Searching for Community Legal Clinics

Community legal clinic offering:

• free legal advice
• social work services
• staffed by lawyers, law students, social workers and social work students
• specializes in areas of law that are particularly important to low income clients including entitlements to public and government benefits, tenant protection, criminal injuries compensation, immigration/refugee, advocacy, counseling and crisis intervention
• information and referral, law reform, public legal education, research and community development
• legal resource guide available to public

Legal Health Check Up

• an online check-up to help people who are living in poverty identify legal problems and get help
• this check-up helps people who are living in povertyidentify legal and get help. Click Here for more information

An interdisciplinary clinic combining legal and social work professions to meet the multi-faceted needs of the low-income community.

Services include:

• free legal advice and representation to University of Windsor undergraduate students in all our areas of practice including notarizations and commissions
• criminal law and provincial offences
• family law
• housing law
• employment law
• elder law
• consumer rights

Support program for survivors of gender-based violence (including emotional and psychological violence, financial abuse, and other forms of violence) or sexual assault, providing:

• legal and social work services
• safety planning work
• social work assessment
• referral to other agencies

Clinic offers advice, representation and referrals in both French and English. The services are provided by staff lawyers experienced in administrative law. They represent clients, give legal opinions or make appropriate referrals. All information is kept strictly confidential.

• also engages in law reform activities, community outreach and public legal education

French Legal Summary Advice Line • Areas of Law:

• Ontario Works
• Ontario Disability Support Program
• Housing/LTB (evictions only)
• Immigration
• Canada Pension Plan
• Small Claims Court

Legal Health Check Up

• an online check-up available in both English and French to help people who are living in poverty identify legal problems and get help
• Community Legal Services has created this check-up to help people who are living in poverty so they can identify legal problems and get help

Click Here for more information

COVID-19 - The office is now open to the public on a part-time, appointments-only basis. Clients must call first to make an appointment. We also continue to assist clients by working remotely.

Provides referrals, legal advice, legal representation, Tenant Duty Counsel services, public legal education and community outreach.

Areas of law include:

• Tenant rights
• Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, Employment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan and CPP Disability
• Disability issues
• Employment law including the Employment Standards Act, Human Rights in the Workplace and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
• Wills and powers of attorney

Does not assist with matters relating to criminal, family, or property law.

Part-time satellite offices (by appointment only):

Wallaceburg Community Resource Centre
939 Dufferin Ave, Wallaceburg

Blenheim Municipal Building
35 Talbot St, Blenheim

Tilbury Information and Help Centre
20 Queen St N, Tilbury

COVID-19 - The office is currently closed for in-person meetings, however, all services are still being provided by phone and mail.

Provides legal representation, advice and information on

• housing
• criminal injuries compensation
• human rights
• income support (EI, OW, ODSP, CPP, OAS)
• employment law

Provides Aboriginal Outreach services, public legal education sessions, law reform and community organizing.

This office does not assist with criminal law, family law or refugee law.

Funded by Legal Aid Ontario, staffed by lawyers, paralegals, community legal workers and administrative staff.

Offers eligible clients a range of legal resources and support for family matters, including child support, child custody and access and children's aid matters.

Legal advice and representation in court or at tribunals regarding Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program benefits, Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance benefits, Landlord/Tenant advice and representation (for tenants only), and Employment Law


For landlord/tenant advice contact:
Tenant Duty Counsel
519-438-2890

Provide people living on a low income free legal services for certain problems.

Services:

• provide legal advice
• assistance filling out forms
• represent at some tribunals and courts
• referrals to other agencies when Legal Aid cannot help

Give legal information sessions for members of the public and other community agencies and work to improve the laws that affect low income people in Ontario with community partners.

The Clinic is a non-profit corporation staffed by lawyers, community legal workers, and administrative staff, and directed by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the community.

COVID19 -- full-time in-person services have resumed. Call 416-533-8545 or email legalclinic@spanishservices.org to connect; appointment only - no drop-in services


Deals primarily with employment rights, human rights, immigration, social assistance, refugees, tenant issues, Employment Insurance (EI) and law reform

Funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- telephone inquiries only, online information about housing security during the COVID19 emergency
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Legal clinic focusing on individual and systemic anti-Black racism

• legal representation
• test case litigation
• law reform and community development
• summary legal advice, brief services and public legal education
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- office closed but staff working remotely, call or email, no access to TTY

• adaptive technology workstations for Internet access temporarily unavailable

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Community legal clinic

Summary Advice and Referral -- confidential advice and information related to disability issues

• telephone service
• limited representation in test case litigation
• representation for individuals in priority cases
• collect calls accepted
• public speaking
• law reform initiatives
• adaptive technology workstations for Internet access, Monday-Friday 10 am-4 pm
• electronic newsletter
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- open but staff working remotely, no walk-in or in person services, call or email
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Community legal clinic

• legal advice and assistance on environmental issues -- call for details
• representation
• reports
• library
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- service by phone, no in person meetings without an appointment and limited public education activities, intake Mon, Wed, Fri 9 am-5 pm
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Community legal clinic

• advice, representation, referrals, advocacy
• areas of law include privacy, social assistance, immigration, housing/tenant, pensions, Employment Insurance (EI), private insurance benefits, health, criminal, prison (HIV-related), human rights, substitute decision making and powers of attorney
• community legal education speakers and publications
• law reform and test case litigation
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario, AIDS Bureau (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care), foundations and donors
• also known as HALCO

