Pro Bono Law Alberta

What Pro Bono Law Alberta does

Pro Bono Law Alberta (PBLA) is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 2007 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, that operates as a facilitator and broker of pro bono legal services rather than a direct provider. The organization creates and coordinates volunteer opportunities for lawyers to provide free legal assistance to low-income Albertans, self-represented litigants involved in civil matters, and nonprofit organizations requiring governance and operational legal support. PBLA operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from across Alberta's legal community.

PBLA's core offerings include the Civil Claims Duty Counsel (CCDC) Project, which provides 30-minute walk-in legal consultations at the Alberta Court of Justice in Calgary and Edmonton, and the King's Bench Court Assistance Program (KB Amicus Program), offering summary legal assistance to self-represented litigants at the Court of King's Bench in both cities. The Volunteer Lawyer Services Program (VLS Program) matches nonprofits and charities with volunteer lawyers for discrete legal matters such as governance, contracts, incorporation, and charitable registration. Supporting offerings include a curated Legal Resources directory and Courtroom Videos that explain courtroom procedure for self-represented litigants. PBLA has no proprietary technology products; its core technology is the coordination infrastructure connecting volunteer lawyers with those in need through court-based physical delivery channels and an online application for the VLS Program.

The organization is funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals and corporations and through grants or contributions from major Canadian and international law firm partners including Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; Borden Ladner Gervais LLP; Dentons Canada LLP; McCarthy Tetrault LLP; Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP; and Gowling WLG. PBLA is a registered charity (charitable number 851669796 RR0001) and operates under the legal name "Pro Bono Law Alberta Society." Its geographic scope is restricted to Calgary and Edmonton, and it explicitly excludes family, criminal, and corporate matters from its programs. Marketing is conducted through the pbla.ca website, participation in Alberta's Access to Justice Week, the National Pro Bono Conference (co-hosted with Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan in September 2022), and partner law firm referrals.

Name

Pro Bono Law Alberta

Legal name

Pro Bono Law Alberta Society

Website

https://pbla.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pro Bono Law Alberta is a Calgary-based non-profit founded in 2007 that coordinates pro bono legal services for low-income Albertans, self-represented civil litigants, and nonprofit organizations. The organization brokers volunteer lawyer engagements through court-based programs in Calgary and Edmonton.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC), Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• Access to justice
• Volunteer lawyer programs
• Legal aid coordination
• Nonprofit legal support

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: PBLA is a registered charity (851669796 RR0001) that receives charitable donations from individuals and corporations. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made via cheque or through CanadaHelps online platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pro Bono Law Alberta coordinates pro bono legal programs that connect volunteer lawyers from the Alberta legal community with low-income individuals and nonprofit organizations needing legal assistance. The organization operates three primary programs: the Civil Claims Duty Counsel (CCDC) Project and the King's Bench Court Assistance Program (KB Amicus) for self-represented civil litigants at Calgary and Edmonton courthouses, and the Volunteer Lawyer Services (VLS) Program that matches nonprofits with volunteer lawyers for governance, contracts, incorporation, and charitable registration matters.

