Our Funders & Partners Blake, Cassles & Graydon LLP Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Brownlee LLP Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP Carbert Waite LLP Dentons Canada LLP DLA Piper (Canada) LLP Field LLP Goodfellow & Schuettlaw Gowling WLG JSS Barristers McCarthy Tétrault LLP McLeod Law LLP McMillan LLP MNP LLP MLT Aikins LLP Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Parlee McLaws LLP Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP Shell Stikeman Elliott LLP Verjee Law Our Court-Based Program Partners (Calgary) Bishop & McKenzie LLP City of Edmonton – Law Branch Dentons Canada LLP Edmonton Police Service Miller Thomson LLP MLT Aikins LLP Morrison LLP Sharek Logan & van Leenen LLP Witten LLP Our Court-Based Program Partners (Edmonton)

DONATE Pro Bono Law Alberta is a registered charity whose projects and activities are partly supported by charitable donations from individuals and corporation. These donations enable us to innovate around our mission of promoting the legal profession’s engagement in pro bono activities to facilitate access to justice for Albertans. To make a tax-deductible donation to PBLA, please make your cheque payable to: Pro Bono Law Alberta Society 301, 255 – 17 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2S 2T8 Charitable Number: 851669796 RR0001 Or, donate via the CanadaHelps online giving platform. ​

Law Firm Pro Bono PBLA works with law firms in Alberta to develop and formalize pro bono policies. We recognize the commitment and tradition that Alberta’s lawyers and law firms have in providing pro bono legal services in a variety of ways. A law firm pro bono policy assists law firms to formalize and track this commitment. Law firm pro bono policies are significant because they provide firms with the opportunity to: ​ Institutionalize pro bono participation as part of a firm’s day-to-day culture; Transform pro bono ad hoc delivery to organized delivery, which in turn enables firms to make better use of their resources and serve more clients; and Develop administrative guidelines that acknowledge the value of pro bono activities, signify the commitment to pro bono work by these firms, encourage all staff to participate, and ensure that both fee-paying clients and pro bono clients receive consistent service. ​ PBLA has developed a pro bono best practice guide entitled “Investing in Pro Bono: A Best Practice Guide for Pro Bono Legal Services by Law Firms”. The Best Practice Guide contains appendices of sample templates of pro bono policies for small, medium and large firms. The guide is available in Word format which can be easily modified and adapted to specific law firm needs. ​ Download Guide Several law firms in Alberta have developed or are in the process of developing a pro bono policy including: Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP McCarthy Tétrault LLP Law Firm Pro Bono Projects One of PBLA’s roles is to broker pro bono projects between law firms and community organizations. PBLA matches community organizations with a client base in need of legal support with an interested law firm partner, resulting in exciting volunteer opportunities for solicitors and litigators. Through these partnerships, firms can bring the full range of their resources and expertise towards assisting clients of organizations. Partnerships provide a unique opportunity for firms to develop relationships with organizations that help low income and disadvantaged communities and assist in community economic development. ​ In the past, we have helped broker partnerships between law firms and community organizations resulting in projects such as legal advice clinics at the Women’s Centre of Calgary, the Genesis Centre, and Alcove Addictions Recovery for Women If your firm is interested in developing pro bono policies and/or implementing a pro bono project, please contact us .

Terms & Conditions A legal disclaimer The explanations and information provided on this page are only general and high-level explanations and information on how to write your own document of Terms & Conditions. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do, because we cannot know in advance what are the specific terms you wish to establish between your business and your customers and visitors. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your own Terms & Conditions. Terms & Conditions - the basics Having said that, Terms and Conditions (“T&C”) are a set of legally binding terms defined by you, as the owner of this website. The T&C set forth the legal boundaries governing the activities of the website visitors, or your customers, while they visit or engage with this website. The T&C are meant to establish the legal relationship between the site visitors and you as the website owner. T&C should be defined according to the specific needs and nature of each website. For example, a website offering products to customers in e-commerce transactions requires T&C that are different from the T&C of a website only providing information (like a blog, a landing page, and so on). T&C provide you as the website owner the ability to protect yourself from potential legal exposure, but this may differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so make sure to receive local legal advice if you are trying to protect yourself from legal exposure. What to include in the T&C document Generally speaking, T&C often address these types of issues: Who is allowed to use the website; the possible payment methods; a declaration that the website owner may change his or her offering in the future; the types of warranties the website owner gives his or her customers; a reference to issues of intellectual property or copyrights, where relevant; the website owner’s right to suspend or cancel a member’s account; and much much more. To learn more about this, check out our article “Creating a Terms and Conditions Policy ”.

