Citizens of Point St. Charles, a bilingual district in Montréal's inner city, found a solution to the lack of adequate legal aid in their community by forming a legal clinic with salaried lawyers and student volunteers from university law faculties. In this film citizens and volunteers talk about the project, how it was initiated, and how it now serves the needs of people who lack the money for the fees of legal professionals.
The Point is both a teaching clinic and a community legal clinic—what advantages are there in having law students work as frontline caseworkers with low-income clients? Explain why trust is such a critical factor in the success of these legal clinics in priority neighbourhoods. What are the eligibility criteria for clients of community legal clinics? Find the closest community legal clinic in your area and explore which areas of the law they specialize in.