"Having volunteered at Community Legal Services during my first year in law school and worked as a supervisor during my second year, not only was I able to network and build lasting relationships with those in the legal community, but I was also able to gain hands-on experience, which gave me a head start during articling. The support of the Review Counsel and my peers at CLS as well as the rewarding experience of helping those in need of free legal advice has given me the confidence and necessary skills to excel in the legal profession" Mana Khami LLB 2009
Community Legal Services
Prospective Students
The Community Legal Services Clinic offers a “hands on” experience in law. The clinic is comprised of:
- Director: Responsible for the management of the clinic. The Director also supervises students on files. The Director is Doug Ferguson (“DDF”).
- Review Counsel: A Review Counsel is assigned to each file in the clinic. You meet with Review Counsel for all major decisions on the file. They will also review and provide feedback on all work done. No document can come into or leave the clinic without being reviewed by the Review Counsel. The Review Counsel also teach the clinical courses (Litigation Practice, Advanced Litigation Practice and Criminal Law Advocacy). The Review Counsel are Jason Voss (“JV”), Margaret Capes (“MNC”), Susan E. Latta ("SEL").
- Support Staff: Lynn Thomas and Vivian McPhee are the support staff. They are responsible for providing support to the lawyers and the students.
- Supervisor: A Supervisor is a law student who has worked in the clinic during the summer, carried several files, has gained valuable experience, and is a good source of knowledge. The supervisors oversee the duty hours and the caseworkers who take part in the duty hour.
- Caseworker: Caseworkers are second and third year law students who have full carriage of files. Most Caseworkers are students in one of the clinic-related courses (Litigation Practice, Advanced Litigation Practice, or Criminal Law Advocacy). A few others are volunteers who have worked previously in CLS. Each Caseworker will have a Supervisor assigned to a duty hour and Review Counsel assigned to each file.
- Associate Caseworker: Associate Caseworkers are first year law students. They shadow Caseworkers in all areas of the Caseworker’s responsibility and also have a duty hour where they meet with potential clients, and work on public legal education. Associate Caseworkers may attend meetings with Review Counsel, client meetings, and court with a Caseworker.
Type of Legal Matter
Law students are only able to deal with certain areas of law before they are called to the Bar. This clinic only deals with the following areas of law:
1. Landlord and Tenant Matters:
Residential Tenancies Act matters are dealt with before the Landlord and Tenant Board.
2. Small Claims Court Matters:
Claims that are over $2500.00 and under $25,000.00.
3. Criminal Matters:
Summary conviction matters under the Criminal Code of Canada or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
4. Matters Involving Young Persons:
Young persons (between the ages of 12 and 17) charged with a summary conviction criminal offence. Young persons will only be accepted as client after they have applied for and been denied legal aid. These clients will be required to bring with them a Notice of Refusal from Legal Aid before we will accept them.
5. Provincial Offences:
Where the offence is governed by the Highway Traffic Act and involves six points or more; other provincial statutes and some City By-law offences.
6. Administrative Matters:
Academic appeals, U.W.O. student court, notarization and commissioning of documents; possibly, on approval of the Director, other more traditional administrative law matters.
7. Estate Law
Wills, continuing power of attorney and power of attorney for personal care.
8. Intellectual Property
Will advise and represent clients on copyright, privacy and confidentiality matters.
Will provide advice in patent and trademark law. CLS will not register a patent or
trademark.
Legal Experience for CLS Students
Under the supervision of Review Counsel student caseworkers are responsible for all aspects of the files accepted which may include:
- Correspondence
- Court appearances
- Resolution meetings
- Negotiations: Positional Bargaining: This approach primarily consists of two opposing parties with two distinct positions or goals. Interest-Based Bargaining: Interest based or “win-win” bargaining is a creative way of finding solutions by determining the underlying interest that each party has in a dispute
- Trials:
- How to prepare for trial
- The Courtroom: how to comport yourself,
- Your Opening Statement
- Direct Examinations
- Cross-examinations
- Objections
- Closing Arguments
- How to Complete a Trial Book
- Drafting Wills and Powers of Attorney
- Meetings with Witnesses, Lawyers, Crown Attorneys, and clients.
CLS now has a Public Legal Education program offered by the students. Teams of students prepare and present workshops in community settings and on campus at UWO and Fanshawe College. Topics covered are:
- CLS services
- Access to Justice
- Residential Tenancies Act
- Wills & Powers of Attorney
- Employment Law
- Human Rights Law
- Small Claims Court
- Consumer Protection Laws
- Victim’s Rights Law
- Criminal Law
Outreach:
Many of our clients are unable to come to the office for a variety of reasons. We now have four outreach locations which are manned for two hours each week. They are:
- Salvation Army
- Western Ontario Therapeutic Community Hostel (W.O.T.C.H.)
- Fanshawe College
This offers potential clients with more accessible legal advice.
Legal software programs
At present we use Time Matters which is used in many law firms across Canada and you may find yourself using it when you article or start practice.
Caseworkers use Time Matters for following functions:
- Time docketing
- Typing memos to file
- Bring Forward Notices (BFs)
- Reviewing client information such as address and telephone
- Scheduling
