BC Courthouse Library Society launches new website www.clicklaw.bc.ca

We often get calls from people looking for answers to quick questions or requests for help finding out more about a legal situation or how the legal system works.  If you are reading this you probably already know there is a massive amount of legal information on the internet.  Most people use Google or another search engine and type in what they “think” might be the correct key words to find what they are looking for.  Often their search results produce a long list of irrelevant information or information from other legal jurisdictions which doesn’t apply in Canada.  Recently Courthouse Libraries BC launched a new website called Clicklaw to provide British Columbians with access to legal resources.

In keeping with the legal community’s commitment to promoting access to justice, Clicklaw acts as a single gateway to information provided by credible BC organizations that produce legal information and educational materials designed specifically to help the public.  It is a good place to start if you want to inform yourself before going to speak with a lawyer.  A word of caution –   background information is not a substitute for legal advice from a lawyer who has practice experience with the problem you face. The unique facts of a case are often very important and can affect your rights, obligations and the options you have to handle a legal problem.  A lawyer experienced dealing with your issue will be able to assess your case taking your special circumstances into account and can determine your options as well as tell you about any risks and your chances of success.  However, background reading on your particular legal issue is a useful way to help you start to figure out what questions you need to ask a lawyer.  It  can also help you organize the information about your situation so that you will be better prepared to answer your lawyer’s questions and provide key documents that they may need in order to advise you.  This will make the process more efficient and, if you are being billed at an hourly rate, it will ultimately save you money.

As part of LawOne’s goal to connect the public with the lawyers who can help with a particular legal issue we are launching this blog to provide tips on finding the right legal professional for you, how you can help your lawyer (and yourself), and some answers to frequently asked questions.  We also wanted to create a place where our members can tell the public about their firms and what they do.  In the coming months we will start by covering the most frequently asked questions we get when taking calls from the LawOne referral line.

If you do connect with one of our members please tell them you found them through LawOne.  This allows us to keep the service free for the public.