Name of Organization: Legal Line
Website of Organization: legalline.ca
Organization’s Mandate: Legal Line, established in 1993, is a Federal not-for-profit organization providing access to Canadian Laws written in plain language. Organized under 50 areas of law, answers provided by Legal Line allow users to zero-in on the specific information they are looking for. Questions that require further assistance are then referred to lawyers, paralegals, or government officials.
Project Name: Legal Information Review and Content Creation
Project Type: Public Legal Education (presentations, workshops, podcasts, brochures, blogs, etc.)
Project Delivery: Remote
Description of Project: Legal Line provides access to Canadian laws in plain language. Legal Line has covered over 50 areas of. Students will assist Legal Line by researching and reviewing legal information on Legalline.ca for accuracy. Students will be assigned a number of topics to research that currently exist in the cannabis law section of our website.
Role of Student Volunteers: Students will be responsible for researching, writing and reviewing legal information for the organization.
The student will learn how to: (i) translate ‘legalese’ into plain language, (ii) understand what is most important when communicating with the end user (who is akin to a client), (iii) be able to break-down legal concepts and information into meaningful, yet understandable answers, (iv) get a broad and general scope of the magnitude of the laws and legal system in Canada, (v) improve access to justice for our citizens.
Students will review existing content for accuracy. For each topic they are given to review, instructions will include confirming laws are still current, any links mentioned are working, and that all information is correct and up-to-date. Students will do this by visiting relevant websites mentioned in the topics, as well as any other relevant source to confirm. This involves some research skills. In the process, if the student comes across any new or additional information that may be relevant, they may suggest what to be added, and if possible, write up this new information in a manner that can be added to the existing content. All of this will be reviewed by us before any changes or additions are uploaded to the website.
Role of Supervising Lawyer(s): Legal Line will prepare a general set of instructions (work plan/flow) for each separate task. Supervising lawyers will review the final product for approval and provide feedback and support to the student as needed.
Type of Law: This project will focus on CANNABIS LAW.
Main Project Deliverable: Presenting public legal education (e.g. in-person or virtual presentations, workshops, training sessions, etc.)
Number of Student Placements: 2 students.
Hours per week the student volunteer(s) will be expected to work: 3-5 hours/week
Regular shifts or a flexible schedule: Work can be completed at any time, with specific dates set for deliverables.
Is there a workspace provided for the student at the Organization: No
Devices and technologies the students will be required to have: Computer, internet access
Is there an expectation for the student(s) to be bilingual: No
Law School Pre-Requisites: N/A
Other Requirements or Expectations: Strong writing and legal interpretation skills