CIVIL LEGAL NEEDS RESEARCH REPORT

We are pleased to provide you with a copy of the Civil Legal Needs Research Report, 2nd edition, written for the Law Foundation of BC by Carol McEown, and released March 2009.

Over the last decade, access to justice issues have been on the research agenda world-wide. Everywhere, organizations and individuals have raised questions about the justice system, the lack of legal aid services, the increasing complexity of law and legal proceedings, and the difficulties faced by people trying to deal with legal matters on their own in this changed environment.

The Law Foundation of BC commissioned this research report because, in order to make the best use of its funding and plan for the coming years, it needs to have a clear picture of the legal needs of British Columbians. This report provides this picture for the Law Foundation of BC by summarizing the key research completed in BC and other jurisdictions, considering what it shows about gaps in BC legal services, and drawing conclusions that suggest next steps.

We know that the research and information that this report contains will be interesting and helpful to many people beyond the Law Foundation of BC, particularly those people involved in access to justice issues.  We hope that you find it useful and we welcome any comments you may have about it.