Because of COVID-19, family duty counsel lawyers are available only by phone at this time. Lawyers will not be at courthouses. Duty counsel will be available in advance of any court dates to provide advice and prepare clients for court. For contact information, see Duty counsel lawyers for family law matters on the Legal Aid BC website.
Family duty counsel are lawyers paid by Legal Aid BC to help people with low incomes deal with their family law problems, including child protection matters. If you have a family law issue, you may qualify for help from family duty counsel in Provincial or Supreme Court even if you don't qualify for a legal aid lawyer.
If you want help from a family duty counsel lawyer, it’s a good idea to connect with them as early as possible. Call your local Legal Aid BC office to find out when the service is available.
Before you meet with family duty counsel
See Preparing to meet with a family law lawyer and our poster about what duty counsel can and can't do for you.