Annual Report

Edmonton CommunityLegal Centre

Edmonton CommunityLegal Centre

2010

Message from Board Chair - Don Cranston

The Centre’s mission is to provide effective advocacy and access to justice in a supportive environment to persons living with low income. In the past year, the Centre has not only met that objective, but served a substantially larger number of clients.

The Board of Directors and the senior staff participated in a strategic planning meeting recently. We explored various strategic issues in considerable detail and five directions were identified, which in summary are:

1. Responding appropriately to new needs of persons with low incomes;2. Conserving and maintaining our areas of excellence;3. Continuing to build a learning organization;4. Enhancing our human and financial capacity to undertake this important work; and5. Building, maintaining and strengthening our relationships with various communities.

As noted in last year’s annual report, the Board has an advocacy program which continues to provide targeted and balanced advocacy through the Centre’s unique experience in serving this population of people.

A report such as this is always incomplete without offering special thanks. On behalf of our dedicated Board of Directors, I would like to thank all of our financial supporters, including many of Edmonton’s law firms. Particular thanks are owed to the Alberta Law Foundation, without whose support the operations of the Centre would simply be impossible.

I would also like to thank the many volunteers and the Centre’s staff. It is only through dedicated and selfless volunteer work and our excellent staff that the real work of the Centre is advanced.

Our Financial Supporters

Ackroyd LLPAlberta Law FoundationAlberta Employment and Immigration (STEP)Alberta Solicitor GeneralAlberta Culture and Community SpiritAlumni and Friends of the Faculty of Law AssociationBennett Jones LLPBishop & McKenzie LLPBrian SummerBrownlee LLPChristine PrattCity of EdmontonDavis LLPDonald and Nancy CranstonDuncan & Craig LLPEdmonton Community FoundationEmery Jamieson LLPField LLP Fraser Milner Casgrain LLPHealth Sciences Association of AlbertaKim WakefieldLyle BrookesMarie GordonMcCuaig Desrochers LLPMcLennan Ross LLP Miller Thompson LLP Parlee McLaws LLP Ron HoppRoss McLeodService Canada (Canada Summer Jobs)Union 52 Benevolent SocietyWitten LLP

Client Annual Income

0-$18,000

$24,000+

$18,000-$24,000

Through my volunteer experience as a law student with the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, I have had the opportunity to learn firsthand about the barriers to access to justice faced by low-income individuals and to play a direct role in removing some of those barriers. Volunteering at ECLC has been an excellent way for me to provide greatly needed assistance to people who would otherwise fall through the cracks of our over-burdened legal system while developing skills that are not taught in law school. There are numerous opportunities for professional development for law students, including job-shadowing lawyers in client meetings and in court proceedings. The mentorship provided to law students has allowed me to take on greater responsibility for client files, where I have been involved in interviewing clients, negotiating settlements, and providing representation in administrative tribunals and Provincial Court. I feel confident that, as a result of my time at ECLC, I have the skills to embark on my legal career, as well as an understanding of what it truly means to be a lawyer in today’s society.

Andrea Simmonds, Volunteer Law Student

Access to Justice

A family who has recently immigrated to Canada from the Middle East settles down in Edmonton and rents what appears to be a nice and quiet home. Unfortunately they quickly discover that they have received more than they bargained for: a bedbug infestation which is spread throughout the house as well as in the furniture they have just purchased second hand from the landlord.

After the landlord refuses to help exterminate the bedbugs, the family asks if they can move out of the house early. The landlord agrees, but keeps all the remaining rent money along with the damage deposit rather than returning it as agreed.

The family approaches the Edmonton Community Legal Centre for assistance in obtaining compensation from the landlord for both the wrongful withholding of their money as well as for the appalling condition of the rental property.

On the family’s behalf, the ECLC brings a claim against the landlord at the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service. In exchange, the landlord brings a counterclaim alleging that the tenants caused all sorts of damage to the property. At the hearing, the presiding officer finds that the landlord’s counterclaim is without merit and that any damage that had occurred has been grossly exaggerated by the landlord. The family

receives judgment for abatement of rent because of the bedbug infestation as well as the recovery of the money that had been taken by the landlord at the end of the lease.

