Access to Justice: Justice for All.

By Patricia Jordan

Law Day is a national event that is held annually in April by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). First held in 1983, Law Day events provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the law and some of the legal institutions that form the cornerstones of Canadian democracy. Law Day events in British Columbia are made possible through the efforts of dozens of lawyers who generously donate their time to fun, family-oriented events.

Visit the B.C. Law Week website at bclawweek.org to learn about Law Day events in your area. The site features six categories: About, Contests, Events, Locations, Media and Partners/Sponsors. A list of Law Week Committee members, the Committee’s mandate and contact information along with the history of Law Week, its past themes and a list of links for courts and judiciary, law libraries, legal services and pro bono services are provided in “About.”

Information on citizenship ceremonies, courthouse tours, the Dial-A-Lawyer program, free law classes, the free public forum in Vancouver, mock trials, open houses, the student outreach program, the Vancouver Fun Run and presentations and displays by justice staff and legal organizations is provided in “Events.” See “Locations” for the dates, times and locations of events held in your area. Information on the Barry Sullivan Law Cup public speaking contest and the BarTalk Cover Art Competition is available in “Contests.”

Law Day events in British Columbia are made possible through the support of the B.C. Branch of the CBA (CBABC), the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, the Law Foundation of British Columbia, the Law Society of British Columbia and the Vancouver Bar Association, as well as many other organizations who generously sponsor Law Day events. Visit “Partners/Sponsors” for a complete list of law firms and organizations that support Law Week events. See “Media” for biographies of public forum guest speakers, media kits, news releases and photographs of past events.

"Without legal aid, access to justice is meaningless." -Susan McGrath, CBA President, 2004-05

DID YOU KNOW?

• The CBA has worked to raise the awareness of government leaders and the public about the urgency of the legal aid issue for more than 20 years.
• The CBA continues to press federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Justice and Finance for designated funding for civil legal aid, to ensure accountability and transparency for federal funds.
• The CBA has commissioned a comprehensive study into approaches to legal aid delivery, which will inform future CBA policies and actions on legal aid.
• CBABC recently called for public hearings on legal aid. Read the news release and backgrounder at: www.cba.org/bc/Public_Media/news_2010/news_01_12_10.aspx
• Detailed information and a comprehensive list of CBA and CBABC Legal Aid initiatives are available in “Advocacy and Submissions to Government” under “CBA Initiatives” at cba.org/bc.

Patricia Jordan is the CBABC Web Manager. She welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions. Tel: 604-646-7861; Email: pjordan@bccba.org; visit: www.cba.org/bc.

This article was published in the April 2010 issue of BarTalk. © 2010 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.