In courthouses around BC, duty counsel lawyers work hard to help solve family legal issues as efficiently as possible.
Brad Beer, family duty counsel lawyer
“The family duty counsel program is a really valuable service to the public and is an excellent bang-for-the-buck, so to speak, for the legal system,” says Brad Beer, a family duty counsel lawyer in Port Coquitlam. “We are providing a valuable service to families because we assist them in communication and understanding, and you can’t really put a price on that.”
In Provincial Court, lawyers like Brad provide the public with advice on family law issues that range from child custody and access to court procedure. They also speak to the judge about simple matters on behalf of clients. In Supreme Court, duty counsel can provide up to three hours of free legal advice as well as help clients in Chambers, where applications, not trials, are heard.
Duty counsel lawyers are available in all Provincial and Supreme Courts on a walk-in basis. In Provincial Courts in Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, and Surrey, and in Supreme Court in Vancouver, appointments, which are encouraged, can also be made.
Brad says his goal as family duty counsel lawyer is to help disputing parties reach an agreement, but if that doesn’t happen, he helps them and the court plan the next step in the process.
“Sometimes the parties are close to … an agreement and we can make a suggestion and help them avoid any further disputes about the issue,” Brad explains. “For example, we can help the parents agree on the living arrangements of the children for the time being. We’re not necessarily going to solve custody or guardianship issues, but hopefully we can at least get them to the point where they’re not jerking each other around and there’s some understanding in place.”
For more information about family duty counsel, please visit the LSS website.
