Levelling the Playing Field Self-represented litigants are the human face of the access to justice crisis. Thanks to PBO’s pioneering programs, more than 18,000 vulnerable clients a year get the help they need to navigate the justice system. Without us, they would have nowhere to turn. Our self-represented support programs include: services at all levels of […]
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Giving Kids a Chance At PBO, we believe Ontario’s children deserve the chance to grow up with a quality education, in good health and in loving households. When children and youth face life’s toughest challenges, our programs are there to address the legal problems that can undermine their chances of success. Together with our pro […]
NEWCOMERS TO CANADA
Empowering Immigrants Life in a new country can be overwhelming, frightening and fraught with legal issues, but many Ontario newcomers have no idea where to turn or how to navigate a complex system with a language and a culture not their own. PBO provides a continuum of legal services to help Ontario immigrants of all […]
SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS
Levelling the Playing Field Self-represented litigants are the human face of the access to justice crisis. Thanks to PBO’s pioneering programs, more than 18,000 vulnerable clients a year get the help they need to navigate the justice system. Without us, they would have nowhere to turn. Our self-represented support programs include: services at all levels of […]
Legal Needs as an Expression of a Public Health Crisis: A COVID-19 Case Study
At this point it’s clear that COVID-19 is a public health emergency that has laid bare socio-economic inequities. One of the ways this expressed is through the occurrence and evolution of legal needs during the pandemic and how public policy decisions impacted the incidence of unmet legal needs. And while we inch towards a return to normalcy, it is important that we learn what lessons we can […]
You Found a Lien on Your Home. Now What?
Finding a lien on your property can be a shock. In some cases, you run the risk of a failed refinancing or a lawsuit stemming from an aborted closing. In other cases, liens can enable someone else to force the sale of your property without your consent. PBO’s Free Legal Advice Hotline receives calls regularly […]
Looking Back on 2021, Improving Access for 2022
PBO had another very strong year in 2021. We provided direct legal services to more than 29,000 clients. Our Free Legal Advice Hotline continued to demonstrate its value as a safe, efficient, and effective means of delivering access to justice. We served 91% of our clients from across Ontario through the Hotline. 88% of the […]
COVID-19 and Your Child’s Rights at School: What Parents Should Know
Back to school is always a stressful time for families scrambling to get their children ready for the coming year. It is also a busy time for our Education Law Program, which was launched in 2003 to help families address unlawful conditions that keep their kids out of school. From what we’re seeing, this year […]
Don’t Think Corporate Lawyers Can Do Pro Bono? Think Again
If you ask a highly skilled corporate lawyer why they’re nervous about volunteering through PBO’s Free Legal Advice Hotline, you will often hear a more or less diplomatic version of: “I practice in a very niche area of law and couldn’t possibly help someone with a real problem.” The irony is that the exact traits that make some corporate lawyers hesitant […]
The Lawyers’ Guide to Giving Back: Three Simple Ways to Help PBO Close the Justice Gap
Milestone anniversaries instinctively spark reflection on what has been and what will be. PBO is proud to be celebrating 20 years of connecting lawyers with those in need. In our opening blog post, we observed that COVID-19 forced us to grow up fast; last year, we faced unprecedented, crushing demand for legal services. We brought […]
High Stakes for Small Estates: Do the New Probate Rules Further Access to Justice?
Many people believe they don’t need a will if they “don’t have anything.” They believe that because anything they own at death will automatically pass to a spouse or children, they need not worry. In fact, low-income Ontarians have the most to lose if someone in their household dies without a will. PBO’s Free Legal Advice Hotline […]