Walk-in legal clinics provide vital legal services to low-income, self-represented family law litigants in Ontario. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to in-person clinics. Osgoode is working with Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) to develop and implement the Family Justice Centre, a virtual legal clinic set to open in early 2021.
Family lawyers from firms like Epstein Cole LLP will work with eight part-time upper-year law students from across Ontario. The Family Justice Centre will use videoconferencing technology to provide free legal services to low-income, self-represented family law litigants.
“Operating virtually allows us to expand our reach and serve clients from anywhere in Ontario, including from remote and previously under-served areas, where the justice gap is often most prevalent,” said Brittany Twiss, national director of PBSC, as reported in a Law Times article about the Family Justice Centre.
The volunteer lawyers at the Family Justice Centre will provide summary legal advice to these clients and will supervise the law students as they draft court documents. Students will also create public legal education materials.
The goal of the Family Justice Centre is to increase access to the family justice system for self- represented litigants. A recent Law Times article highlighted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on these litigants. Court closures have worsened family law case backlogs. Further, job terminations and income loss have increased the number of self-represented litigants.
Law Times reported that the Family Justice Centre has been called “an innovative response to a complex and enduring set of barriers faced by low-income family law litigants,” by Edward Iacobucci, dean of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and board chairperson of PBSC.
Family courts have experienced a surge in self-represented litigants since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. PBSC’s Family Justice Centre will provide these litigants with free access to summary legal advice and document drafting.
Carolino, Bernise. “New Family Justice Centre aims to virtually address inequity in access to family justice system”, (5 October 2020), online: <https://www.lawtimesnews.com/practice-areas/family/new-family-justice-centre-aims-to-virtually-address-inequity-in-access-to-family-justice-system/333907>