Community legal clinic building

Clinic Divisions

Students have the opportunity to work in one of the four divisions of the University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic (the "Clinic"):
  • Community Legal Education and Outreach
  • Criminal
  • Family
  • Tenant

In addition, students in every division must perform the following duties in addition to their division duties (on a rotating basis):

  • Intake interviews for prospective clients; and,
  • Community Legal Education and Outreach Division workshops, as needed.

Community Legal Education and Outreach Division

The Community Legal Education and Outreach Division is the primary point of contact between the Clinic and the community and the undergraduate student body at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. The division’s mandate is to inform and educate the community about their legal rights and responsibilities.

The Community Legal Education and Outreach Division provides law students with the invaluable opportunity to gain solid knowledge of many area of the law, to acquire both written and spoken communication skills, to develop a talent for public-speaking and to sharpen networking skills.

Caseworkers in this division deal with community organizations and the general public. In collaboration with community organizations, caseworkers give legal information workshops on a variety of legal topics such as human rights, tenant rights, workers’ rights, and debtor’s rights. Caseworkers conduct research on topics assigned to them, draft presentations using plain language, and may develop brochures, quick reference tip sheets on a particular legal topic, pamphlets and posters, upon request.

Caseworkers also participate in Outreach activities such as community fairs and other events. 

Criminal Division

The Criminal Division represents accused persons at the Ontario Court of Justice in regards to summary conviction offences under the Criminal Code of Canada (including hybrid offences where the Crown has elected to proceed by way of summary conviction) such as theft under $5000, assault, mischief under $5000, fraud under $5000, and possession of controlled substances. The Criminal Division may also represent those charged with significant provincial offences such as driving without insurance and careless driving.

Caseworkers in the Criminal Division review evidence, meet with prosecutors to discuss resolutions, assist with guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, and conduct trials.

Family Division

The Family division provides legal services to parents and spouses regarding such issues as decision-making responsibility (formerly known as custody), parenting time (formerly known as access), child support, spousal support and divorces. These services include advice and representation. The Family Division does not deal with child protection matters or property issues in relation to a separation or divorce. We can, however, provide referrals for these services.

Caseworkers in the Family Division meet with clients, collect and assess evidence from their clients and opposing parties, prepare and file applications and attempt to negotiate resolutions to disputes whenever possible. 

Tenant Division

The Tenant Division provides legal services to tenants by providing them with legal information and advice on their rights under the Residential Tenancies Act and by assisting them in disputes with their landlords.  o

More specifically, caseworkers in the Tenant Division help clients by providing them with brief legal advice, reviewing and assessing their evidence and their landlord's evidence, providing legal opinions on the merits of their case, communicating with their landlord in order to negotiate resolutions to disputes, and/or by representing them in Small Claims Court or at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). 

Students in the Tenant Division may also provide duty counsel services at the LTB. Duty counsel services ensure that tenants who appear at the LTB unrepresented receive free legal services before their hearing.