The Fredericton Legal Advice Clinic Inc. is a registered not-for-profit organisation in New Brunswick. We exist for a single, practical reason: to help people who cannot afford a lawyer get the legal guidance they need.
Mission
Our purpose is straightforward. When someone faces a legal problem, we want them to walk away knowing what their rights are and what choices sit in front of them. We do this by offering free legal advice — no fees, and no requirement to hire anyone afterwards.
The clinic does not represent people in court or take on files as a law firm would. Instead, we give clear, plain-language information at an early stage, when a little guidance can make the biggest difference. For many of the people who visit us, that conversation is the only legal advice they would otherwise be able to access.
Access to justice in New Brunswick
Across New Brunswick, plenty of people run into a legal issue and quickly discover that hiring a lawyer is out of reach. The cost of advice can be higher than the matter itself, so many simply go without — and end up making decisions in the dark.
That gap between needing legal help and being able to pay for it is what we call the access-to-justice problem. The clinic was created to chip away at it. By removing the cost barrier for an initial conversation, we let people understand where they stand before small problems grow into larger ones.
Could you help us close the gap?
Volunteer lawyers and UNB law students are the reason this clinic can offer its services for free. If you would like to take part, our volunteering page explains how lawyers and students can get involved.
How the clinic is governed
As a registered not-for-profit, the clinic is run with a clear structure so that decisions are accountable and its volunteers are well supported. Three groups keep it running: a board of directors, an advisory committee, and a clinic assistant.
Board of Directors
The board sets the direction of the clinic and oversees its day-to-day operation. It is made up of six roles, each carrying its own responsibilities.
- President
- Leads the board, chairs its meetings, and acts as the public face of the clinic.
- Vice President
- Supports the president and steps in to lead when the president is unavailable.
- Secretary
- Keeps the records of the clinic, takes minutes, and manages its official correspondence.
- Treasurer
- Looks after the clinic's finances, tracks spending, and reports on its financial health.
- Student Representative
- Speaks for the UNB law student volunteers and carries their views to the board.
- Community Representative
- Brings the perspective of the wider Fredericton community into the board's decisions.
Advisory Committee
Alongside the board sits an advisory committee of three experienced members of the legal community. They lend their judgement and their years of practice to the board, offering counsel on how the clinic can serve the public well and stay on solid footing.
Clinic Assistant
The clinic assistant keeps each session running smoothly. They handle the intake forms that visitors complete on arrival and administer the means test, which helps confirm that the clinic is the right fit for each person who comes through the door.
Questions about the clinic?
If you would like to know more about how we work or who to speak with, our contact page lists the best ways to reach us.
Students at the heart of the clinic
The clinic is staffed by student volunteers from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Faculty of Law, working under the supervision of volunteer lawyers drawn from the Fredericton legal community.
For students, this is a rare chance to sit across from a real person with a real problem long before they finish their degree. They learn to listen, to ask the right questions, and to translate the law into language anyone can follow — all with an experienced lawyer at their shoulder.
For the lawyers who supervise them, the clinic is a meaningful way to give back. They share their experience with the next generation of the profession while helping members of the public who might otherwise have nowhere to turn.