Help For Non - Profits Volunteer Lawyer Services Roster Program Non-profits and charities with discrete legal issues can apply to the Volunteer Lawyer Services Roster Program for assistance with a specific legal issue. Through the VLS Roster Program, PBLA tries to match non-profits and charitable organizations with volunteer lawyers. Non-profits and charities may be able to receive assistance on a variety of legal issues that impact their day-to-day operations, including by-law reviews, general contract drafting and reviews, volunteer waivers, incorporation, charitable registration and more. ​ To apply for the program, download and complete the VLS Application Form and return it to us at vls@pbla.ca . If you would like more information about how VLS can assist your organization, please contact us. ​ Volunteer Lawyer Services is generously funded by the United Way of Calgary and Area and the Law Society of Alberta. Partner Programs PBLA promotes access to justice through partnerships, collaborative projects and events that involve the legal community and authorized pro bono clinics throughout the province. We connect non-profit organizations and partner law firms in Alberta to develop strategic partnerships that provide legal services to Albertans in need. PBLA has been involved in several innovative partnerships and projects with law firms, not-for-profit organizations and pro bono and legal organizations, such as legal advice clinics at the Women’s Centre of Calgary, the Wellspring Calgary, and Alcove Addictions Recovery for Women. If you are from a non-profit organization and would like more information on developing a strategic partnership to serve the clients at your organization, please contact the Director of Projects and Engagement at projects@pbla.ca .

Privacy Policy A legal disclaimer The explanations and information provided on this page are only general and high-level explanations and information on how to write your own document of a Privacy Policy. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do, because we cannot know in advance what are the specific privacy policies you wish to establish between your business and your customers and visitors. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your own Privacy Policy. Privacy Policy - the basics Having said that, a privacy policy is a statement that discloses some or all of the ways a website collects, uses, discloses, processes, and manages the data of its visitors and customers. It usually also includes a statement regarding the website’s commitment to protecting its visitors’ or customers’ privacy, and an explanation about the different mechanisms the website is implementing in order to protect privacy. Different jurisdictions have different legal obligations of what must be included in a Privacy Policy. You are responsible to make sure you are following the relevant legislation to your activities and location. What to include in the Privacy Policy Generally speaking, a Privacy Policy often addresses these types of issues: the types of information the website is collecting and the manner in which it collects the data; an explanation about why is the website collecting these types of information; what are the website’s practices on sharing the information with third parties; ways in which your visitors an customers can exercise their rights according to the relevant privacy legislation; the specific practices regarding minors’ data collection; and much much more. To learn more about this, check out our article “Creating a Privacy Policy” .

