1. LSLAP Introductory SESSION
Chris heslinga & blake scott

2. 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

3. Introductions The LSLAP Student Executive Team
Executive Director, Blake Scott:
Operations Director, Nicholas Krishan:
Internal Relations Director, Emily Adams:
External Relations Director, Paul Jon:
Publications Director, Joey Levesque:
Finance Director, Katherine Zhou:
Administrative Assistant, Grace Green:
Civil Supervising Lawyer, Chris Heslinga:
Criminal Supervising Lawyer, Andrew Bonfield:

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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:
Andrew Bonfield, Criminal Supervising Lawyer:

9. **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’**

10. 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)

11. 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?

12. ‘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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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 per file
The Supervising Lawyer Booking Sheet can be found under the “Student Links” tab of the LSLAP Website.

16. 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

17. 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

18. Q & A