Volunteer Lawyer (BC or Ontario)

About Side Door Law Side Door Law is a virtual, flat fee legal practice serving British Columbia and Ontario, with family and immigration law at our core and six more practice areas alongside them. We set our prices up front, so clients always know the cost before we begin. Our model is deliberate. Revenue from our flat fee and corporate work helps fund sliding scale and pro bono services, which means every paying client helps keep the door open for someone who could not otherwise afford a lawyer. That is the idea behind our name: when the front door is closed, we are the side door. Please read this first: this is not an open articling position We want to be completely honest with you from the very first line, because that honesty is the whole reason this posting exists. This is not an open articling position. We are not able to hire an articling student today. We are inviting you to join a roster so that we can contact you the moment we can. In both British Columbia and Ontario, an articling student must be supervised by a qualified principal. We will only open articling positions once we have volunteer lawyers who are qualified and willing to serve as articling principals. Until that is in place, we cannot responsibly take on an articled student, and we would rather say so plainly than post a role we cannot yet deliver. Why we are posting now Training and hiring articling students is one of our long term goals, and we are building toward it in earnest. We are opening this roster today so that the moment supervision is in place, we can move quickly. The people who believed in this early are the first ones we will call. Who should join the roster This is for you if you are a future or current articling candidate who wants a mission driven start. In particular, we would love to hear from: People who want to article with an access to justice focused practice. People comfortable with remote work across British Columbia or Ontario. People interested in family law, immigration, or general practice at a flat fee firm. What joining means Joining is simple and low pressure. Here is exactly what it does and does not mean: You are added to our articling roster and contacted first when a supervised position opens. There is no obligation on either side, and no fixed timeline we can promise yet. We will keep you honestly informed about where things stand, good news or not. Are you a lawyer who could supervise? The fastest way to turn coming soon into open is more qualified principals. If you are a lawyer in British Columbia or Ontario who could supervise an articling student, please take a look at our Volunteer Lawyer posting. Every principal who steps forward brings a real articling seat closer to reality, and helps us keep our promise to everyone on this roster.

About Side Door Law Side Door Law is a virtual, flat fee legal practice serving British Columbia and Ontario, with family and immigration law at our core and six more practice areas alongside them. We set our prices up front, so clients always know the cost before we begin. Our model is deliberate. Revenue from our flat fee and corporate work helps fund sliding scale and pro bono services, which means every paying client helps keep the door open for someone who could not otherwise afford a lawyer. That is the idea behind our name: when the front door is closed, we are the side door. Please read this first We want to be completely honest with you before you read any further. This is an unpaid, volunteer placement. It is not an accredited articling position, and it does not fulfill your articling requirements. We are not able to sign you off as your principal. What it is, plainly, is a genuine chance to build real, supervised Canadian legal experience while you work through the NCA path. If that is what you are looking for right now, please keep reading. If you need a paid or accredited role, we completely understand, and we wish you the very best in your search. About this placement This placement is designed for internationally trained lawyers working through the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) process. It is fully remote, and open to candidates based in British Columbia or Ontario. You do not need to be far along in your NCA journey to apply. Wherever you are in the process, we would love to hear from you. What you would do You would work alongside our team on real Canadian client files, always under the supervision of a licensed lawyer. It is hands on, and it is meant to help you understand how a Canadian practice actually runs, day to day. Support live client matters under the guidance of a licensed lawyer. Gain exposure across several practice areas, including family and immigration. Draft documents and carry out legal research on genuine files. Join team discussions and see how decisions get made in a working practice. What you would receive We remember what this stage of the journey feels like, and we built this placement to give something back. Mentorship from a lawyer who completed the NCA path themselves and remembers exactly what it takes. Practical, supervised Canadian experience you can speak to with confidence in interviews and articling applications. A documented record of your volunteer hours. A welcoming community of lawyers, candidates, and students who genuinely want you to succeed. Who this suits This placement is a strong fit for NCA candidates who want supervised, hands on exposure to Canadian practice while completing their requirements. If you care about access to justice and you are ready to learn, you will feel at home here. How to apply We accept applications on a rolling basis, so there is no deadline to worry about. Please apply even if you are early in your NCA journey. We would rather hear from you sooner and grow with you than have you wait.

About Side Door Law Side Door Law is a virtual, flat fee legal practice serving British Columbia and Ontario, with family and immigration law at our core and six more practice areas alongside them. We set our prices up front, so clients always know the cost before we begin. Our model is deliberate. Revenue from our flat fee and corporate work helps fund sliding scale and pro bono services, which means every paying client helps keep the door open for someone who could not otherwise afford a lawyer. That is the idea behind our name: when the front door is closed, we are the side door. About this role This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity for current law students. We want to be honest with you from the start: it does not pay. What it offers instead is something many students struggle to find, which is real, supervised legal work on live files, from the very first week. You will not be sorting binders or watching from the sidelines. At Side Door Law, students learn law by doing law. Every task you take on is real work for a real client, and a licensed lawyer stands behind each one. What you would do Your work is fully remote, with structured supervision from a licensed lawyer on every task. Day to day, that can include: Client intake and interviews, so you build real interviewing skills with the people we serve. Legal research on live questions that shape how a matter actually moves forward. Drafting letters, agreements, and court documents that a supervising lawyer reviews with you. File management and organization across active matters, so you learn how a real practice runs. What you receive We treat students as colleagues, not spectators, and we invest in your growth. As a volunteer here, you can expect: Close supervision and written feedback from a licensed lawyer on your work. Exposure across our practice areas, with family and immigration law at the core. A documented record of your hours, which many schools recognize toward experiential or pro bono program requirements. A supportive community that welcomes you in and takes your development seriously. Who this suits This role is open to law students at any stage who want hands on experience with real clients and who care about access to justice. You do not need to be in a particular year, and you do not need perfect grades. What matters most is curiosity and reliability. If you are eager to learn and you show up for the people counting on you, you will fit in well here. How to apply We accept applications on a rolling basis, so there is no formal recruitment cycle to wait for. If this sounds like the kind of experience you have been looking for, we would love to hear from you.