Legal Resources BLG Business Venture Clinic (Calgary) Have legal questions about your new business? Students at the BLG Venture Clinic can draft memos on topics such as early round financing, the pros and cons of different business structures, employment issues, intellectual property and possible sources of liability. Calgary Legal Guidance Calgary Legal Guidance provides legal information and advice to low-income people who cannot afford a lawyer and do not qualify for Legal Aid. It can help with a wide range of issues including, but not limited to, family, criminal and civil issues. Free legal clinics operate Monday through Thursday evenings. Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic – Red Deer The Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic provides free legal services to people who do not qualify for Legal Aid and who cannot afford a lawyer. It can help with a wide range of issues including, but not limited to, family, civil, criminal, wills, and immigration law. Service is provided through appointments booked in advance and legal advice is not given over the phone. Edmonton Community Legal Centre The Edmonton Community Legal Centre provides free legal information and advice to low to moderate income people in the Edmonton area who cannot afford a lawyer and do not qualify for Legal Aid. It can help with legal issues including family law, landlord and tenant matters, employment, human rights, debt, small claims, immigration and income supports. ECLC does not provide services for criminal matters. Grande Prairie Legal Guidance - Grande Prairie Legal Guidance provides free legal information and advice to low to moderate income people who have a legal issue but do not qualify for legal aid. It can help with matters including family law, landlord and tenant matters, employment, debt/contract, traffic/bylaw, wills and estates, criminal law and civil law. GPLG does not provide representation in court. Lethbridge Legal Guidance Lethbridge Legal Guidance provides free legal assistance, information, and advocacy to individuals experiencing financial difficulties who need legal services and representation and who do not qualify for Legal Aid. Volunteer lawyers provide legal information and advice on a variety of issues including family, civil matters, employment law, criminal law and immigration law. Free clinics operate on Tuesday evenings. Medicine Hat Legal Help Centre The Medicine Hat Legal Help Centre provides free information and advice to low to moderate incoming people who have a legal issue but do not qualify for Legal Aid. It can help with matters including family law, employment issues, debt and foreclosure, estate and administration, estate/life planning, immigration issues, landlord and tenant disputes and civil matters. Public Interest Law Clinic – University of Calgary The Public Interest Law Clinic is a legal clinic at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law, created to advocate for systemic change that values and advances the well-being of the public and the environment Student Legal Assistance – Calgary Student Legal Assistance offers legal information and representation to low-income residents of the Calgary area. These services are provided by law students from the University of Calgary. SLA helps with civil matters, criminal offenses, landlord/tenant matters, traffic violations, family matters (except divorce), small claims, social assistance/AISH/employment insurance appeals, student academic and non-academic appeals and administrative tribunal work. Student Legal Services – Edmonton Student Legal Services is a student-managed organization dedicated to helping low-income individuals in the Edmonton area understand their legal issues and solve their problems. It can assist with matters including criminal law, civil law and family law. Women’s Centre Legal Advice Clinic Volunteer lawyers provide free, half-hour legal advice sessions to women. These sessions aim to provide a starting point when accessing the legal system. The clinics address family issues, civil cases, immigration and other types of law, but not criminal law. All women are welcome; appointments required. Youth Law at The Alex – Calgary CLERC offers legal advice, information, representation, referrals and services to children and youth. Lawyers at CLERC provide representation to young people 19 years of age and under in matters including family issues, immigration, estates and inheritance, employment questions, landlord and tenant matters, human rights issues, school issues and guardianship questions. CLERC does not represent young people involved in criminal matters or those who access legal services through Child Welfare. Pro Bono Clinics / Organizations Legal Resources Legal Aid Alberta Legal Aid Alberta provides legal representation to Albertans who meet financial eligibility guidelines. All youth are eligible to receive representation for criminal matters. Legal Aid provides coverage for serious criminal charges, family law issues, child welfare matters, immigration/refugee claims, adult guardianship/trusteeship, and income support. Please note that Legal Aid does not currently provide support for many civil law matters including personal injury, medical malpractice, etc. Provincial & Federal Government Links Alberta Justice – Service Alberta: Law & Justice Alberta Justice – Family Law Assistance Family court and mediation, family law kits, and how to respond to a Divorce Act or Family Law Act application. Alberta Justice – Resolution and Court Administration Services (RCAS) Divorce Videos – RCAS has created a series of divorce videos to help respond to the demand from Albertans wanting to work on their own divorce but needing help to navigate the forms and process. Federal Department of Justice Lawyer Directory ​ The Law Society of Alberta’s online Lawyer Directory is available to help Albertans find a lawyer. The Lawyer Directory allows people to search for a lawyer