However, the judgment is not the end of the story as the landlord refuses to pay the amount specified by the RTDRS. As a result, the ECLC continues to assist the family in taking judgment enforcement steps including going so far as garnisheeing the bank accounts of the landlord. As a result of these efforts, the family is able to recover for the damages they suffered and move on to a much more promising home.

I began volunteering at ECLC about six years ago because as the newly appointed Chair of the Law Society’s Pro Bono Committee I felt I needed to demonstrate my personal commitment to the cause. I also felt that I owed something to someone for being the beneficiary of a taxpayer subsidized legal education and ECLC seemed to be a good place to make repayment.

Being a volunteer has allowed me to truly see the gap between the haves and have-nots in our society and appreciate the obligation of each of us, as educated and privileged professionals, to do some part to alleviate the problems of those less fortunate.

One evening per month at ECLC is not a large sacrifice, even today when I am working at two jobs. I found that the services a lawyer can offer during a half-hour client meeting can make a difference in the life of a person without means. Giving summary advice, making a telephone call or writing a letter are small gestures on a lawyer’s part but significant and meaningful to someone facing eviction, employment or debt issues, who otherwise lacks the resources or coping skills to adequately deal with the legal problem.

ECLC works hard to create a sense of community. It provides training, resources

and staff support to the volunteer lawyers. I really can’t say enough about the staff who are unfailingly helpful or the staff lawyers who handle their caseloads of unhappy files without complaint.

I encourage lawyers in Edmonton to consider volunteering their services at ECLC. It is a great way to stay in touch with the real world and fulfill that best tradition of our profession of providing legal services to those in need free of charge.

By Doug Mah, QC, President,Law Society of Alberta

Volunteering at ECLC

Helping People with Low Income to Find Solutions to Their Legal Problems.

“I Feel Calmer and Better Informed about My Options.”

Message from Executive Director - Debbie Klein

I had many occasions in 2010 to be struck by all that contributes to the success of the Edmonton Community Legal Centre. Despite reductions in services by other legal services providers over the past year, the ECLC has increased services and introduced new programs. How was a small, not-for-profit agency able to this?

Firstly, we are truly fortunate to have the support our funders, including generous individuals, law firms, and community and government agencies. We are particularly grateful for the tremendous support of the Alberta Law Foundation, which funds most of the ECLC staffing costs and all of the remaining program and operational costs. During a time of economic downturn, when many not-for-profit agencies have been struggling to maintain services, the ECLC has increased its total revenue each year.

The ECLC has a fantastic board of directors of thirteen individuals, and is representative of large and small law firms, and the community. At our April 2010 AGM, eight board members had completed their term, and all of them chose to be nominated for an additional term. Two board members

have served a total of six years. Not only do the board members provide a governance role to the agency, but they are enthusiastic ambassadors of the ECLC to their colleagues and in the community.

The ECLC has a dedicated and passionate staff. They strive for excellence and innovation in their service to clients, and they also represent the ECLC at numerous events including Homeless Connect, Law Day, Vitalize, the 2010 National Pro Bono Conference, and monthly agency committee meetings throughout Edmonton. Their concern for their clients and the work of the ECLC is inspiring.

Simply put, the ECLC is a voluntary organization. For most clients, the service they receive from the ECLC is provided by a volunteer lawyer. If not for our 125 volunteer lawyers, the ECLC would not be able to keep up with the increasing demand for our services. In addition, the administrative, research, and support contribution of 52 volunteers, most of them law students, greatly increases the capacity and depth of service provided to clients by the agency.

All of these elements, supportive funders, dedicated board, passionate staff, and committed volunteers are essential to our success and continued growth.

New ventures for the ECLC included hosting three U of A third-year law students during the pilot year of the Poverty Law Clinical Program, opening two new satellite legal clinics, for a total of four, and establishing partnerships with Edmonton Public Libraries and the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers for the provision of public legal education seminars. As 2010 drew to a close, we received funding approval from the Alberta Law Foundation for the management of Grande Prairie Legal Guidance, a summary legal advice clinic which has been in operation since the fall of 2008.

The Board and Staff of the ECLC are humbled and gratified by the support we receive from our funders and volunteers as we all strive to provide the best possible service to the least fortunate in our community.

