Access Pro Bono

What Access Pro Bono does

Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia is a Vancouver-based charitable non-profit organization that operates a legal referral service and a portfolio of pro bono and low-cost legal programs serving British Columbians of limited means and non-profit organizations across the province. Founded in 2000 and headquartered at 300-845 Cambie Street in Vancouver, the organization delivers services through a small staff of 11-50 employees supported by thousands of volunteer lawyers and administrative volunteers. Core programs include the Summary Advice Program (free half-hour legal advice clinics), the Roster Program (full representation), the Solicitors' Program (for non-profits), the Residential Tenancy Program, the Virtual Family Mediation Program, and the Everyone Legal Clinic (low-cost articling services), alongside specialty hotlines such as the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline and the Antisemitism Legal Helpline. APB also operates the Legal Referral Service, which it took over from the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch in August 2019, connecting approximately 20,000 people per year to 1,700 BC lawyers and absorbing roughly 180 calls daily.

The organization's technology platform is built on a partnership with Vancouver-based Qase, which provides an integrated online lawyer referral service with scheduling, messaging, video chat, document sharing, and payment capabilities—launched in May 2020 and now also powering the Virtual Family Mediation Project in conjunction with the BC Provincial Court and Ministry of Attorney General. Service delivery spans 55 cities and towns throughout BC, with approximately 500 in-person and remote advice sessions conducted monthly, and the organization reports serving over 60,000 British Columbians annually.

APB's revenue model is donation-based: the charity is funded through individual donations, monthly giving circles, legacy gifts, government and foundation grants (principally the Law Foundation of BC), and an annual Pro Bono Going Public fundraising event. All legal services are provided free of charge to eligible clients; the prior $25 Lawyer Referral Service fee was eliminated upon APB's takeover. The organization claims $6 of legal services delivered per $1 donated, indicating significant leverage from volunteer labor. APB is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and is not affiliated with any for-profit entity.

Name

Access Pro Bono

Legal name

Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia

Website

https://accessprobono.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia is a Vancouver-based charitable non-profit that delivers free legal services—including advice clinics, representation, referrals, and mediation—to low- and modest-income individuals and non-profits across British Columbia, using volunteer lawyers and the Qase technology platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• Legal referral services
• Free legal advice
• Charitable legal aid
• Lawyer volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: APB relies on donations from individual donors, law firms, and community supporters to fund operations. The organization states it uses every dollar received in donation to provide six dollars worth of legal services.
2. Monthly Giving Circle: Recurring monthly donations provide reliable funding for planning and adapting to changing legal needs throughout the year.
3. Legacy Gifts: Bequests and estate planning gifts create long-term impact beyond donor lifetimes to ensure access to justice for future generations.
4. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from Law Foundation of BC, Victoria Foundation, and other institutional funders supports specific programs and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Access Pro Bono operates a legal referral service and several pro bono and low-cost legal programs serving the critical legal needs of people and non-profit organizations across British Columbia. Core services include free legal advice clinics, full representation programs, residential tenancy assistance, family mediation, refugee program support, mental health law representation, and a lawyer referral service connecting clients to volunteer lawyers. All services are delivered free of charge to eligible clients through thousands of volunteer lawyers.

