Quebecers can receive free legal advice this weekend at the 39th edition of the Young Bar of Montreal's (YBM) Telephone Legal Clinic.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, volunteer lawyers and notaries will be available, free of charge, to answer citizens' questions.
Citizens will be able to call a number and ask questions about their personal situation in any type of law -- civil, criminal or penal.
According to the YBM, most of the questions asked in previous editions concerned family, good neighbourliness, consumption of goods, work and estate management.
The YBM has been offering this service twice a year since 2018. Last year, more than 4,000 calls from citizens were received and handled.
In an interview, young bar president Alexandra Paquette pointed out that the problem of all the people who will call the service this weekend may not be solved immediately, but at least these people will come out of their conversation with avenues for solutions.
She added that although the JBM offices are located in the metropolis, the phone line is open to all Quebec residents, which can be convenient for people who live far from major urban centres.
Since 1898, the YBM has brought together lawyers with 10 years or less of practice in Montreal, more than 5,000 members. One of its objectives is to facilitate access to justice, which explains in part the idea behind the legal clinic.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 22, 2022.
