Access to justice for those in need.

Student Legal Assistance (SLA) is a pro-bono legal clinic that provides legal information and representation to low-income residents
of Calgary and the surrounding area.

Who We Are

Student Legal Assistance (SLA) is a pro-bono legal clinic that provides legal information and representation to low-income residents of Calgary and the surrounding area.

Operating since 1979, SLA is a non-profit, registered charitable organization
that is staffed primarily by current University of Calgary law student caseworkers. Under the management of the Executive Director and guidance of a team of advising lawyers, student caseworkers are responsible for client intake and file management; all while pursuing their full-time Juris-Doctorate education. SLA’s student team of approximately 100 caseworkers also consists of an elected student executive team lead by the Student Director.

What we do

For individuals who qualify for Student Legal Assistance, our Student Caseworkers will be able to provide legal information and representation. Caseworkers also volunteer providing on-site outreach services to several Calgary agencies including the Calgary Dream Centre, CUPS Calgary, and Alpha House.

Who we help

If you are from a low-income household and cannot afford the services of a lawyer, SLA may be able to assist you. We can provide legal representation and services in several areas. To find out if SLA can help you with your legal issue, please see Our Practice Areas.

Please note, Caseworkers are able to make appearances on behalf of clients in Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Cochrane, and Canmore.

Our Practice Areas

Student Legal Assistance offers services for several types of legal matters.

SLA Student Caseworkers may make pleas, run trials, and attend Dispute Resolutions, Negotiation Proceedings, and Early Case Resolutions for their clients.

Caseworkers may advocate for you in the following areas:

Criminal

The SLA provides a variety of support for criminal defense cases, including both recent arrest and criminal charges.

Civil

SLA offers assistance with several civil matters such as small claims, consumer contracts, vehicle insurance and more.

Family

With the assistance of the SLA, family counseling is available for several family issues, including guardianship, parenting, child support, and more.

Traffic & Bylaw

SLA may offer aid with several traffic and bylaw offences, such as driving an uninsured vehicle and pet-related violations.

Landlord-Tenant

SLA may provide assistance with several rental matters, such as the return of security deposit and fundamental breach of a tenancy agreement.

Notaries

A notary public is a third-party witness to the signature of a document and to the fact that the parties who signed did so willingly.

UofC Student Appeals

SLA provides legal services to other University of Calgary students who wish to appeal an academic assessment or student misconduct finding.

Book an Appointment

Student Legal Assistance operates year round. Please note that Caseworkers cannot make Court appearances for you during examination time periods.

Important Notes