LSLAP Introductory SESSION Chris heslinga & blake scott

Welcome to lslap! DON’T worry about the substantive law – that’s what our supervising lawyers are here for! You will only get out of LSLAP what you put in Don’t try to limit your areas of interest too early Stick with it! Identifying a legal issue that we can help with is the goal

Introductions The LSLAP Student Executive Team Executive Director, Blake Scott: execdirector@lslap.bc.ca Operations Director, Nicholas Krishan: operations@lslap.bc.ca Internal Relations Director, Emily Adams: dal@lslap.bc.ca External Relations Director, Paul Jon: pr@lslap.bc.ca Publications Director, Joey Levesque: publications@lslap.bc.ca Finance Director, Katherine Zhou: finance@lslap.bc.ca Administrative Assistant, Grace Green: grace@lslap.bc.ca Civil Supervising Lawyer, Chris Heslinga: civil.sl@lslap.bc.ca Criminal Supervising Lawyer, Andrew Bonfield: criminal.sl@lslap.bc.ca

What we do Since 1969, we have been assisting low-income individuals across the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. We provide legal assistance in the form of summary advice or full representation at hearings or trials. As a poverty law organization, we try to ensure we are serving those persons in need by having income and asset cut-offs. We make sure to inquire about a clients income or assets at an initial in-take interview. Those who have a personal annual income over $30,000, or Those who have a combined family income of more than $35,000 for 2 people or $45,000 for a household income of 3 or more.

Areas of practice What LSLAP DOES cover: Criminal Law – Full representation to clients facing summary conviction charges without the possibility of jail time. Ensure you get the particulars! More about this on Thursday. Residential Tenancy – Eviction Notice, damage deposit issues, repairs to unit etc. Get the Tenancy Agreement, communications, and RTB hearing dates Employment/Small Claims/Human Rights /Civil Resolution Tribunal – wrongful dismissal, contract disputes, discrimination Get the contract and all the facts Wills/Estates and Guardianship – Power of Attorney, Representative Agreement, Advanced Directive Use applicable questionnaire, review templates from LSLAP website Refugee and Immigration – removal orders, sponsorship, PR applications Review the Manual, speak to upper year students Social Benefits/Non-profits – OAS, Disability Assistance, MSP, EI, etc. Review letter advising client of withdrawal of benefits

Areas of practice What LSLAP does NOT cover: Unionized employees Appeals/Anything over $35,000/ Supreme Court matters Family Law ICBC and Personal Injury Client’s who are not ‘poverty law’ clients

What you need to do Read and sign LSLAP’s “Code of Conduct” Complete the LSLAP Quiz! Thoroughly Review LSLAP’s following clinician guides: Clinician Policy and Procedure Guide Civil Initial Interview Procedure Guide Criminal Initial Interview Procedure Guide Clinician’s Guide to Clio

LAWYER APPROVAL EVERYTHING that a law student sends out, must be looked at and approved by an LSLAP Supervising Lawyer ALL correspondence with clients or opposing counsel and all legal pleadings Documents/correspondence should be self-explanatory, you only have a few files, but supervising lawyers are dealing with hundreds Sign-up for appointments online using Google Docs Send documents for approval to: Chris Heslinga, Civil Supervising Lawyer: civil.sl@lslap.bc.ca Andrew Bonfield, Criminal Supervising Lawyer: criminal.sl@lslap.bc.ca

**USE ‘Clinician Policy and Procedure Guide’** GO to your clinics Need to attend clinics to get a chance to be a summer student MEET with clients and open a file Listen to the client and gather information and documents Immediately make an APPOINTMENT with a supervising lawyer Should be done within 24 hours of the client meeting MEET with lawyer and determine SCOPE OF WORK Take detailed notes during meeting Determine Limitation Date or Bring Forward Date ADVISE client of work we can perform 1st Letter to the client is always a “Scope of Work” Letter PROVIDE the services as outlined in the scope of work - Do what you said you will do Stay on top of your files and your clients Close the file – MUST provide a CLOSING LETTER **USE ‘Clinician Policy and Procedure Guide’**

Goals after 1st interview Determine if the client is eligible for our program Lots of people who do not fit our criteria do make it through the screening process by ‘phones peeps’ Check your privilege Obtain all relevant/necessary contact information and documentation FOR CIVIL FILES – can request documentation before first meeting with supervising lawyer Identify possible area(s) of the law that apply Don’t just rely on what the client says the area of law is, use independent thought It’s OK if you get the area wrong, not OK if you don’t try to determine on your own Identify the applicable Limitation Date /Bring Forward Date Make sure you fill out the Limitation Date/Bring Forward Date sheet in file AFTER confirming applicable date with supervising lawyer Research the applicable areas of the law and review what LSLAP can do within the area(s) identified Use the LSLAP MANUAL (available online)

Questions I will ask you during our 1st meeting on a file What is the background of this file? What is the area of law that applies and have you review that section of the Manual? What does the client want from us? What do you think we can do for this client?

‘Tasks’ in clio After every meeting – create a ‘Task’ on Clio After first meeting, should be writing a ‘Scope of Work’ letter, or could be requesting more information/documentation Each TASK must have a deadline/’Bring Forward’ date Default deadline will be 2 weeks from when it was assigned, but can be adjusted based on student availability and client needs If you are not able to complete a task by the deadline that’s OK just advise the supervising lawyer and advise of new date Tasks will be monitored by Student Executives and Supervising Lawyers

CONDUCT Customer Service Industry Must be courteous and polite Seek out assistance about how to handle clients if necessary Confidentiality Only talk about files to other clinicians Only talk about files to get assistance (with legal matters or client management) Professionalism You are now ambassadors of the legal profession Already building your reputations

Communication!!! Its ok to be lost/confused /overwhelmed – Its NOT OK to stay silent about it Talk to the Student Executives IMMEDIATELY Talk to: Clinic Head Clinic Supervising Lawyer Executive Upper year LSLAP students Weirdos wearing fish hats Program Supervising Lawyer

Schedule: meeting with supervising lawyers Variable work schedule: Hours range from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Subject to change – just check the google calendar each week MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ASAP Limited document review on days not in the office, but don’t count on it Anything that has an urgent deadline – write “URGENT” in the subject line 1 week turn-around for document review 1 e-mail per file The Supervising Lawyer Booking Sheet can be found under the “Student Links” tab of the LSLAP Website.

RESOURCES LSLAP has a number of available resources for students for a variety of legal issues. You are not alone when a file lands on your lap. There are people and documents available to help you! LSLAP Manual LSLAP’s Website Password: fishroom LSLAP’s Guide to Criminal Defence Work Student Executive Other students Supervising Lawyers Grace

Common issues/problems Student’s becoming overwhelmed and NOT working on files, but only telling us after it’s already an issue Unauthorized communications Unauthorized removal of physical file from LSLAP office Loss of confidential information Forgetting to tell the External Relations Director about a trial that has been set

Q & A