Family Legal Health Program
When I began law school last September, my goal was to find a way to use my legal education to make a positive difference in people's lives. At the Family Legal Health Program, run by Pro Bono Law Ontario and located at the Hospital for Sick Children, I have been a part of an initiative that has done just that. Thanks to the presence of this program at Sick Kids, patients and their families can now access a free service that uses legal remedies to improve children's health outcomes. Through my summer working for the program, I have had the opportunity to meet people in desperate circumstances, and to see how their lives can be improved by the intervention of a legal advocate.
Launched this spring as the first international application of a highly regarded American model, the Family Legal Health Program is now providing legal information, referrals, and brief services to low-income families in the hospital every day. No one could have anticipated there would be close to 70 intakes in the first two months alone, including immigration and refugee inquiries, issues of health care coverage, questions around decision-making capacity, human rights complaints, and many others. I was assigned the role of tracking intakes and keeping records of referrals and resolutions for the program right from the start, which was a considerable task and one which I will be continuing indefinitely now that my fellowship is completed. This role has provided me with a very thorough understanding of what the program is doing for families, and has allowed me to provide valuable feedback to the community partners.
Each of the cases gave rise to a diverse range of issues, and the learning curve has been steep for everyone involved. The skills I have developed performing legal research for the supervising lawyer are among the most valuable I will take away from this summer fellowship. I have learned to use a variety of research methods in each case, not knowing for sure whether there would end up being a clear solution to the family's issue, and I have learned to compose memorandums to summarize my findings, for both lawyers and non-lawyers. My confidence on the telephone increased quickly too, as I found myself calling both government offices and non-governmental organizations, asking for information on how particular situations could and/or should be handled. Although I have only been at the program for a short time, I have been able to help to see a number of cases through to their resolution, which is very rewarding.
Overall, I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with this program at such a crucial stage in its development. My contributions and input were valued and appreciated, and I have been made to feel welcome at Pro Bono Law Ontario and by the members of the Family Legal Health Program. Most of all, I have found it very inspiring to see how the practice of law can have such a tangible effect on real people's lives. Thank you to the Donner Foundation for making this outstanding summer experience possible.
