by Susan Coristine

My first encounter with the People’s Law School was as volunteer speaker, starting in the 1990s, when I agreed to speak on a variety of topics, including youth justice and parental rights. It was apparent to me that those who attended the People’s Law School presentations were keen to learn, appreciative of my efforts, and thoughtful. My experience as a speaker convinced me of the value of public legal education.

Our 35 Years in Public Legal Education
Today, I am the Chair of the People’s Law School, after serving nine years on the Board of Directors. My continued relationship with the People’s Law School has strengthened my conviction as to the value of the public legal education.

For those who are not familiar with the People’s Law School, we provide public legal education in B.C. through a number of media, including plain language booklets in various languages, radio programs, law-related ESL classes, speakers, training workshops, theatre performances, and the People’s Law School website.

Public legal education cannot replace professional advice or representation, and does not claim to do so. What it does do is assist people by providing them with a clearer sense of their rights and responsibilities. It helps people identify legal problems if they do arise and make informed decisions as to whether they need legal advice and representation, or whether there are informal ways of resolving their problems. Public legal education is also an important vehicle for providing the public with legally sound information about new developments in the law.

Finally, I think that public legal education plays an important role in reminding the public of the role that law plays in a democratic society. I do not mean to overstate the matter, but I think the People’s Law School contributes to that process by providing the public with a deeper recognition of the ways in which the law both reflects the People’s Law School core beliefs, and helps to shape and reinforce them. Many of the People’s Law School programs address legal issues that have social as well as legal components, such as family violence and hate crimes. Our Justice Theatre, for example, addresses the broader social and legal issues arising from face-to-face bullying, as well as the relatively new phenomenon of Internet bullying.

Volunteer Lawyers Are Key to the People’s Law School’s Success
The People’s Law School owes its success to the large number of volunteers from the B.C. Bar and Bench who have, since 1972, played key roles on the Board of Directors, and have volunteered as speakers, radio panelists, and legal reviewers of the plain language booklets. In any given year, about 150 volunteers contribute time and expertise to the various public legal education programs of the People’s Law School.

Contact Us to Learn More
I want to congratulate those of you who have demonstrated your commitment to your communities by volunteering for the People’s Law School. I encourage all of you to learn more about the People’s Law School by visiting www.publiclegaled.bc.ca or by calling 604-331-5400 for the most recent Annual Report.

Susan Coristine is a partner in the law firm of Coristine Woodall in Vancouver, B.C. Her area of practice is criminal and civil litigation.

This article was published in the April 2007 issue of BarTalk. © 2007 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.