using a series of criteria, including location, area(s) of practice , language(s) spoken, gender and whether a lawyer offers limited scope retainers. The Lawyer Directory provides contact information for all lawyers in Alberta, and there are approximately 7,500 lawyers in private practice. Using the available filters, you can easily pull a list of lawyers that meet your specific search criteria. Please note that the Law Society does not recommend or endorse individual lawyers. It is still up to the public to research and choose a lawyer based on their individual needs. Access the Lawyer Directory and further resources on how to use the tool through Here . ​ Lawyer Locate Lawyer Locate is a directory of lawyers grouped by major practice areas. It also offers a lawyer referral service which will send your case details to the lawyers in your geographic area and the area of law that you require. Lexpert Directory The Lexpert Directory allows members of the public to search for specific lawyers by name and practice area. Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre (ACLRC) The ACLRC promotes respect for civil liberties and human rights in Alberta through research and education to contribute to a more just community. Among other activities, ACLRC provides information and referrals to members of the public who call with questions about civil liberties and human rights. Alberta Law Libraries Alberta Law Libraries is a provincial network of law libraries existing to provide research support and information services to the legal community, self-represented litigants and all Albertans. Libraries are located in courthouses and provincial building across the province and are open to the public. The Alberta Limited Legal Services Project T he Alberta Limited Legal Services Project is an initiative of local lawyers aimed at providing Albertans with access to the legal services they want, when they want them, at a price they can afford. The Project connects Albertans with lawyers who will help with just part of a case, not all of it, allowing you to pay for the services you want, without having a lawyer handle the case from beginning to end. Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) CanLII is a non-profit organization that operates and maintains a website dedicated to providing continuous access to a virtual library of Canadian legal information. The present website provides access to court judgements, tribunal decisions, statutes and regulations from all Canadian jurisdictions. Centre for Public Legal Education of Alberta (CPLEA) CPLEA is dedicated to making information about the law available in readable and understandable language for Albertans. It maintains a number of websites with legal information in many areas. LawNow Magazine Published by the Centre for Public Legal Education of Alberta, LawNow Magazine is published six times per year. It provides credible legal information, interpretation and comment to help Canadians make critical decisions about their professional and personal lives, and make meaningful and effective contributions to the democratic life of their community and country. Legal Line Legal Line is a federal not-for-profit organization providing access to the laws under which Canadians are governed. It is a searchable database of Canadian laws that provides answers organized within 40 major areas of law in 107 languages. It also offers a telephone help line that provides pre-recorded answers to common legal questions and live help by subject-matter experts. Self Counsel Press Self-Counsel Press is a source of do-it-yourself law and small business books, with book, e-books and form kits designed for members of the public to help themselves. It includes kits and information on making a will, pre-nuptial, separation and divorce forms, business forms, and more. Alberta Law Foundation The Alberta Law Foundation is the recipient of the interest which banks, credit unions, trust companies and treasury branches must pay on clients’ funds held in lawyers’ general trust accounts. The interest is made available by the Foundation by way of grants to organizations engaged in activities which are considered to be in keeping with the Foundation’s objectives. Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch (CBA Alberta) The CBA is the largest professional association for lawyers in Canada. It provides professional development and networking opportunities for Alberta lawyers. The CBA Alberta is not the professional regulator of lawyers in Alberta. Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) The CFCJ is a national non-profit organization that has been dedicated to advancing civil justice reform through research and advocacy since 1998. CFCJ strives to make the civil justice system for accessible, effective and sustainable by leading and participating in projects that place the citizen at the center of the civil justice system. Federation of Law Societies of Canada The Federation of Law Societies of Canada is the national coordinating body of the 14 law societies mandated by provincial and territorial law to regulate Canada’s 125,000 lawyers, Quebec’s 3,800 notaries and Ontario’s 10,500 independent paralegals in the public interest. Law Society of Alberta The Law Society of Alberta regulates the legal profession in the public interest by promoting and enforcing a high standard of professional and ethical conduct by Alberta lawyers. The Law Society can assist members of the public with finding a lawyer, finding files and wills, and answering questions about lawyer conduct. Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) Pro Bono Students Canada is a national network of law schools and community organizations that match law students and non-governmental organizations, government agencies, tribunals and legal clinics during the academic year. PBSC has chapters at the Faculties of Law at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta . Legal Resources