211 is an easy to remember three-digit telephone number that connects callers to a full range of social, health, government and community services (including some legal services). In Alberta, the 211 service is currently (Nov. 2010) being delivered to residents of Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Edmonton, Parkland County, Leduc and Strathcona County.
Court and Justice Services (CJS) provides administrative support to all the courts within the province, including electronic legal information services through Alberta Law Libraries.
CJS offer: legal information services for the public on court procedures and legal services options; assistance with locating and filling out court forms; referrals to other community legal services, as well as dispute resolution services for child support, family and child medication, conflict intervention, family mediation, and civil mediation.
This website is provided as a free service to Albertans seeking limited scope legal services. Check out their Guide for Clients which is intended to help clients understand the legal service options available, and whether limited legal services are right for you. The site also provides a listing of Alberta lawyers participating in the service.
The Calgary Chinese Community Service Association is an ethnocultural community service agency. CCSA offers four core programs: Children and Youth, Integration and Civic Engagement (ICE), Health Program, and Legal Program. Their Law and Advocacy Program is funded by the Alberta Law Foundation and provides a range of services including: basic legal information and referrals, Commissioner for Oaths and Notary, a free legal outreach clinic. and free Wills & Estates Document Drafting Services (CCCSA provides free drafting services for Personal Directives, Enduring Powers of Attorney, and Wills for low-income seniors (ages 65+). Asset screening will be conducted for eligibility. and will and estate documents drafting services.)
Do you need help with a civil matter in Provincial Court? Volunteer lawyers can provide legal advice, information on court procedures, help preparing for trials, motions and other appearances, including help completing forms. This service is available at the Calgary Courts Centre. Assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The program does not assist with: family, criminal or corporate law matters, matters in Court of Queen’s Bench or other Appeal Courts, and pre-trial conferences and mediations.
Do you need help in Masters or Justice Chambers? The program offers a free legal advice clinic on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for bankruptcy, foreclosure, other civil matters, as well as preparing for court. Help is available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for applications, bankruptcy matters, motions and other appearances. Please note: This Program does not assist with: family, criminal or corporate law matters, matters in Provincial Court or other Appeal Courts, and pre-trial conferences and mediations.
Calgary Legal Guidance provides free legal advice for individuals with low income. If you need legal information and advice on: Family issues; Criminal issues; Civil issues; Restraining Orders; Emergency Protection Orders etc; Social Benefit issues; and; an evening course on Do Your Own Divorce.
Calgary Legal Guidance provides free legal advice for individuals with low income. If you need legal information and advice on: Family issues; Criminal issues; Civil issues; Restraining Orders; Emergency Protection Orders etc; Social Benefit issues; and; an evening course on Do Your Own Divorce.
Calgary Legal Guidance runs many workshops and presentations in the community on a variety of legal topics such as:
If you are an organization or agency that would like a presentation on a legal topic please contact Kim Feodoroff at 403.716.6476.
This is a service provided by the Alberta Office of the Child and Youth Advocate.
The LRCY provides lawyers for children and youth in child intervention matters. Anyone can make a request for a lawyer for a young person. A court order is not needed. Call the LRCY office at 1.800.661.3446
Knowing where to turn to for support when navigating legal challenges can be complex. It’s also not always accessible or easy to understand. To help guide you through the process and ensure you get access to the legal support you need, CNIB provides a free, confidential legal referral service.
The Community Legal Clinic – Medicine Hat provides free legal information and advice to low to moderate income people who have a legal issue but do not qualify for Legal Aid.
You can call them for help with any of the following legal issues:
*Please note, they do not provide representation in court. Refer to their Programs and Services or contact their office at 403-712-1021 for more information.
The goal of the Court Assistance Program (King’s Bench Amicus Program) is to improve access to justice for self-represented litigants appearing in King’ Bench Justice and Masters Chambers. This program brings volunteer lawyers into Chambers, where they act as ‘amicus curiae’ and help the court understand the issues related and the positions taken by unrepresented litigants. The program offers opportunity for courtroom advocacy in a positive environment, which can give great skills-building experience for lawyers and students, and the program is beneficial for overall professional development, mentoring, networking, building collegiality, and enhancing the public image of the legal profession. This service is available in Calgary and Edmonton. Check with the courthouse for dates and times.
Duty Counsel are lawyers who assist people without a lawyer and can offer limited advice. Duty Counsel services are provided free of charge.
Probono Law Alberta provides help for individuals through their Court Based Programs.PBLA engages volunteer lawyers in programs operating out of the Calgary Court Centre and Edmonton Law Courts. Visit their website for locations and times.
Do you need help with a civil matter in Provincial Court? Civil Claims Duty Counsel can provide help with: summary legal advice, procedural information, help with trials, mortions and other appearances, an help completing forms. The service is available at the Edmonton Law Courts Building. Please note: This program does not assist with family or criminal law matters.
The Edmonton Community Legal Centre is a non profit organization that offers free legal information, advice and representation for people living with low income in the Edmonton area. The Centre helps individuals and families who have legal problems in the following areas: Landlord and Tenant; Employment/ Wrongful Dismissal; Small Claims; Income Support Advocacy; Human Rights; Debt; Immigration. The Centre also offers a Commissioner for Oaths Clinc once a month – see https://www.eclc.ca/programs-services-commissioner-of-oaths-clinic/ for information. The Centre is also part of the PBLA Civil Claims Duty Counsel project out of the Provincial Court. Members of the public can receive 30 minutes of summary legal advice on a first come first serve basis. NOTE: The Centre is not able to provide assistance in the areas of criminal law.
