Concerned Citizen

Encourage all members of your justice community and the public to prioritize equal justice.

Look at options for combining public legal information services with summary legal advice. For example, ask your lawyer or paralegal if they offer unbundled services. Think about what types of tasks you would be comfortable doing yourself. Check out the CBA’s Legal Health Checks, which can help prepare you to speak to a lawyer about certain types of problems.

Consider using a professional dispute resolution coach, negotiator or mediator. Not all legal disputes need to proceed to litigation. In fact, alternative dispute resolution can resolve some problems faster, more flexibly and less expensively that the court system. These dispute resolution professionals can work on their own or in coordination with the parties’ lawyers.

Research your options to purchase legal insurance from insurance brokers. Costs begin at around $50 a month. If you are a union member, check your collective agreement - you may already have such insurance. Legal expense insurance generally covers a variety of personal claims such as consumer rights and property matters, though not home sales or income claims from private or public programs. Insurance programs may include telephone consultations and legal representation up to a fixed amount per year.