Chris Heslinga earned his JD from the Allard School of Law in 2012 but soon found himself back on campus.
After a brief time in private practice, the Campbellford, Ontario native returned to the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program (LSLAP) where he now helps students handle client matters, oversees legal decision-making and teaches students how to think and practice like lawyers.
“It’s quite difficult, but it is enjoyable because when it works, it’s incredibly rewarding when I can see that the students are working hard at helping clients and working hard at learning how to practice law,” he said. “I think practicing law from an LSLAP perspective is meant to be client-centered and trauma-informed, and so that’s really encouraging too—having students who really can empathize with our clients and encouraging that while still maintaining the professional objectivity that’s required for our jobs.”
LSLAP is a non-profit run by students at the school and provides free counsel to those who would otherwise be unable to afford it.
In addition to providing students with valuable hands-on experience in the legal profession, Heslinga said LSLAP, which is the second-largest provider of legal services in British Columbia after Legal Aid, has a crucial role in filling the access to justice gap in the province.
“Our clients by definition have a lack of access to justice and legal advice and education,” he said. “Quite frankly, I think that we are providing a service that the government should be… responsible for providing because the people we serve have absolutely no one else to turn to. Without us, there would be thousands of people a year in this province would who have absolutely no access to advice, services or education.”
Heslinga is also hopeful that exposure to the hardships and disadvantages faced by LSLAP’s clients will inspire students to challenge harmful societal structures and norms and to fight for social change over the course of their careers.
“I think there’s also a really important exposure piece almost where law school students who—let’s be honest—still come from highly privileged backgrounds and parts of our society are exposed to less advantaged and marginalized, disenfranchised people and what it’s like for our clients, the struggles they deal with and the society that places them in the situations that they find themselves in,” Heslinga said.
“I also hope to be able to also encourage a sense of responsibility in students in realizing that with the great amount of power and privilege that comes with being a lawyer or obtaining legal education, there also comes what I believe to be an incredible burden of responsibility to give back to people who are less privileged and less powerful in our society, so I think exposing students to this kind of work not only helps them realize what it’s like for those less privileged than them but also hopefully encourages them to give back to those communities and hopefully foster a passion for volunteering and helping those less fortunate.”
As part of that effort to change law students’ perspectives, he said the law school must continue to look within its own walls and address issues of inclusivity as well as acknowledge the colonial underpinnings of the law as an institution in Canada.
Heslinga also supervises Law 491, LSLAP’S for-credit clinical offering and has been involved with the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic (ICLC).