The oath that lawyers take when admitted to the bar compels them to work for greater justice.  This does not mean that they work only for justice when they get paid, but perhaps more idealistically that they work to create a more just society.

~Justice Major of the Supreme Court of Canada

 At PBSC we have the honour of interacting with lawyers who are amazing representatives of the legal profession.  We work with lawyers who have chosen careers in social justice or who work long hours at a firm and are still willing to donate their time and talents to legal clinics, assisting non-profits, and mentoring students.  The pro bono spirit and sacrifice that these lawyers demonstrate are an inspiration to our students and the greater public.

As a lawyer, volunteering entails supervising a project placement for an organization and assisting student volunteers with developing a research plan at the outset of the project, providing guidance to students as needed over the duration of the placement, and reviewing the work of the student volunteer prior to submission to the organization to ensure completeness, accuracy and to provide suggestions for improvement. 

Becoming a PBSC volunteer lawyer allows practitioners to contribute their legal skills for the benefit of a wide range of community associations, public interest groups and individuals.  For a relatively small time commitment, supervision of a PBSC student can make a significant impact in the lives of underrepresented and disadvantaged persons. Furthermore, volunteering provides an opportunity to demonstrate to students, other lawyers and the local community the importance of volunteer work and the need for a strong commitment to a pro bono ethic within the legal profession.

If you are a lawyer and willing to donate approximately 5 hours per academic year to our organization, please contact us.  We are also always looking for lawyers to speak at our events about their pro bono work.  We also occasionally match students with a lawyer who is working on a pro bono file and are open to considering such placements.