Rise Women's Legal Centre

Rise Women's Legal Centre provides accessible (free and low cost) family law services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia. Services include:

  • legal navigation and advocacy;
  • limited unbundled legal services (help from a lawyer for parts of your case) that include:
    • legal advice on family law matters,
    • help with JG applications for child protection cases,
    • preparing and notarizing court documents and affidavits; and
  • access to your legal rights.

The centre provides a safe space for women and gender diverse people experiencing violence. Navigation, advocacy, and legal services are delivered through three legal clinics:

  • Community Legal Clinic (provided to clients living in the Lower Mainland)
  • Virtual Legal Clinic (provided to clients living elsewhere in BC)
  • Student Legal Clinic (provided by upper-year students at Peter A. Allard School of Law, UBC, who are supervised and supported by two full-time lawyers; by internal referral only)
Rise is not an emergency service. If you require urgent assistance, please call Legal Aid BC's Family LawLINE.

Rise’s services are delivered remotely. To access services, please:

  • fill out the intake form
  • leave a voicemail at 236-317-9000, or
  • email clc@womenslegalcentre.ca (if you're in the Lower Mainland) or vlc@womenslegalcentre.ca (if you're living elsewhere in BC).

In some cases, clients may be asked to visit the office, by appointment only. Rise is located at 516 Richards Street, Vancouver.

Drop-ins are limited and are held at the:

Drop-ins are conducted by Rise’s community outreach advocate for clients living in the Lower Mainland. The advocate provides direct services to clients with high barriers to the legal system, through legal information, navigation, referrals, and advocacy. This includes police complaints, ID applications (including name and gender changes), accessing the Community Legal Clinic for family law assistance, swearing documents, and legal aid applications and advocacy.

For questions about drop-ins, email Lhsueh@womenslegalcentre.ca