Product overview

Pro Bono Law Alberta (PBLA) is a non-profit charitable organization that acts as a facilitator and broker for pro bono legal services, rather than a direct provider. The organization operates a portfolio of court-based programs and volunteer coordination services. The core offerings include the Civil Claims Duty Counsel (CCDC) Project, which provides brief legal assistance at the Alberta Court of Justice, and the King's Bench Court Assistance Program (KB Amicus Program), which assists self-represented litigants at the Court of King's Bench. Additionally, the Volunteer Lawyer Services Program (VLS Program) connects nonprofits with volunteer lawyers for discrete legal matters. Supporting offerings include Legal Resources (a directory of legal assistance organizations) and Courtroom Videos (educational content). PBLA does not provide legal advice directly and instead engages the legal profession in volunteer opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil Claims Duty Counsel (CCDC) Project Provides brief legal assistance to self-represented litigants with civil matters in the Alberta Court of Justice in Calgary and Edmonton. Volunteer lawyers offer free 30-minute consultations on a first-come, first-served basis.
• King's Bench Court Assistance Program (KB Amicus Program) Provides summary legal assistance to self-represented litigants with civil matters at the Court of King's Bench in Calgary and Edmonton, including up to 30 minutes of free legal advice from volunteer lawyers for morning chambers appearances and afternoon legal advice clinics.
• Volunteer Lawyer Services Program (VLS Program) Connects nonprofits and charities with volunteer lawyers who provide pro bono legal support on issues such as governance, contracts, incorporation, and charitable registration. Nonprofits apply through an online application form to be matched with a volunteer lawyer.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Canadian law firm that is a funder and project partner, supporting PBLA's mission to promote access to justice through pro bono legal services.
• Borden Ladner Gervais LLPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Canadian law firm that is a funder and project partner, providing pro bono legal service opportunities.
• Dentons Canada LLPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor global law firm operating in Canada, funder and project partner for pro bono initiatives.
• McCarthy Tetrault LLPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Canadian law firm funder and project partner supporting pro bono legal services.
• Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor international law firm partner, including co-hosting the 12th Annual Calgary Legal Advice Clinic with PBLA, Calgary Public Library, and Calgary Legal Guidance.
• Gowling WLGcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational law firm funder and project partner for pro bono initiatives in Alberta.
• Calgary Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Annual Calgary Legal Advice Clinic as part of the library's Annual Law Connect Event.
• Calgary Legal GuidancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit providing legal information and advice; partner in annual Calgary Legal Advice Clinic and referrer of clients to PBLA programs.
• Pro Bono Law SaskatchewancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization that co-hosted the 8th National Pro Bono Conference with PBLA in September 2022 in Calgary.
• University of Calgary Faculty of LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome to the Public Interest Law Clinic (PILC) advocating for systemic change; partner through Pro Bono Students Canada chapter.
• University of Alberta Faculty of LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through Pro Bono Students Canada chapter matching law students with organizations needing legal support.
• Women's Centre of CalgaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for legal advice clinics where volunteer lawyers provide free legal advice sessions to women.
• Wellspring CalgaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for pro bono legal clinic partnerships serving the community.
• Alcove Addictions Recovery for WomenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for legal clinic providing support to women in addiction recovery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Bar Association: National professional association for Canadian lawyers that runs pro bono initiatives nationally and at the branch level. Has overlapping constituency with PBLA and influence on the pro bono culture that supports volunteer recruitment.
• Law Society of Alberta: Alberta's legal profession regulator, with a Law Society Bencher Representative on PBLA's board. Provides infrastructure, rules, and insurance frameworks that enable PBLA's pro bono programs to operate.
• Law Foundation of Alberta: Alberta's funder of legal aid, legal education, and access-to-justice initiatives from interest on lawyers' pooled trust accounts. Operates a related access-to-justice mission and is a potential funding source for PBLA's programs.
• Legal Aid Alberta: Publicly funded legal aid provider in Alberta offering legal services and representation to low-income Albertans. Overlaps with PBLA on the duty counsel mandate and serves a similar client population, but at much broader scale and with public funding.

Regional players

• Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia: BC's nonprofit pro bono legal services coordinator, operating LawLINE and other summary legal assistance programs comparable to PBLA's CCDC and KB Amicus offerings. Similar scale and volunteer-lawyer-facilitation model.
• Pro Bono Ontario: Ontario's leading pro bono legal services coordinator, running a similar model of brokering volunteer lawyers for low-income clients and community organizations. Comparable mission, donor-funded non-profit structure, and court-based programs.
• Justice Education Society of British Columbia: BC-based nonprofit that produces public legal education materials and supports courthouse-based assistance programs. Comparable mission to PBLA's courtroom videos and legal resources offerings, with similar small-staff model.
• Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan: Sister organization covering Saskatchewan with a similar model of coordinating pro bono legal services for low-income clients and nonprofits. PBLA co-hosted the 8th National Pro Bono Conference with this organization in 2022, indicating tight operational parallels.

Direct peers

• Calgary Legal Guidance: Local Calgary nonprofit providing legal information and advice to low-income Calgarians. Listed as a Strategic/Co-development Partner of PBLA in the annual Calgary Legal Advice Clinic, indicating direct overlap in service delivery and shared client base.
• Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA): Alberta nonprofit providing public legal education and information. PBLA explicitly directs clients to cplea.ca for matters outside its scope (family, criminal, landlord-tenant), indicating tight functional complementarity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/probonolawalberta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pro Bono Law Alberta