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Project Overview
The Civil Chambers Pro Bono Duty Counsel Project is a pilot project operating in 2008 at 800 Smithe Street in Vancouver. Each Wednesday, volunteer lawyers from several large Vancouver law firms provide pro bono legal assistance and representation to unrepresented low- and modest-income litigants appearing in civil chambers (BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal). Individuals (not organizations or companies) may call 604-603-5797 to determine their eligibility and to book an appointment with Duty Counsel.

Project Services
For those unrepresented chambers litigants whose case shows merit, who clear conflict checks and who meet the Project's financial eligibility criteria (set out below), Duty Counsel provide a range of helpful services, which may include:
  • evaluating the client's case for merit;
  • advising the client on substantive legal issues, and on their legal rights and responsibilities;
  • reviewing the client's documents;
  • drafting and filing documents on behalf of the client;
  • representing the client in chambers on the scheduled Wednesday.
Duty Counsel services are provided within three distinct tiers of service (in order of priority):
  1. In the first tier of service, the client is paired with Duty Counsel several weeks before the scheduled hearing (a Wednesday). This time allows Duty Counsel to consult with the client to assess his or her chambers-related needs, and to provide him or her with any and all assistance deemed appropriate before and during the scheduled hearing.
  2. In the second tier of service, Duty Counsel provides ad hoc pro bono legal assistance and/or representation to unrepresented civil chambers litigants on each Wednesday.
  3. If neither first tier service nor second tier services are needed, Duty Counsel provides pro bono legal advice on BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal civil matters to screened low- and modest-income individuals on each Wednesday.
Project Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for pro bono assistance and representation through the Project, the client must:
  • be going (or thinking of going) to chambers on a civil (non-family) matter in Vancouver;
  • be unrepresented because he or she cannot afford a lawyer;
  • be an individual (not an organization or a company);
  • not present a conflict of interest for the volunteer lawyer serving as Duty Counsel; and
  • have a case that shows some legal merit;
Financial eligibility criteria for the Project are as follows:
  • Gross annual income of $40,000 or less for 1-person household
  • Gross annual income of $54,000 or less for 2-person household
  • Gross annual income of $62,000 or less for 3-person household, including one dependent
  • Gross annual income of $70,000 or less for 4-person household, including two dependents
  • + $8,000 per dependent thereafter
Contact Information
Individuals may determine their eligibility, inquire about Project services and ultimately book an appointment with Duty Counsel by phoning 604-603-5797 at any time (all calls will be answered immediately or messages will be returned within 24 hours). Individuals may also inquire by e-mail at chambers@probononet.bc.ca.

To obtain the full benefit of Project services, individuals are encouraged to call the Project telephone number as soon as possible- preferably prior to filing any chambers documents.  Clients will be better served by calling the Project telephone number several weeks before a scheduled chambers hearing.