioner of Oaths

Children's protective services agency

• administers the Child and Family Services Act, deals with child abuse and neglect allegations, foster and alternate care for children, assistance to parents, and adoption study and placement
• offers a wide range of volunteer prevention services and services to families of children with special needs
• branch office in Northbrook