Canadians benefit from outstanding social services. We’re all familiar with our public health care, but few know about our legal services. We made a day to change that.
Duty Counsel lawyers make a difference in the lives of Canadians. Our right to legal representation is as Canadian as health care.
Not everyone is aware of this, but in Canada, you have a charter right to free legal representation. No one is left to their own devices – this is a characteristically Canadian trait.
Legal aid duty counsel lawyers work from coast to coast to coast every day, providing legal advice in criminal law, family law, and immigration law. They stand up for victims of domestic violence. They protect the legal rights of all Canadians – free of charge.
Now, there is a special day designated to recognize these unsung heroes of our legal system. Legal Aid Alberta, working with its 12 national partners in the Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada, is celebrating the inaugural Duty Counsel Day on October 27, 2021.
On June 29, Senator Patti LaBoucane-Benson declared October 27 as National Duty Counsel Day in recognition of the vital service duty counsel lawyers deliver every day.
Visit the Duty Counsel Day website to read stories about duty counsel lawyers across the country, discover the difference they make, and find out about upcoming events!
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Watch: Ask A Lawyer – the vital role of duty counsel
Watch: Canadian Senate declaration of Duty Counsel Day
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