Volunteer lawyers to offer free legal advice in Surrey this week

Volunteer lawyers will offer free legal advice in Surrey on Friday, Sept. 11, during a Free Legal Advice-A-Thon at Surrey Civic Plaza. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers 30-minute sessions for low- and modest-income people in urgent need of legal advice.

Pro Bono Going Public, an Access Pro Bono project, will also hold telephone clinics from Sept. 8 to 25. Additional in-person clinics are planned for the Vancouver Art Gallery plaza on Sept. 17 and the Legislature lawn in Victoria on Sept. 23.

Telephone appointments will be scheduled with ample time for conflict checks. The in-person clinics will offer both pre-scheduled and drop-in appointments.

The 19th annual service event is intended to demonstrate B.C. lawyers’ commitment to access to justice, according to the project’s website. It says rising living costs across the province have left more British Columbians facing acute financial strain, housing insecurity, relationship breakdown and other poverty-related hardship, while demand for legal services has never been higher.

Volunteer lawyers choose one or more one-hour phone or in-person shifts and solicit charitable donations to support their pro bono work. Last year, 255 volunteer lawyers provided free legal advice to 350 British Columbians and raised more than $136,000 for access to justice in B.C.

Over 18 years, more than 2,200 lawyers have volunteered to serve more than 4,050 clients and raise $1.27 million. The Access Pro Bono Cup, launched in 2024, is awarded annually to the law firm with the greatest overall contribution to Pro Bono Going Public, based on funds raised and volunteer lawyer hours. Norton Rose Fulbright has won the cup for two consecutive years.