Employment AISH EI CPP SFI

Source of Client Income

“The Volunteer Lawyer was Very Sympathetic and Understanding of Our Situation. He Made a Great Effort to Help Us and Had a Geniune Concern for Us and Our Situation.

Our Volunteers

Asifa AkbarRachel AndersonValantina AmalrajCatherine AngelesRachel BailieHelen BanksLaura BerezanJanelle BonkowskyIliana BratuMelinda ChalifouxJohn ChandlerDanielle CollinsAlex DimitroffCatherine EwaskiukMichael FraserShiv GaneshJill GamezAlexandra GoussevaLindsay HanoskiClaudette HargreavesMichael HarrisonTaha HassanLyndsey HendersonElsa JohnsonKim Kapesi-MillerAnna KuranichevaKim Ketsa

Ellis KimAdam KniselyJennifer LacteeRebecca LeeMatt LeflecheNitu MalhotraLavinia MarcuAmelia MartinAlison MazoffLelia MunozKelsey NortonHolly NorwigMin PeiAlex RozmusSameena SarangiVani SelvarajahMilan SharmaAndrea SimmondsAnna SledzieckaParminder SohanpalJonathan SongTiffany StokesElaine SungBrittney ThompsonRobin VerugheseAriel Wiebe

Volunteer Lawyers

Heather AndreCarl ArgoYoko AzumayaAndrew BachelderChelsey Bailey Ahlam BalazsAndrea BandolDavid BarkerChristine BishopJason BodnarDoris BonaraJeff BoneLaura BowmanLyle BrookesStewart BrownleeMeagan BrysonTamara BuckwoldYessy BylLisa CainesClara CerminaraArman ChakYuk-Sing ChengJim ChronopoulosVanessa CoscoElise Currie-RobertsWendy DansonKaren DavisonAllan DelgadoJose DelgadoMark DolgoySarah DolgoyJohn-Marc DubeChristine EnnsJon FauldsNigel ForsterD.K. FraserPenny FrederiksenChristina GaukBob GillespieRon HaggettGreg HeinrichsChris HolmesDerek Hopfner

Ron HoppAndrea JarmanAllyson JeffsMichelle KaiNancy KarvellasKristjana KellgrenPriscilla KennedyRitu KhullarJanine KiddJeananne KirwinDale KniselySherry KoonerBrent KornackJeremiah KowalchukBryan KwanJulie LeeDenis LefebvreStephanie Leung Julie LloydBrian LoewenShelagh LumsdenTyler LypkieDoug MahScott McAnshDave McCaughenRoss McLeodCarman McNarySheila McNaughtanRon MeleshkoNaz MellickKim MelnykAnne MontgomeryDan MorrowAllison MurrayChristine MurrayJim NeilsonAngus NgVince NgErika NorheimOmolara OladipoCrista OsualdiniWalter Olinyk

Don PadgetRakhi PancholiPatricia ParadisLynn ParishBonnie ParkerDawn PentelechukNicole PfeiferNathan PoGreg PratchChristine PrattMatt PruskiMichael PucyloSharon RobertsSarah RossmanTerryl RostadHoward SamoilKari SejrKeith ShustovGreg SimSean SmithWarren SmithEric SpinkShayna StaniloffVivian StevensonStephanie StreatBrian SummersMarc SungMichael TeelingWendy ThiessenMichael TilleardSimon TrelaHolly TurnerWinston TuttleTess Van WeeldenAlex VarelaHugh WillisRod WoodMatt WoodleyAlex YiuSimon Yu

Clinic ServicesVolunteerHours

ClientsServed

Volunteers

2010 2002 to 2010

4904

1806

177

13,745

8069

720

“The volunteer lawyer gave us a lot of information on what to do next. I highly recommend seeing a volunteer lawyer.”

