The Centre for Newcomers (CFN), in collaboration with our Partner, Shory Law, began CFN Legal Clinics for Vulnerable Immigrant Youth and their Families in October 2018 with the goal of providing pro-bono legal advice to high risk immigrant youth and their families on a monthly basis. We have organized lawyers with backgrounds in immigration law, criminal law, and child welfare law. Since then, the clinic has helped clients with a number of issues ranging from immigration uncertainties to youth lost in dealing with their criminal matters. Some examples include the following: Immigration • Criminality and citizenship • Criminality and removal from Canada • Family sponsorship • Uncertainty of status in Canada and its impact on accessing local resources • Lack of status in Canada and possible solutions Criminality • Breach of warrants / Outstanding warrants • Representation at the Provincial Court and Youth Court • Direction on court processes Child Welfare • Parenting laws in Canada • Understanding children service orders • Supports & services divided by Child Welfare The goal is to fill in the legal knowledge gaps of many of our clients dealing with these circumstances and provide effective guidance where possible. Collectively, our Partnership Group works passionately to support our respective clients during some of the most difficult transitions in their lives. This is often successfully executed in collaboration with one another.
Shory Law, along with the team of lawyers from various legal backgrounds, also conduct group webinars with CFN's Partnership Group. This is with the Partnership Group as a whole, or with each Partner’s organization and teams separately.
The Clinic and COVID-19
We can appreciate the requirement to adapt and change our approach to this clinic during these exceptional times. As such, we have moved all activity off-site. This means that we are conducting virtual sessions, either digitally by use of video technology, or through phone calls/conference calls.