Volunteering as a Lawyer
One of the most impactful ways that practising lawyers can support LSLAP is by volunteering to supervise students at trial. A dedicated lawyer with the program prepares student clinicians for trial, and so supervisors' necessary time commitment is limited to attending the trial itself. In addition, lawyers receive CPD hours for their volunteering. If you are able to supervise, please sign up below!
LSLAP and the Law Society of BC require that student clinicians be supervised by a lawyer to represent clients at trial in Provincial Courts. If we cannot secure a supervising lawyer before the trial date we are forced to adjourn our clients' trials, which disservices our clients, and the judicial system at large. In a post-Jordan climate, this can be particularly important.
As LSLAP has grown, trial supervision has developed into a major bottleneck. Student clinicians scheduled 124 trials last year, but had to adjourn 17 for lack of a supervising lawyer. LSLAP has had so much difficulty securing volunteer lawyers that we have implemented a monthly trial quota in each jurisdiction to avoid excessive adjournments. In turn, this forces us to schedule trials further and further into the future.
If you are a lawyer who is able to donate some time to supervise--particularly at the Port Coquitlam and Surrey Provincial Courts—please consider doing so. Help our clients access justice. Backstop a law student through their first experience with trial advocacy.
Alternatively, we are also looking for lawyers to act as a resource person to edit a chapter for our LSLAP manual. The duties will mainly consist of acting as a guide and helping a student as they edit and update a chapter.
We understand that you are busy with your own practice, but even a small commitment of your time can have a huge impact on the lives of our clients. LSLAP cannot fulfil its mandate without your help!
We are grateful for your support.
LSLAP and the Law Society of BC require that student clinicians be supervised by a lawyer to represent clients at trial in Provincial Courts. If we cannot secure a supervising lawyer before the trial date we are forced to adjourn our clients' trials, which disservices our clients, and the judicial system at large. In a post-Jordan climate, this can be particularly important.
As LSLAP has grown, trial supervision has developed into a major bottleneck. Student clinicians scheduled 124 trials last year, but had to adjourn 17 for lack of a supervising lawyer. LSLAP has had so much difficulty securing volunteer lawyers that we have implemented a monthly trial quota in each jurisdiction to avoid excessive adjournments. In turn, this forces us to schedule trials further and further into the future.
If you are a lawyer who is able to donate some time to supervise--particularly at the Port Coquitlam and Surrey Provincial Courts—please consider doing so. Help our clients access justice. Backstop a law student through their first experience with trial advocacy.
Alternatively, we are also looking for lawyers to act as a resource person to edit a chapter for our LSLAP manual. The duties will mainly consist of acting as a guide and helping a student as they edit and update a chapter.
We understand that you are busy with your own practice, but even a small commitment of your time can have a huge impact on the lives of our clients. LSLAP cannot fulfil its mandate without your help!
We are grateful for your support.