Do you believe in the importance of public legal education and information? If you’re looking for ways to make this a possibility for all in the province who need it, this is your chance!
The Public Legal Information Association of NL (PLIAN) is currently looking for interested lawyers in Newfoundland and Labrador to register for the Lawyer Referral Service. Last year, the service received over 4,000 inquiries, proving the need for an even larger number of qualified individuals to help foster legal knowledge in our communities.
PLIAN has been the province’s only non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on legal matters for nearly 40 years. One service that continues to bring in high volumes of demand is the Lawyer Referral Service. As part of PLIAN, the Referral Service allows lawyers to help provide Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with the chance to access summary legal advice at a reduced cost.
Lawyers who agree to register and be part of the Referral Service are not strictly performing pro-bono work. There is, however, an agreement to provide a 30-minute consultation to individuals referred to by PLIAN at a fixed cost of $40, taxes included. These information consultations can range from people in need of summaries on family law, labour and employment, residential tenancies, wills and estates matters and other issues that continue to impact people in the province.
As this service aims at providing fundamental legal education to the public, there is no expectation for lawyers to continue providing services beyond the legal summary consultation.
If you are interested in joining, please fill-out this registration form.
All registration forms can be emailed to info@publiclegalinfo.com.
In order to provide an open and flexible practice for participants, lawyers are encouraged to specify which area of law they would be open to receiving referrals for. Lawyers are also allowed to restrict the number of referrals that they receive weekly as well as place any other limitations on their referral process as needed.
For more information and for any questions, please reach out to Kevin O’Shea, Executive Director of PLIAN, by email: director@publiclegalinfo.com or by phone: 709-722-4745.
PLIAN looks forward to receiving new registrants!