About Us

Pro Bono Students Canada

Pro Bono Students Canada provides free legal services to organizations and individuals in need in Canada. It is the only national law student program in Canada with chapters at 22 law schools. It is also the first pro bono program founded in Canada. PBSC and law student volunteers work together to serve communities from coast to coast, striving to increase access to justice by offering high quality, professional legal assistance in a variety of capacities to those who need it most.

PBSC Osgoode is proud to have consistently been the largest PBSC chapter. The quantity and sheer ambition of the projects we offer has only solidified their quality; in fact, 97% of student volunteers in 2019 recommended a PBSC placement to their peers.

Looking ahead, PBSC Osgoode will continue making a positive impact on the access to justice issue in our community. As always, our projects allow you the opportunity to develop your legal skills, increase access to justice, and have a positive impact on the legal profession by promoting the value of pro bono services to your generation of future lawyers.

Our Work

We envision a society with accessible legal systems, where the dignity and rights of every person are upheld. Our mission is to provide free legal support to people and communities facing barriers to justice.

Across Canada, around 1,500 PBSC volunteers provide approximately 120,000 hours of free legal support to nearly 500 organizations across the country.

Each year, PBSC Osgoode places volunteer law students with public interest organizations, legal clinics, tribunals, courts and lawyers taking on pro bono projects. Students perform a variety of law-related tasks such as performing client intake, completing legal research, and providing legal information to organizations and individuals.

Our Approach

Collaborative. We engage approximately 1,500 law students annually to provide free legal information and services in partnership with community organizations and supervising lawyers and notaries.

Visionary. We cultivate future leaders, advocates and allies through training and experiential learning opportunities. PBSC has student-led Chapters at 22 law schools in Canada.

Responsive. Our Chapters respond to local needs in their communities across all areas of law. At PBSC National, we develop programs that address complex and systemic inequities.