Since 1985, the YWCA Montreal Legal Information Clinic has offered information and resources to community members.
Commissioner of Oaths
A free service offered to the public at large
Commissioners of Oaths are empowered to administer oaths. Some legislation requires a person to be sworn before signing a document or testifying.
30 minutes individual legal information sessions
A low cost service offered to women and their families
The Legal Information Clinic offers confidential, individual, 30 minutes information sessions* by appointment, with a volunteer lawyer or notary with experience in a variety of legal areas, such as:
- Family law
- Immigration Law
- Criminal Law (not availbale at the moment)
- Civil Law
- Housing Law
- Labour Law
N.B. We are unable to answer questions requiring specialized knowledge in areas of law such as commercial law, co-ownership and real estate, patents, bankruptcy, tax law, laws and regulations of other Canadian provinces or other countries, etc.
Service
The individual consultations are reserved for women and their families only and the cost varies between $0 to $20.
From October to March, a team of volunteer law students is also available to offer resources and information thanks to a partnership with Pro Bono Students Canada.
In addition, the Clinic’s documentation section offers informative brochures covering a wide range of issues and referrals to extra resources are available if needed.
Modalities
- Requests for information on the services and appointment scheduling is available Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – Please note times are subject to change without notice.
- Individual consultations are offered from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, depending on the availability of our volunteer lawyers and notaries.
- The individual consultations are reserved for women and their families only and the cost varies between 0$ to 20$.
- Individual consultations are offered up to a maximum 3 times per year per person.
- All of our volunteer lawyers and notaries are members of the Barreau du Québec or of the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
Please note: the Legal Information Clinic is not a legal aid clinic. It is a non-profit legal information service only. The YWCA Montreal is not responsible for the legal information given by the various volunteer lawyers and notaries or for the follow-up services arranged between the parties.
Frequently asked questions
Q : Will the lawyer I meet be representing me in court?
A : No, but the volunteer lawyer can direct you to the appropriate specialists.
Q : Will the lawyer I meet prepare letters, legal documents or make requests for me?
A : No, but the legal information provided will help you to better understand the nature of your problem, the relevant law and the applicable procedure for your case.
Q : Can I meet with the volunteer lawyer more than once?
A : Yes, you can have up to three consultations per year.
Q : Do your lawyers accept Legal Aid Mandates.
A : No, the role of our volunteer lawyers is to offer legal information only. They can direct you to Legal Aid offices in Montreal if you believe you are eligible.
Other services and ressources
Community legal corner
The Community Legal Corner provides free legal information, accompaniment and support services.
This service is open to anyone wishing to better understand their rights or looking for help with their legal research or procedures.
Newsletter
The YWCA Legal Information Clinic occasionally publishes community newsletter containing legal information that you can view online or obtain on-site.
Legal Information Presentations
Every year the Clinic also offers legal information presentations on various legal subjects. The goal of these presentations is to inform participants of their rights and obligations in a simple and useful way.
Other legal services in Montreal
If you need other legal services (Clinics, Legal Aid, court accompaniment, etc.) you can find all the resources on the Pro Bono Quebec’s web site: votreboussolejuridique.ca.
To obtain legal information even before seeing a lawyer, we recommend the Educaloi web site. It offers a great amount of information on various legal matters.
For more informations or to make an appointment
You want to know more on the Clinic’s services or want to make an appointement?
Call us at (514) 866-9941, ext. 293 or complete the following form.
Requests for information on the services and appointment scheduling is available Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – Please note times are subject to change without notice.