Juripop Facilitates Access to Justice with the Return of Its Free Legal Consultations in Montreal

Juripop launches Justice Month 2024, a must-attend event to democratize access to justice. This year, the event will focus on how law can address contemporary socio-economic challenges. Organized by Juripop and its partners, this edition will once again offer free legal clinics in the metro every Thursday in March.

At the heart of this initiative, lawyers and notaries will provide free legal consultations at the Place-des-Arts station every Thursday in March from 12 PM to 6 PM. The goal is to help citizens navigate crucial legal issues. These clinics will specifically address:

• Concerned tenants wondering how to respond to an eviction notice or rent increase;
• Individuals seeking advice on the next legal steps to take during separation;
• Those facing difficulties managing the affairs of their loved ones after their death;
• Employees wanting to understand their rights and recourses against unfair treatment by an employer;
• People looking for information on contesting tickets or fines.

Juripop and its partners aim to assist up to 500 people during these legal clinics, which have grown in popularity year after year. The renewed partnership with the Société de transport de Montréal highlights the importance of making justice accessible, even during daily commutes. These legal clinics aim to reach all strata of society, particularly those who may feel excluded from the legal system.

This year, Juripop’s team will once again be joined by Éducaloi and the Centres de Justice de Proximité, who will also provide information to citizens about their rights.

Launched in 2016, Justice Month is an annual gathering for organizations dedicated to improving access to justice. Juripop’s flagship activities during this program include the metro clinics and a symposium.

This year, the symposium will address the theme: How can justice evolve in response to current socio-economic upheavals? Several aspects of our daily lives are impacted by current socio-economic turbulence, including the rising cost of living and the housing crisis.

This event will be a unique opportunity for about a hundred professionals from various backgrounds to come together and engage in a deep reflection on crucial issues such as housing law, the right to food, and the rights of temporary workers.

The Justice Month symposium, organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Political Science and Law at the Université du Québec à Montréal, will be held on March 12 at the Cœur des sciences de l’UQÀM.

To close this edition of Justice Month, Juripop and the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) are partnering to offer a pop-up legal clinic on Saturday, March 23, from 10 AM to 2 PM, at the Gatineau Courthouse! Notaries and lawyers will provide free information to citizens regarding their everyday legal issues.

“In these times of socio-economic upheaval, Justice Month 2024 embodies the legal community’s commitment to breaking down barriers that hinder access to justice. I congratulate and thank the legal professionals who will help make the law more accessible throughout March, and I invite the public to come in large numbers to the legal clinics in the metro!”

— Me Sophie Gagnon, Executive Director of Juripop

“The Société de transport de Montréal is pleased to continue its partnership with Juripop by once again hosting legal clinics at the Place-des-Arts station during March. The free consultations offered to the public, including vulnerable individuals who use the metro, perfectly align with our values of inclusion and our desire to make the STM more human.”

— Marie-Claude Léonard, Executive Director of STM

“Justice Month is an initiative we have supported for several years, as it embodies the very essence of our commitment to promote access to law and justice for all. For 30 days, notaries and lawyers join forces to meet individuals in their daily commutes, offering them legal information they might not have otherwise. It’s also a conducive time for collective reflection on the future of our legal system, where everyone is invited to contribute to changes. Check the program and actively participate in the events offered during this month dedicated to justice.”

— Me Hélène Potvin, President of the Chambre des notaires du Québec