PBSC History
In the fall of 1996, Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) was established at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. The goal of the program is to engage law students in the noble pro bono tradition in our profession, with an eye to ensuring that each new generation of lawyers enters the profession already schooled in and committed to pro bono philosophy and practice. The program, from the first, combined education and access to justice. The format was simple: match pro bono law students with public interest and community organizations that lack access to legal representation but often desperately in need of legal and law-related services. A key aspect of the program is that every project is supervised by a lawyer, which has resulted in a unique connection among law students, the community and the profession.
In its first year, the program involved approximately 50 students and a handful of organizations at one school. After the success of the first phase of the program, the founders of PBSC set out to achieve its goal of expanding this innovative program across the province and throughout the country.
Today, the program is at all 20 law schools in Canada. The PBSC National office is housed at the University of Toronto, which has generously provided essential office space, administrative support, and advice to the Program since 1996. Every year PBSC students across the country volunteer over 120,000 hours, making PBSC one of the largest and most effective pro bono organizations in the country and around the globe. Many more students and community members attend events and learn about the importance and values of pro bono service through the presence of PBSC in law schools and its impact on law school culture. PBSC’s reach and impact increase annually.
“The existence of PBSC has helped to rekindle a sense of obligation in students and lawyers alike. The graduates of PBSC enter the profession as agents for change, with a new level of expectation regarding the role of public service in a legal career. PBSC has supported, complemented, and promoted pro bono relationships between lawyers and community organizations. It has raised the profile of pro bono service in the community through a tremendous infusion of support to community groups. In these ways, among others, this innovative, exciting organization has permanently changed the landscape of the profession in the province.”
