Jan 12, 2012


By Susan Irwin, Executive Director / Lawyer, Rural Legal Services


2011 was not a prolific year for our Legalese Column. Some of you may have noticed its absence and may even have wondered if we were still in business.

I can assure you that we are and that we will strive to have more legal information columns available in 2012. However, like many other public and private organizations, we have had to struggle to meet growing demands for service with limited resources. This means that we have to prioritize what services we provide.

For those of you unfamiliar with our column or our services, Rural Legal Services (RLS) is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario to provide a range of free legal services to the residents of northern Frontenac and northern Lennox & Addington counties with the overriding objective of promoting access to justice for area residents.

Under the governance of a locally elected six-member Board of Directors, RLS is staffed by two lawyers and one secretary to deliver the following free services:

  • legal information to all area residents regardless of income

  • casework and representation before courts and tribunals in certain areas of the law for lower income individuals who qualify financially and

  • public legal education.

Our free Information and public legal education services include:

  • identifying whether or not an individual has a “legal” problem

  • identifying the legal issues

  • discussing whether an individual needs a lawyer and how to go about finding one if we are unable to take the case

  • identifying whether there are other services, such as government ministries or agencies, that may be able to provide further assistance

  • providing general information on legal topics including the distribution of pamphlets and brochures and referrals to web based resources

  • offering public legal education sessions, and

  • writing an information newspaper column, “Legalese”

Many people who have never had to see a lawyer before tell us how helpful this service is in determining how to approach or deal with a legal problem. Others have remarked favorably on the information provided in our Legalese column. If publication of our Legalese column should continue to be a service priority for RLS, please let us know.

We would also welcome hearing from you if you require legal information or require legal assistance. Please give us a call at 613-279-3252 or toll free at 1-888-777-8916. Alternatively you may visit us at 14064 Road 38 in Sharbot Lake or at our branch office in Northbrook at Land o’ Lakes Community Services Corporation.

Happy 2012! We look forward to hearing from you.


Legalese is a column of general information and opinion on legal topics by the lawyers of Rural Legal Services, Box 359, Sharbot Lake, ON, K0H2P0, 613-279-3252, or 1-888-777-8916. This column is not intended to provide legal advice. You should contact a lawyer to determine your legal rights and obligations.

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