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About us
Who we are
"In times of economic hardship, it is particularly important that people have access to reliable information and advice so they can effectively address their legal problems and get on with their lives."
Every year the Legal Services Society (LSS) helps tens of thousands of British Columbians with serious family, child protection, immigration, and criminal law issues. We do this by providing a range of legal information, advice, and representation services that help people resolve their legal problems. These services include booklets about the law and referrals to other agencies, or a lawyer to represent someone in court.
While we give priority to people with low incomes, many of our services are available to all British Columbians. LSS is also committed to working with its many partners in the justice system, sharing knowledge and improving access to justice for the disadvantaged. For more about what we do, see our fact sheets.
Created by the Legal Services Society Act in 1979, LSS is a non-profit organization accountable to the public and funded primarily by the Ministry of Attorney General (more about funding). The society's dedicated staff work in 2 regional centres and 31 local agents' offices across BC. Our senior management is located in our Vancouver office and our board of directors meet in our Vancouver office.
What we stand for
Our mission is to provide innovative and integrated services that enable clients to effectively address their legal issues in a broad social context.
Our vision is a British Columbia where all people are able to find timely and lasting solutions to their legal issues that improve their quality of life.
Our values:
- Making a positive difference in our clients’ lives through legal aid services
- Engaging clients in finding solutions that meet their legal needs
- Recognizing diverse cultures and perspectives
- Compassion, integrity, and respect in our relationships with clients, staff, and stakeholders
- Collaboration with service partners and stakeholders
- Innovative approaches to solving problems
- Excellence and continuous improvement
- Accountability and openness