The 519’s Access to Justice and Legal Initiatives programs support underserved 2SLGBTQ+ communities to reduce barriers to accessing relevant legal services and educational resources.
2SLGBTQ+ communities experience many barriers to accessing justice systems, including lack of queer- and trans-competent services and experiences of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination.
With funding support from The Law Foundation of Ontario, The 519 is continuing to advance and expand our legal programming – through partnership development, legal clinic expansion, capacity-building initiatives, and resource development.
Free virtual and over-the-phone programs and services offered:
- The 519 Legal Clinic: Free general summary advice on a full range of legal issues.
- Trans ID Clinic: For 2 Spirit, trans and non-binary folks in Ontario experiencing poverty or homelessness. Free legal assistance via video calls for ID applications, name changes, gender marker changes, and other related needs.
- Criminal Law Legal Clinic: Consultation includes but is not limited to support for individuals who have been charged with a crime or are victims of a crime.
- Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic for LGBTQ+ Individuals: General summary advice for LGBTQ+ refugees and newcomers around refugee-related matters and asylum claims with a focus on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Housing Law Legal Clinic
- Notary Clinic
- Mock Hearing Program for LGBTQ+ Refugee Claimants: Prepare and practice for your IRB hearing with a free session similar to the actual process.
- Private Group Webinar – Mock Hearing for LGBTQ+ Refugee Claimants: Learn how the refugee hearing process works, and observe a simulated IRB hearing in a private, confidential virtual set-up.
- Employment Law Legal Clinic
- Family Law Clinic
- Wills & Estates Legal Clinic
- Public Legal Education Workshops: Accessible legal workshops for community members on a range of pertinent legal issues including, but not limited to, rights and responsibilities while (counter) protesting, tenant rights, youth justice rights, rights while interacting with police services, and sex worker rights.
Specialty Clinics:
- Document Translation Clinic: Free one-day clinics for translation of your documents including, but not limited to, official government documents, transcripts, medical records, etc. Held in partnership with MCIS Language Solutions.
- Legal Clinic for Muslims: Free general summary advice legal clinic.