A gap in the legal system that frequently leaves people without access to legal assistance will be at least partially addressed in Yorkton starting November 7.
Last week, Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan (PBLS) announced it has partnered with the Yorkton Friendship Centre to provide a free legal clinic twice a month.
Because of the high volume of people who require legal assistance, eligibility for Legal Aid is quite strict, limited to those who are officially in receipt of social assistant or those whose income from other sources fall below a certain threshold- annual net income of $11,820 for a single person, $22,800 for a family with four children for example.
Many people who do not qualify for Legal Aid, however, still cannot afford retain a lawyer privately. That's where pro bono work comes in, said Nicole Sarauer, programs manager for PBLS.
"Pro bono work is a proud tradition of the legal profession and many Saskatchewan lawyers and law students give their time to help those in need [to] access justice," she said.
She said traditionally lawyers do pro bono work on an ad-hoc basis. Her organization formalizes and streamlines the process by providing the administrative means of putting together those in need with lawyers in their communities and making volunteering easy for the attorneys.
Pro Bono currently operates clinics in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Swift Current, Estevan, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Meadow Lake and La Ronge.
The organization is primarily funded by the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan, which manages the interest earned on law firms' trust accounts using it to support justice-related grantees such as law libraries, legal education organizations and legal assistance non-profits. PBLS also receives support from a levy on lawyers' law society fees and a small amount of private donations.
The Yorkton Free Legal Clinic will operate every other Thursday afternoon between 1 and 4 p.m. beginning November 1.
There is only one way for clients to avail themselves of the service, which is by calling the PBLS toll-free number, 855.833.7257(PBLS). Sarauer warns drop-ins will not be accommodated.
