Legal clinic extends services and hours
The Legal Information Clinic (LIC) has decided to temporarily offer its services to graduate students and extend existing hours for undergraduates until May 8, 2011.
The clinic is a free facility provided by the Concordia Student Union (CSU) since 2007. The LIC does not give legal advice, but can provide legal information research and help students organize their facts and questions of law. As well, the clinic provides accompaniment services and can suggest suitable lawyers and provide referrals to other organizations and websites. In the past, these services have been reserved for undergraduate students only.
“We finally received one-time financing to temporarily extend the LIC’s operating hours in order to provide services to undergraduates and graduate students on a limited basis and for a limited time, until funding runs out,” says Walter Tom, LIC coordinator.
The CSU is responsible for financing services for undergraduates. Due to the facility’s high demand, the decision to extend service hours was reached after the Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL) provided the clinic with a grant to temporarily fund support for graduate students.
However, the grant amount given by the CCSL was only $7,210 of the initially approved $21,620. This funding essentially allows for a pilot period in which the clinic’s utility and desirability will be determined by the number of students using the resources available. So far, the results look promising.
“Since implementing the extended hours, student response has been very positive, especially from the graduates,” says Tom.
In order for the pilot project to continue for the 2011-12 fall and winter sessions, the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) and CSU executive will need to lobby and obtain the rest of the initially approved amount from the CCSL.
The LIC will operate 18 hours a week until May 8, 2011.
Undergraduate hours are:
Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m.
Graduate hours are:
Wednesday, 9 to 11 a.m.
Students who wish to make an appointment should email legalclinic@csu.qc.ca or call: 514-848-2424, ext. 7375.
Related link:
• CSU Legal Information Clinic