South Asian Legal Clinic
Providing free legal advice and possible ongoing assistance.
You will get a 30 minute session for legal advice and summary at no-cost. You may also qualify for additional legal services.
Our lawyers provide low-barrier and culturally sensitive legal support for low-income South Asian families.
Areas for summary legal advice from staff lawyers:
Gender-Based Violence
Provide legal advice and/or brief services for:
People facing Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence
Safety Planning
Family Law
Provide legal advice only on:
Separation
Divorce
Parenting Time
Decision-Making Responsibilities
Child Support
Spousal Support
Provide legal advice and/or brief services on:
Uncontested desk order divorces
Provincial Court Family Matters
Provincial Court Family Law Protection Orders
People facing Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence and/or Family Violence
Safety Planning
Employment Law
Provide legal advice and brief legal services on:
Reviewing Employment contracts
Federal Employment Insurance
Employment Law for Non-Unionized Workers
Employment Standards Act violations
Wrongful Dismissal in Small Claims Court
Discrimination in Employment under human rights law
SALCBC does not provide legal advice or services related to private health and disability insurance.
Tenancy
Provide legal advice and brief legal services on:
Disputing eviction notices
Understanding your rights and obligations as a landlord or tenant in BC
Preparing for a hearing with the Residential Tenancy Branch
Corresponding with your landlord or tenant
Reviewing tenancy agreement
Please note that we do not handle appeals or judicial reviews.
Areas for summary legal advice from volunteer lawyers:
Civil Litigation
Corporate Law Issues
Asset Division
Debt Division
Immigration
Criminal Law
Estate Litigation
Sexual Assault Litigation
Book Your Free 30-Minute Summary Advice Appointment
We do not accept walk-in appointments.
To receive free summary legal advice, please schedule an appointment by completing our online intake form or calling us at 236-477-5518.
Clinic Schedule:
Monday to Friday from 9am - 5pm
Appointment Options:
In-person appointments at our Surrey office
Virtual appointments conducted via phone and Zoom
Please Note:
No walk-in appointments are accepted.
Eligibility for additional legal services is subject to the discretion of the lawyer.
Empowering Low-Income Families with Free Summary Legal Advice
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Clients are allowed to attend the summary advice clinic as much as needed; however Clients are only allowed to only have one appointment booked at a time.
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Yes, at the discretion of our lawyers, we offer extended legal support based on the insights gained during your initial 30-minute summary advice appointment. If your case qualifies, you may be eligible for further assistance. Eligibility criteria, including income and nature of services sought, must be met to proceed with extended legal services.
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South Asian clients are given priority for appointments.
Non South-Asian clients are referred to appropriate community resources and may be given a free summary appointment subject to availability.
We strive to accommodate all low-income individuals seeking our services.
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To ensure that our legal clinic effectively serves low-income families, clients are asked to self-disclose their income during the appointment booking process.
If deemed eligible for additional unbundled legal services, clients are kindly requested to provide proof of income before the commencement of the unbundled legal services file.
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Unbundling legal services, where a lawyer provides legal services for part of a client’s legal matter, allows clients to access more affordable legal services. It has the potential to remove barriers to access to justice for people who cannot afford a lawyer’s retainer, but need some legal help. Unbundling allows clients and lawyers to decide which tasks are performed by the client and which are performed by the lawyer.
You may be eligible for additional legal support:
After the summary advice legal appointment, clients may qualify for additional (unbundled) legal assistance, based on income qualification and lawyer discretion .
What does unbundled legal support mean? SALCBC will help you with a part of your legal issue; but we will not take on the whole case or go to court for you.
Unbundled Legal Service Areas
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Uncontested desk order divorces
Provincial Court Family Matters
Provincial Court Family Law Protection Orders
People facing Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence and/or Family Violence
Safety Planning
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Reviewing Employment contracts
Federal Employment Insurance
Employment Law for Non-Unionized Workers
Employment Standards Act violations
Wrongful Dismissal in Small Claims Court
Discrimination in Employment under human rights law
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Disputing eviction notices
Understanding your rights and obligations as a landlord or tenant in BC
Preparing for a hearing with the Residential Tenancy Branch
Corresponding with your landlord or tenant
Reviewing tenancy agreement
Please note that we do not handle appeals or judicial reviews.
Unbundled Services Eligibility Criteria
1) Meet the current income eligibility guidelines, after tax deductions. That are:
Up to $48,694 annually for a single person
$59,264 annually for a 2 person household
$73,796 annually for a 3 person household
$92,066 annually for a 4 person household
$104,836 annually for a 5 person household
$116,266 annually for a 6 person household
$127,696 annually for a 7+ person household
2) Asset testing and eligibility for representation and drafting services will be discussed during the intake process.
3) For family law and child protection services, you must confirm you don’t qualify for legal aid.
Please note that we do not handle appeals or judicial reviews.
Our eligibility criteria encompass income, assets, and the specific legal services sought. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