Specialty community legal clinic

• pursues test cases, Charter and appellate litigation to address systemic issues arising from federal and provincial income security programs, and from the political, economic and social causes of poverty
• law reform
• policy development
• community development and provincial organizing
• public legal education
• no direct legal services to individuals except in relation to test and Charter cases
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario
• Member of the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario

Specialty legal clinic

• works to better the housing situation of low income Ontario residents including tenants, housing cooperative members and homeless people
• no direct legal services for individuals, people requiring legal advice or representation relating to housing issues should contact their local community legal clinic, to find local clinic call Legal Aid Ontario 1-800-668-8258
• public legal education including tip sheets providing legal information on common tenant concerns available at www.acto.ca/for-tenants/tip-sheets/
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Tenant Duty Counsel Program -- legal advice and information for unrepresented low income tenants, with a scheduled hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board (see separate entry) offered by phone once clients sign up at tdc.acto.ca/, Tenant Duty Counsel will call within five days of hearing

COVID19 -- services available by phone only, physical office closed
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Community legal clinic

• legal representation in the many areas of law including education, criminal matters, child welfare, human rights, financial assistance or support and leaving home
• legal information and assistance to youth, professionals and community groups
• also to parents in limited circumstances
• community development and outreach
• advocacy
• seminars
• accepts collect calls
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Street Youth Legal Services (SYLS) -- legal advice and outreach to street-involved youth at shelters and youth services

COVID19 -- staff working remotely, providing representation and legal advice services via phone and email

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Community legal clinic

• representation through all levels of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
• case consultation and training for other agencies
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Community legal clinic and resource centre

• information, referrals and summary advice on housing issues from landlord's perspective
• educational tools
• law reform
• rental forms
• funded by Legal Aid

Community legal clinic

• advice and representation
• advocacy
• research and consultation for individuals
• community education
• law reform
• referrals to union organizers
• outreach, particularly to small workplaces with immigrant workforces
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- walk in services suspended, call 416-971-9674

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Community legal clinic

• deals primarily with immigration, tenant issues, social assistance, employment rights, human rights, poverty law
• most refugee cases referred to Legal Aid
• may provide representation
• summary advice in domestic violence and other family law cases
• community education
• speakers
• law reform
• community advocacy
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario

COVID19 -- closed to all in-person services until further notice, go to Legal Advice Hotline -- 1-855-255-7256 Tue-Thu 12:30 pm-4 pm

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Free legal services for persons being sued or who are suing in civil courts or require help with problems in employment law, consumer law, corporate law (non-profits, newcomer entrepreneurs and small businesses) housing issues, and Powers of Attorney

• no family or criminal law, immigration or estate administration issues
• clinic located at Small Claims Court, 47 Sheppard Ave

Education -- legal services for children with education-related problems such as accommodating disabilities or exceptionalities, bullying, or discipline matters such as suspension or expulsion

Start-ups, non-profits and charities -- business law services, including incorporation, charitable status, corporate structure, intellectual property and contracts

Legal Advice Hotline, 1-855-255-7256, Tuesday-Thursday 12:30 pm-4 pm -- up to 30 minutes free legal advice and help drafting legal documents

Workplace Sexual Harassment Hotline, 1-855-776-1855, Monday-Friday 1 pm-6 pm -- free legal advice and assistance for victims of workplace sexual harassment in Ontario

Currently operating remotely

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Summary legal advice offered 2-3 times a week in half hour consultations with an arts and entertainment lawyer

• deals with contract, copyright and trademark law, among other issues
• referrals to lawyers in private practice where appropriate
• occasional seminars

COVID19 -- serving clients by phone as much as possible * agency will continue to prepare Gladue reports and Gladue Letters and provide Court Worker services to the Toronto courts * all walk-in service, group programming, notarization, commissioning of documents and public legal education and outreach activities are currently suspended

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Community Legal Clinic 416-408-4041, fax 416-408-1568 * deals primarily with landlord and tenant issues, Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP), Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD), human rights, police complaints, criminal injuries compensation, poverty law, Indian Act * no criminal or family law * may provide representation * referrals to lawyers in private practice where appropriate * law reform and public legal education activities * funded by Legal Aid Ontario

Aboriginal Court Worker Program -- support to those appearing in court * assistance in finding lawyers and contacting family members * referrals * available at all criminal courts in Toronto

Community Council Program -- criminal diversion program for young and adult Aboriginal offenders charged with a wide variety of offences * substitutes court appearance with an appearance before community members, with a disposition focusing on culture, tradition and healing

Gladue (Aboriginal Persons) Courts -- support available at Old City Hall, College Park and 1000 Finch Ave W courts

Gladue Writer/Caseworker -- call for information

Giiwedin Anang Council -- Aboriginal alternative dispute resolution for families involved in the child welfare system * family counselling delivered by community Elders and members focus on traditional teachings and Talking Circles

COVID19 -- physical office closed but staff working remotely

Community legal clinic

• representation in cases involving issues of particular importance to seniors, such as long term care, hospital discharge issues, elder abuse, government pensions, income maintenance, retirement home tenancies, mental health and mental capacity issues
• assistance in dealing with government bureaucracies
• visits to home or care facility if necessary
• advocacy
• community legal education
• speakers
• law reform
• confidential
• funded by Legal Aid Ontario