Legal Information Clinic

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
• Civil Law
• Consumer protection
• Administrative law
• Housing Law
• Labour Law

N.B. We are unable to answer questions requiring specialized knowledge in areas of law such as commercial law, wills, successions and estates, co-ownership and real estate, patents, bankruptcy, tax law, youth protection, laws and regulations of other Canadian provinces or other countries, etc.

Modalities

• Individual consultations depends 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.
• 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.

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

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.

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.

Upcoming events

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 any urgent need, you can also contact:

• The Community Justice Centre in your region, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  They offer free legal information consultations over the phone. Montreal :514-227-3782 (option 4). 
• The Women’s Centre of Montreal at 514-842-4780
• The Mile-End Legal Clinic at 514-507-3054
• Your neighborhood housing committee
• Your neighborhood legal aid office
• SOS violence conjugale (domestic violence) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-800-363-9010

For more information or to make an appointment

You want to know more on the Clinic’s services or want to make an appointment? Call us at (514) 866-9941, ext. 293 or complete the following form.

We return emails within 2-3 business days. If you need the immediate assistance of a lawyer, we suggest you contact Juripop at 1-855-587-4767 or Legal Aid at (514) 842-2233. Thank you for your understanding!