Downtown Legal Services

Downtown Legal Services is both a community legal clinic and a clinical education program, operated by the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto.   Approximately one hundred and eighty law students work at the clinic each year, enabling us to serve over three thousand people.  Our services are free, although clients may sometimes have to pay court filing fees or other expenses.  We also provide notary/affidavit services for a small fee.

Our goal is to offer friendly, client-centred services that are designed to provide our clients with practical solutions.  At the same time, our clinical education programs allow students to learn in an intellectually lively environment, where they can acquire the professional skills and insight to become successful lawyers.

Location
The clinic is located at 655 Spadina Avenue, one block north of Harbord Street, on the east side of Spadina.  The closest subway stop is Spadina, on the Bloor line.  Walk south from the subway three blocks to 655 Spadina Avenue.  (Please note the clinic is on Spadina Avenue not Spadina Road.)

We also have three satellite clinics at Red Door Family Shelter, The Lunch Program, and MealTrans, where our students go to provide services in community locations that offer other services such as food, shelter, health care, harm reduction or counselling as well.

Staff

The clinic has a staff of seven:

Executive Director/Adjunct Professor: Judith McCormack  (on leave)

Acting Executive Director: Lisa Cirillo
Staff Lawyer:  Karen Bellinger
Staff Lawyer:  Hilary Evans Cameron (on maternity leave)
Staff Lawyer:  Claire Hepburn
Staff Lawyer:  Kristin Marshall
Office Manager:  Linn Kennedy
Reception/Administration: Martha Turner

Student Members of the Executive
Our 2012-2013 student members of the Executive are:

 To find out more about the clinic’s services, click Our Services.