“I volunteered for PBSC during each year of law school because I found the experience extremely rewarding. Not only does it offer students the opportunity to contribute to domestic and international communities, it also allows students to network and explore new possibilities in the legal profession. I highly recommend students add PBSC to their law school experience.”
“I was very fortunate to work with Matthew Nied on a file which provided assistance to a client who had experienced significant financial and medical hardships and was facing housing insecurity. I conducted all the primary research for the file under Matthew’s guidance. I had constant support from him and was even invited to continue working with him into the summer. I was provided professional feedback about my resume and networking advice for my job search. Matthew was flexible in how he structured his supervision of my work, and enthusiastically adjusted how he monitored and assigned my tasks with my needs in mind. I feel more prepared and qualified to handle real case files. I have also been exposed to new areas of law. Overall, I’ve had a wonderful experience developing practical skills that will be beneficial for me in the long run.”
“The ID Project was an extremely meaningful volunteer opportunity for me this past year. I went through a legal name change myself and was oftentimes frustrated by the deadlock I was placed in, due to institutional barriers that prevented me from obtaining proper identification. Through this placement, I was able to interact firsthand with marginalized clients of various backgrounds and experiences. Seeing their identification arrive in the mail after a lengthy process made me feel rewarded, and reminded me that projects like these are effective for and important to vulnerable communities. I would highly recommend this project.”
“Volunteering with PBSC was an immensely rewarding experience and a great way to get involved during my 1L year. My PBSC assignment gave me valuable exposure to a variety of legal and political issues relating to civil liberties in Canada. The work enabled me to practise my research and writing skills while contributing to a great organization. In addition to project work, my client organization provided volunteers with excellent webinars and learning opportunities led by legal experts.”
2017-2018 Volunteer
“My time with the PBSC Livehelp Project was a truly unique experience. I was able to help a variety of clients resolve legal questions, while also allowing me to understand the application of legal principles in real-life situations. Simply having someone as an interpreter for complicated legal information can go a long way for many, and it felt really rewarding to be able to take on that role for clients. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with PBSC this year, and hope to continue giving back to the community throughout my legal profession!”
2017-2018 Volunteer
“I would recommend being a PBSC researcher to anyone who would like to gain exposure to various areas of law and learn how to be a more efficient researcher. My experience working as a PBSC researcher enabled me to engage in meaningful work on many projects, including areas of law that I formerly knew nothing about. Participating in PBSC has also enabled me to research and make comments on the law quicker and more confidently than I would have been able to without being involved in the program.”
2016-2017 Volunteer Research Assistant
“Volunteering for PBSC provided an amazing opportunity to develop my legal skills while engaging with the community. I found my PBSC work to be a nice break from studying, and a great reminder of why I came to law school.“
2016-2017 Volunteer
“Volunteering for PBSC was a fantastic introduction to legal skills that are valued highly by employers. My PBSC experience has been mentioned in every job interview I have been to so far.”
“The best experience I had [in first year Law School] was as a student researcher for Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC). Our group’s project involved researching general liability law for a non-profit organization. Since we had an upper year student in our group who was willing to help me, I learned how to conduct legal research quickly and actually had a lot of fun doing it for a real client. As a result, I felt that I was way ahead of my peers in our Legal Research & Writing course because I started learning research skills so early. I also think that being a part of PBSC helped me get the job I’m working in now. Every potential employer who I’ve talked to about our project has been impressed with my involvement and skills I gained through PBSC.”
