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A Classic Case of Making Justice Accessible to All
February 7, 2023From Law Foundation of Saskatchewan
Most cities in North America have seen the deterioration of their older inner-city neighbourhoods. As a result, these neighbourhoods have lost much of their value, making them affordable to low-income tenants.
Saskatoon is no exception, and while the life circumstances bringing people into these neighbourhoods greatly vary, the challenges faced by inner-city residents are similar and can be, at times, overwhelming, such as when facing legal issues arise.
Fortunately, in Saskatoon, Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City Inc. (CLASSIC) provides free community legal services to inner-city residents in such circumstances. Although their wish would be to help everyone in need they do not have the resources to deal with every file. Each request is assessed on a case-by-case basis and the supervising lawyers determine what files CLASSIC can assist on. They cover a variety of matters such as landlord-tenant issues, prison law, social assistance, human rights, immigration and refugee issues, summary legal matters, employment issues and more. One caveat is that clients must have been turned down by Legal Aid before CLASSIC can assist them if the matter is in criminal or family law.
Two access roads to justice
Not all cases require CLASSIC’s complete services. Some clients only need advice while others will need to be accompanied through a legal process. To better deal with these different needs CLASSIC offers two kinds of clinics:
- Legal Advice Clinic (LAC) consists of a 15-30 minutes session with a volunteer private practice lawyer during which a client can ask questions and receive advice. The LAC typically deals with family matters and more serious criminal issues if Legal Aid has denied services. The LAC also deals with civil matters and some immigration matters.
- Walk-in Advocacy Clinic (WAC) provides a potential client with the chance to present their case to a staff member or law student. The case is then reviewed by a supervising lawyer who determines if CLASSIC can take it on.
An interdisciplinary approach
Having to deal with low-income clients also means they often simultaneously face both legal and social issues. As Chantelle Johnson, CLASSIC’s Executive Director, explains, “Many of CLASSIC’s clients come to CLASSIC with inter-twined needs as opposed to a neatly packaged legal issue. Often, the non-legal needs far outweigh the legal needs. The Community Support Unit works with people to find them shelter/housing, food, clothing, mental health supports and to navigate complex systems such as Saskatchewan Income Support.” CLASSIC’s use of both law and social work students can lead to a more comprehensive solution for its clients.
This kind of approach is rewarding and fulfilling for CLASSIC’s team members, many of which are articling students, law students, and social work students. As Holly Stroschein, an articling student, explains, “Simply put, CLASSIC is needed in this Province. Clients have expressed to me time and time again how grateful they are for us, and how nice it is to have a group who is behind them, supporting and advocating for them.”
The invaluable support of the Law Foundation
In addition to its main programs and clinics, CLASSIC’s work is involved with a variety of initiatives in partnership with other organizations.
All this requires appropriate funding, and for that, sponsors are a real lifeline. This is clear to Chantelle Johnson when she says, “The Law Foundation of Saskatchewan has been CLASSIC’s largest revenue point for over a decade.” As she looks to the future, she attests, “LFS’s ongoing support will help us continue to better keep up with inflationary costs, meet the demand for our services, continue to provide clinical legal education to law students, and increase our IT services.”
This is definitely a great partnership, one in which both partners’ goals are being reached. Indeed, while the Foundation’s support contributes to CLASSIC’s initiatives, in turn we see that CLASSIC helps the Law Foundation achieve its mission to advance justice through better access, increased knowledge, and innovation.
For more information on the Law Foundation and its grants, visit https://www.lawfoundation.sk.ca/
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