Our Programs
Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society works to build legal literacy and increase access to justice for artists and non-profits across BC and canada through two core programs: Law for non-profits and artists legal outreach.
Law For Non-Profits
Legal Education and Information For Non-Profits
Our Mission
Legal resources available to non-profits tend to be piecemeal and rarely proactive or strategic, and most organizations are unable to access legal support in an effective way without concern about cost. And even a well resourced and stable society has difficulty identifying relevant legal issues. As well, in many areas lawyers lack sector specific competencies and knowledge. The result is that manageable issues often become crisis.
Law For Non-Profits was founded to address these challenges and enable British Columbia's non-profit sector to access better legal information, education and advice.
Law For Non-Profits Initiatives
Legal Self Assessment and Learning Tool
A major Law for Non-Profits initiative is the creation of a Legal Self-Assessment Tool & Learning Tool (LSALT) 2.0 presently under development. This tool will be the cornerstone to a comprehensive, accessible, and solutions-focussed digital platform that will include customized resources like policy builders, checklists, templates, and real-time access to law students and legal advice. Try it out today!
The Legal Self-Assessment Tool is made possible with financial support from the Canada Council for the Arts
Ask A Law Student
Law For Non-Profits offers an Ask A Law Student service supervised by a lawyer where you can receive answers to your legal information and education questions! Inquiries about Societies Act compliance, disputes before the Civil Resolution Tribunal, and more are welcome!
Arts Re-Entry Clinic
The Arts Re-Entry Clinic was a collaborative initiative between Arts BC, BC Museum’s Association and Pacific Legal Outreach. This service included a summary advice telephone service and FAQ resources to help galleries, theatre companies, museums, and other arts based organizations navigate the uncertainties of the Public Health Orders and how they impact relationships between employers, culture workers and audiences.
The Arts Re-Entry Clinic was presented in conjunction with:
The Arts Re-Entry Clinic was made possible with the financial support of the BC Arts Council
Legal Lunch and Learns
Law For Non-Profits conducts workshops and webinars on legal issues such as privacy, governance, compliance with the Societies Act, dispute resolution and employment, human rights, and more. Visit our event page for upcoming workshops, and find past webinar recordings and resources below.
Artists’ Legal Outreach
Legal Education and Information For Artists
Our Mission
Artists’ Legal Outreach (ALO) works to support low income artists and arts organizations by offering resources, clinics, and workshops.
Comprised of a group of volunteer lawyers and law students committed to working with artists and arts organizations. We offer resources, workshops and clinics where artists across BC can meet confidentially with an experienced lawyer. Every artistic discipline is welcome.
Artists’ Legal Outreach Initiatives
Legal Clinic
Artists’ Legal Outreach offers regular clinics in Vancouver and Victoria where low-income artists can meet confidentially with an experienced lawyer. Every artistic discipline is welcome.
Artists’ Legal Outreach is made possible with the financial support of the BC Arts Council and Technation
Art Law Talks
Since to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, PLEO began offering Artists’ Legal Outreach Art Law Talks. For this webinar series, a new area of legal concern to artists was addressed each week to empower artists to know their legal rights and responsibilities when entering into a period of uncertainty.
Copyright Conversations
Artists’ Legal Outreach held a series of public conversations with artists in Vancouver and Victoria about issues surrounding copyright of creative works. Topics included public art, dance, street murals, and storytelling and their relationship to copyright law.
Copyright Conversations presented with additional support from:
The Copyright Conversation Series was made possible with the financial support of Creative BC, City of Vancouver Cultural Services, and McMillan LLP.
Copyright Toolkits
ALO has created a number of on-line toolkits to help creators of all disciplines navigate copyright law. These toolkits cover answer questions about how copyright works, the duration of copyright, copyright infringement and fair dealing. This resource also offers discipline-specific toolkits for painters, photographers and others.
Copyright Toolkits made possible with financial support from the Law Foundation of British Columbia
Resource Library
For additional resources, explore our Resource Library today!
National Network of Legal Clinics for the Arts
of artists feel strongly that they are facing unique legal needs
of artists and arts organizations perceive access to legal services for artists as inadequate.
of arts organizations stated they do not have adequate access to legal services to serve their members
In early 2020, PLEO spearheaded the creation of the The National Network of Legal Clinics, completing the first national legal needs assessment of the arts & culture sector. Surveying 1,150 Canadian artists, arts organizations and legal experts working in the sector, we found that 94% of artists feel strongly they have unique legal needs and lack information and training on legal issues.
The National Network of Legal Clinics for the Arts is a group made up of existing Canadian pro-bono legal clinics. In our report entitled Now More Than Ever: Towards a National Network of Legal Clinics for the Arts, significant new research on the multitude of legal challenges facing individuals working in the Canadian arts sector – accelerated to critical levels due to the devastating impact of COVID-19, is revealed. This report highlights gaps in legal needs, legal literacy and education, and protections that are taking dramatic tolls on a sector whose earnings were already near poverty levels prior to the pandemic.
The National Network of Legal Clinics for the Arts is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and Canadian Heritage.