Product overview

Access Pro Bono operates a portfolio of pro bono and low-cost legal programs serving critical legal needs of people and non-profit organizations across British Columbia. The core offerings include the Summary Advice Program (free legal advice clinics), Roster Program (full representation), Solicitors' Program (non-profit legal services), Residential Tenancy Program, Virtual Family Mediation Program, and Everyone Legal Clinic (low-cost articling services). Additional specialty programs include the Legal Referral Service, Antisemitism Legal Helpline, Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline, Wills Clinic Project, Mental Health Program, and Refugee Program. Services are delivered through a network of thousands of volunteer lawyers and administrative volunteers, with technology-enabled remote service delivery via the Qase platform. The organization serves over 60,000 British Columbians annually through approximately 500 advice sessions monthly across 55 communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summary Advice Program Free legal advice clinics providing half-hour consultations with volunteer lawyers, conducted both in-person and via telephone/online. Operates in 55 cities and towns throughout BC, conducting approximately 500 sessions monthly. Targets individuals of limited means needing summary legal advice across multiple practice areas.
• Roster Program Full representation program matching clients with volunteer lawyers for extended legal cases. Volunteer lawyers provide representation in areas including family law, civil matters, and other legal issues. Targets individuals who cannot afford or access legal aid for ongoing representation.
• Solicitors' Program Pro bono legal services for charitable and non-profit community organizations of limited means. Volunteer lawyers provide help in non-profit law including incorporation and by-laws, charitable status registrations, employment matters, contracts and lease agreements. Targets BC non-profit organizations needing legal assistance.
• Residential Tenancy Program Free legal assistance for low income tenants and landlords with Residential Tenancy Branch hearings. Provides representation and support for housing-related legal disputes. Contact via [email protected].
• Virtual Family Mediation Program Online family mediation services for low and modest income families engaged in the Provincial Court's Early Resolution Process. Uses Qase technology platform to facilitate mediations remotely, reducing backlog of separation and divorce matters in family courts.
• Everyone Legal Clinic Low-cost legal services provided by supervised articling clinicians. Matches clients with articling students for affordable legal assistance under lawyer supervision, addressing unmet legal needs at modest fees.
• Lawyer Referral Service Connects British Columbians with suitable lawyers for initial consultations. Now operated by APB following transition from CBABC. The service eliminates the $25 fee for initial consultations, serving approximately 180 calls per day and over 25,500 referrals annually, connecting 20,000 people to 1,700 BC lawyers each year.
• Antisemitism Legal Helpline Telephone hotline providing access to pro bono lawyers for individuals who have experienced antisemitism and related discrimination or hate crimes in British Columbia.
• Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline Confidential telephone hotline at 604-343-3828 connecting people with pro bono lawyers to discuss possible discrimination claims or hate crimes related to Islamophobia in British Columbia.
• Wills Clinic Project Pro bono service drafting simple Wills and Powers of Attorney for low-income seniors (55+) and people with terminal illnesses. Clinics held at Vancouver Justice Access Centre with volunteer lawyers and articling students.
• Mental Health Program Free legal representation for persons detained involuntarily under the Mental Health Act. Volunteer lawyers provide representation at Mental Health Review Board tribunals for individuals who cannot obtain legal aid or afford counsel.
• Refugee Program Pro bono legal advice and assistance to British Columbians wishing to sponsor refugees. Connects refugee sponsors with volunteer lawyers who provide free legal guidance through the complex immigration sponsorship process.
• Wildfire Legal Assistance Emergency telephone advice service and legal information for people affected by BC wildfires. Includes FAQ documents covering family law, landlord-tenant, employment, strata, and insurance matters.
• Lapu-Lapu Day Tragedy Legal Support Program Special roster of volunteer lawyers providing free legal support to victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy. Volunteer lawyers practice in Employment/WorkSafe, Insurance Claims, Family Law, Personal Injury, Wills & Estates, and Civil Litigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,000+ British Columbians served annually with legal help
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Burnaby Neighbourhood HouseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2025Co-host of community education event for women affected by or concerned about Islamophobia on October 7, 2025. Burnaby Neighbourhood House provides venue and coordinates community outreach.
• Filipino BCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Partnership to provide free legal support to victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy. Filipino BC works with APB to identify and refer victims and their families for free legal assistance.
• AC Friends of CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Partner in providing legal support to victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy, working with APB to assist those impacted by the tragic circumstances.
• Ministry of Attorney GeneralcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2021Provincial government partner in the Virtual Family Mediation Project enabling online family mediations for low and modest income families engaged in the Provincial Court's Early Resolution Process.
• BC Provincial CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2021Provincial Court partner in Virtual Family Mediation Project to reduce backlog of separation and divorce matters awaiting resolution in family courts.
• QasecoreTechnology or Integration · 7 May 2020Vancouver-based technology partner that developed APB's online lawyer referral service platform integrating scheduling, messaging, video chat, document sharing and payment capabilities. Platform enables lawyers to help clients remotely without in-person meetings.
• Canadian Bar Association BC BranchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019CBABC successfully operated the Lawyer Referral Service for over 60 years with Law Foundation funding. Transitioned operations to APB in August 2019.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pro Bono Ontario: Ontario's leading pro bono legal services nonprofit operating summary advice clinics, refugee programs, and HotDocs-based referral services; structurally and operationally analogous to Access Pro Bono's BC programs.
• BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support (BCEAS): BC nonprofit providing legal advocacy, summary advice, and representation for vulnerable seniors; shares APB's nonprofit legal-services model, volunteer-lawyer engagement, and access-to-justice mission.
• Pro Bono Law Manitoba: Manitoba's volunteer-lawyer-driven pro bono legal services organization offering summary advice, full representation, and referral; directly comparable in operating model and Canadian access-to-justice positioning.
• People's Law School (BC): BC nonprofit delivering public legal education, self-help resources, and information services for non-lawyers; complementary to APB's referral and advice mandate with shared access-to-justice positioning.

Regional players

• Alberta Legal Services Society (Legal Aid Alberta): Public legal aid provider in Alberta offering summary advice, family law, and refugee programs; comparable regional legal-aid mandate and volunteer engagement approach.
• Legal Aid BC: Provincial legal aid provider serving low-income British Columbians; APB explicitly addresses the gap between Legal Aid BC eligibility and market-rate fees, making it the closest functional complement in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Pro Bono Net: US-based nonprofit that builds technology and infrastructure for pro bono legal services nationally; comparable technology-enabled access-to-justice mission and partner-network model.
• Law Foundation of Ontario: Ontario's largest access-to-justice funder; analogous in function and role to the Law Foundation of BC that underpins APB, providing a structural funding counterpart rather than directly competing.

Others

• Law Society of British Columbia: BC legal profession regulator and former operator of the Lawyer Referral Service (transitioned to APB in 2019); a key supporter/funder and historically overlapping service-provider relationship.
• Clicklaw: BC-based legal information collaborative that aggregates public legal education resources; APB staff (e.g., Priyan Samarakoone) contribute content, making it a thematic ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/accessprobono

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Access Pro Bono