The Edmonton Community Legal Centre is a non profit organization that offers free legal information, advice and representation for people living with low income in the Edmonton area. The Centre helps individuals and families who have legal problems in the following areas: Landlord and Tenant; Employment/ Wrongful Dismissal; Small Claims; Income Support Advocacy; Human Rights; Debt; Immigration. The Centre is also part of the PBLA Civil Claims Duty Counsel project out of the Provincial Court.
The Edmonton Community Legal Centre is a non profit organization that offers free legal information, advice and representation for people living with low income in the Edmonton area. The Centre helps individuals and families who have legal problems in the following areas: Landlord and Tenant; Employment/ Wrongful Dismissal; Small Claims; Income Support Advocacy; Human Rights; Debt; Immigration. The Centre is also part of the PBLA Civil Claims Duty Counsel project out of the Provincial Court.
The mission of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton is to foster the dignity and worth of women who come into conflict with the law, and help them live as valued members of their communities. They are a not-for-profit organization that has existed in Edmonton since 1977. The society offers a variety of programs for women and girls including a legal clinic. The Legal Clinic Program assists federally sentenced women at Edmonton Institute for Women by addressing their legal needs.
The mission of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton is to foster the dignity and worth of women who come into conflict with the law, and help them live as valued members of their communities. They are a not-for-profit organization that has existed in Edmonton since 1977. The society offers a variety of programs for women and girls including a legal clinic. The Legal Clinic Program assists federally sentenced women at Edmonton Institute for Women by addressing their legal needs.
Assistance is provided in various areas of law:
Grande Prairie Legal Guidance (GPLG) is a non-profit joint initiative between Edmonton Community Legal Centre. They offer services over the phone (780.882.0036) or in-person at their offices.
This Guide provides a list of Indigenous organizations and services in Alberta. Also included are national and umbrella organizations with offices located elsewhere.The Guide is compiled and produced by the Ministry of Indigenous Relations in order to provide contact information for these Indigenous organizations and services
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This project assists self-represented litigants with their civil claims in Calgary’s Queen’s Bench Masters and Justice Chambers. The project includes a “storefront” afternoon shift where self-represented litigants and get summary legal information regarding civil matters in the follow areas of law: civil, bankruptcy, real estate, and court procedure. Hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning and afternoon.
Legal Aid’s Duty Counsel Program provides summary legal advice and assistance to unrepresented persons for preliminary appearances before the courts and selected tribunals is offered at no cost to the person. Duty Counsel generally plays two key service roles: the formal role as amicus (friend of the court) where Counsel offers assistance to the client in sorting through what should be ready and properly prepared before court for presentation to the judge, and the less formal role as advisor helping the client to understand what is taking place in and out of court.
How is Your Legal Health? The goal of the Legal Health Checks is to encourage people to recognize legal problems early, and to take action when problems are identified. For lawyers, these materials are a way to start conversations with people about the law, how to get legal help and how to work effectively with a lawyer. Topics include:
The Lloydminster Legal Clinic is run out of the Red Deer Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic offices They service all of Central Alberta as well as Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray and Lloydminster with the assistance of our partner agencies. For more information and to see if you qualify for an appointment with a lawyer please call 587-789-0727
The NCSA mission is to contribute to the holistic development and wellness of the Aboriginal individual, family and community. Programming in this Alberta-wide organization include Criminal, Youth and Family Courtworkers; Correction centres and youth probations; and Family and community wellness.
The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (OCYA) is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, mandated to work with vulnerable young people.
This includes young people receiving or attempting to access services under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act; or who are involved with the youth justice system.
Pivot’s mandate is to use the law to address the root causes of poverty and social exclusion. Pivot carries out its work through legal campaigns around policing, housing, and sex work that would result in meaningful positive change for people living in poverty.
Pro Bono Law Alberta (PBLA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes access to justice in Alberta by creating and promoting opportunities for lawyers to provide pro bono (free) legal services to persons of limited means. PBLA does not provide direct support to members of the public; their website lists clinics and projects that may be helpful to individuals.
Student Legal Assistance (SLA) is an association of law students at the University of Calgary which provides year-round free legal assistance and representation to University of Calgary students and members of the public who are unable to afford legal services. Our services include: Representing qualifying individuals in Provincial Court for criminal, traffic, family and civil matters in Calgary, Banff and surrounding areas; Providing legal advice and services at the Calgary Drop In Centre; Assisting students with academic appeals; and Providing summary legal advice.
Student Legal Services of Edmonton (SLS) is a student-managed, non-profit society dedicated to helping low-income individuals in Edmonton and area understand their legal issues and solve their legal problems.
United Cultures of Canada Association is a non-profit community based organization located in Edmonton, Alberta. It provides a variety of program and services to Edmonton’s multicultual community. Their mandate is to create situations of social inclusion for immigrant communities leading to their effective participation and successful integration into Canadian society. Included in the many initiatives offered by the Association are publications on human rights, domestic abuse, interpreting services and a free Multicultural Family Law Facilitation (Interpreting) Service
Eastside Community Mental Health Services (ECMHS) offers immediate, no-cost, mental health support from an integrated, ethnocultural team.