Our Staff

Administrative CoordinatorCatherine Tan

Articling StudentAkash Khokhar

Community Legal WorkerShelley McGowan

Evening Clinic SupervisorRachel BaillieLyndsey Henderson

Foreign Worker Program CoordinatorSusan Wood

Intake CoordinatorJackie L’Hirondelle

Legal AssistantSandra Gmeiner

Legal Researcher/Intake WorkerMathieu LaFlecheAndrea SimmondsTiffany Stokes

Social WorkerSonia Melgar

Staff LawyerSarah EadieScott HammondTim PattersonMichael Power

Volunteer CoordinatorJordan Reiniger

Executive DirectorDebbie Klein

Our Board

Donald Cranston, QC, Chair Bennett Jones LLP

Michael Phair, Vice Chair University of Alberta

Roger Rosychuk, Treasurer City of Edmonton

Christine Pratt, Secretary Field LLP

Yessy Byl, Pro Bono Lawyer

Lanny Der, Alberta Aboriginal Relations

Peter Faid, Community Services Consulting Ltd

Jon Faulds, QC, Field LLP

Marie Gordon, QC, Gordon Zwaenepoel

Allyson Jeffs, Ackroyd LLP

James McGinnis, Parlee McLaws LLP

Joanne Pawluk, Consultant

Brian Summers, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP

Our Process

The ECLC is unique in its holistic approach to legal problems, situating the individual and family within the broader picture of their financial, personal, and social circumstances.

Clients have an initial interview with a social worker who assists them to identify if they have a legal concern and provides appropriate referrals and information.

Clients receive legal information and advice at no cost from a volunteer lawyer at an evening legal clinic. Volunteers may refer

clients with complex legal issues for further follow-up or free legal representation by an ECLC staff lawyer.

The volunteer lawyers and staff lawyers work in partnership with staff client support professionals and daytime volunteers to identify and address social and personal factors that may have contributed to the legal problem. This multi-disciplinary approach facilitates client access to community resources and service providers, expands opportunities for the negotiation of non-legal remedies, and ensures skilled guidance in the handling of disputes.

A Pro Bono Legal Clinic Serving Low Income Edmontonians

Statement of OperationsStatement of Financial Position

Year ended December 31, 2010 Year ended December 31, 2010

Revenue 2010 2009 Grants, fundraising, donations 1,134,947 1,058,877

Interest and other 8,714 2,214

1,143,661 1,061,091

Expenses

Consulting fees 10,824 13,158

Facility costs 191,113 179,037

O�ce supplies and equipment 69,875 66,898

Program costs 57,509 49,635

Salaries and bene�ts 715,163 692,766

1,086,652 1,001,494

Revenue over expenses

57,009 59,597

Assets 2010 2009 Current 370,024 258,859

Equipment 107,584 129,385

477,608 388,244

Liabilities Current 138,856 88,536

Deferred contributions (equipment) 98,199 116,084

236,975 204,620

Net Assets

Unrestricted 231,169 170,323

Invested in equipment 9,464 13,301

240,633 183,624

477,608 388,244

Grant repayment 42,168

Revenue 2010 2009 Grants, fundraising, donations 1,134,947 1,058,877

Interest and other 8,714 2,214

1,143,661 1,061,091

Expenses

Consulting fees 10,824 13,158

Facility costs 191,113 179,037

O�ce supplies and equipment 69,875 66,898

Program costs 57,509 49,635

Salaries and bene�ts 715,163 692,766

1,086,652 1,001,494

Revenue over expenses

57,009 59,597

Assets 2010 2009 Current 370,024 258,859

Equipment 107,584 129,385

477,608 388,244

Liabilities Current 138,856 88,536

Deferred contributions (equipment) 98,199 116,084

236,975 204,620

Net Assets

Unrestricted 231,169 170,323

Invested in equipment 9,464 13,301

240,633 183,624

477,608 388,244

Grant repayment 42,168

18 Staff, 13 Board Members, and 177 Volunteers Provided Service to 10,000 Low Income Edmontonians.

Edmonton CommunityLegal Centre

Edmonton CommunityLegal Centre

Our Mission

Our Office

The Edmonton Community Legal Centre provides effective advocacy and access to justice in a supportive

environment to persons living with low income.

10056 – 101 A Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0C8

Phone 780 702 1725

Fax 780 702 1726

MANULIFEPLACE

102 Street NW

101 Street NW

100A Street NW

100 Street NW

102 Avenue NW102 Avenue NW

Jasper Avenue NW

Jasper Avenue NW

101A Avenue NW

COMMERCEPLACE

SCOTIAPLACE

ECLC

LIBRARY

CENTRALLRT

Walkway

www.eclc.ca