The Importance of Volunteering as Legal Professional at the Edmonton Community Legal Centre

By: Januel Ibasco, Student at Law

Access to Justice
As a volunteer with the ECLC, lawyers and articling students promote access to justice in the legal profession. Often, when an individual is not well versed in the intricacies of the legal justice system in Canada, it can be a daunting exercise to navigate alone. This is the reality for individuals coming from marginalized communities, who are low-income, and do not have access to resources.

As a volunteer, we offer pro bono legal services with the goal of informing each of our clients with possible solutions they can take as a self-represented litigant. For example, we advise on residential tenancy matters for both landlords and tenants, family matters, employment matters, ongoing civil claims, and more. The purpose of ECLC’s mission is educating and providing legal advice and support for how the legal system operates, especially when income poses a barrier.
 
As a volunteer with the ECLC, our work is grounded in community, accessibility, and accountability. There are countless difficult situations that our clients face which include debt collections, job terminations, foreclosures, and evictions to name a few. However, often the significant cost of hiring a lawyer privately is what leads members of marginalized communities too afraid to speak out, leaving them in vulnerable situations. Here at the ECLC, it is our mission that we provide an opportunity for individuals to view the legal system as being accessible and approachable, for all.
 
Access to Justice means making the legal process straightforward for individuals to learn about their rights and how they can be asserted, obtaining just decisions, and advocating for successful outcomes – all while keeping costs down.
 
Responsibility to the Profession
 
As members of a self-regulated profession, we have a responsibility to the public and local community to ensure every individual has access to their legal rights. As lawyers and articling students, we are part of a privileged profession that takes pride in building and maintaining connections to the communities we serve.
 
The legal system is daunting for many, especially for those who lack the financial resources to hire a lawyer. Pro Bono work and the work done at the ECLC aims to bridge this gap in the local community, no matter one’s status. At its core, we have a responsibility to provide services to the community for the greater good of society.
 
As the rising costs of living in Canada continue to increase, the need for representation in legal settings also continue to increase. As pro bono volunteers, we offer a resource to low-income and marginalized individuals to receive legal advice for free to overcome any costs. It is our responsibility to use our expertise to serve those in need and lessen the barriers in accessing justice.
 
The Reward of Volunteerism
 
As a lawyer and articling student, volunteering at the ECLC allows us to go to the very root of lawyering, and that is advocacy. The work provides us with the ability to have direct client interaction early in our careers and build our advocacy and writing skills.
 
Offering legal services pro bono can create a newfound enthusiasm for the legal profession. It allows us to take a step back and realize that there are thousands of individuals who lack the resources or steps to take in advancing their action or resolving their legal issue. As a volunteer, it is rewarding to know that we can use our knowledge and understanding of the legal system as a tool in upholding access to justice, for the better.
 
Sometimes the individuals that call in for legal services at the ECLC would just like someone to hear their story, and truly be heard about the hardships they have experienced. Just listening goes a long way in such a fast-paced environment as the legal system is, making each conversation we have at the ECLC that much more meaningful. It is a rewarding feeling, being able to connect with people on a more personal level in getting to know their legal situation holistically.
 
Bottom line: giving back to the community as a volunteer with the ECLC allows me to interact with new people, strengthen my legal skills, and offer advice to individuals at no cost. It is a great initiative to access to justice in keeping legal fees down, and understanding that no matter how much someone makes, there is a place they can go to for legal services.