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. And, you may also qualify for additional legal services.
Our lawyers provide low-barrier and culturally sensitive legal support for low-income South Asian families.
Family Law
Child Protection
Wills
Estate Administration
Tenancy Rights (Tenants)
Tenancy Rights (Landlords)
Employment Law
Domestic Violence
Racial Discrimination & Profiling
Areas for summary legal advice from staff lawyers:
International students support with tuition fees reimbursements with private colleges
Support with civil resolution tribunal claims dealing with personal injury, small claims or intimate image claims
Economic Justice for Workers
Elder Abuse
Areas for summary legal advice from volunteer lawyers:
Civil Litigation
Corporate Law Issues
Property Disputes
Immigration
Criminal Law
Estate 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:
Weekly Wednesday Clinic from 5 pm - 8 pm
Appointment Options:
In-person appointments at our Surrey office
Virtual appointments conducted via phone
Please Note:
No walk-in appointments are accepted.
Eligibility for additional legal services is subject to the discretion of the lawyer. Learn more.
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.
If there is availability, appointments are opened up for non-South Asians every Monday for the Wednesday clinic.
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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Assistance completing Provincial Court or BC Supreme Court forms
Assistance with completing Provincial Court applications for parenting time, child or spousal support and protective intervention orders. Assistance with preparing financial statements
Assistance with completing application to obtain a protective intervention order under the FLA
Notary services for your affidavits and exhibits.
Preparation for mediation and dispute resolution preparation.
Preparing disclosure requests.
Support with reviewing and understanding disclosure received from the opposing party.
Reviewing affidavits
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Understanding child welfare documents (safety plan, family law, court documents)
Understanding child welfare process
Communication with Social Worker and/or Directors Counsel
Helping you prepare for meetings with the Social Worker
Preparing for court
Understanding child welfare process
Helping you prepare for meetings with the Social Worker
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Assistance in dispute resolution with employer
Assistance with filing claim or complaint (Employment Standards Branch, WorkSafeBC, Civil Resolution Tribunal, etc.)
Understanding correspondence from administrative bodies (e.g. Service Canada, Employment Standards Branch, etc.)
Demand letters for outstanding wages or employments rights
Review of employment contracts
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Basic will
Basic power of attorney
Representation agreements
Assistance/review in completing paperwork for administration of estates
Assistance/review in completing paperwork for probate or administration
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Tenancy landlord and tenant
Hearing preparation for residential tenancy board
Tenancy contract and explanation
Demand letters to tenants/landlords
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Assistance with filing Civil Resolution Claims (personal injury, small claims under $5000 and intimate image)
Supporting international students with tuition refund issues with private colleges.
Unbundled Services Eligibility Criteria
1) Meet the income guidelines
(Based on 200% of federal low-income cut-off):
Up to $45,000 for a single person
$54,000 for a 2 person household
$67,000 for a 3 person household
$84,000 for a 4 person household
$95,000 for a 5 person household
$105,000 for a 6 person household
$115,000 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.
