WHO WE ARE
Pro Bono Students Canada
Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) was founded in 1996 at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Since then, PBSC has expanded to have chapters in all 22 Canadian law schools. Each year across Canada, 1,600 PBSC law student volunteers provide approximately 140,000 hours of free legal services to over 400 public interest and other community organizations, courts and tribunals. PBSC is the only national student program in Canada, the only national pro bono program in the country, and the only national pro bono service organization anywhere in the world. PBSC McGill began in 2000 and has been going strong since then. During the 2018-2019 school year, PBSC McGill had over 50 law student volunteers who worked with and provided legal services to 21 different community organizations across Montreal.
PBSC Objectives
- Provide volunteer law students with opportunities to develop their legal skills and be involved in their communities
- Have a positive impact on the legal profession through the promotion of pro bono service
- Increase access to justice in Canada
PBSC Values
- Dignity: We believe that every person is entitled to respect, to have their voice heard, and to fully enjoy their rights.
- Equity: We stand for substantive equality, inclusion, and diversity in all its forms. We focus on impact (not just good intentions).
- Humility: We prioritize listening, learning, and self-reflection. We value the wisdom of the communities we serve, and their lived experiences inform our work.
PBSC Approach
- Collaborative: We engage approximately 1,500 law students annually to provide free legal information and services in partnership with community organizations and supervising lawyers and notaries.
- Visionary: We cultivate future leaders, advocates and allies through training and experiential learning opportunities. PBSC has student-led Chapters at 22 law schools in Canada.
- Responsive: Our Chapters respond to local needs in their communities across all areas of law. At PBSC National, we develop programs that address complex and systemic inequities.
Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
PBSC McGill is grateful for the generous support we receive from our funders and partners.