Legal Support Across Ontario: Luke’s Place Legal Clinic
The Luke’s Place Legal Clinic provides free, confidential support to help women subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV) across Ontario navigate family law. Through the clinic, women connect with experienced family law lawyers who provide summary legal advice, guidance, and support.
History of the Virtual Legal Clinic
Luke’s Place launched a free in-person legal clinic in 2009, offering summary family law advice to women in Durham Region.
In 2016, this model expanded into a Virtual Legal Clinic to support women experiencing intimate partner violence in rural and remote Ontario, using pro bono lawyers and local service partners.
During COVID-19, court and walk-in legal services were severely limited, increasing barriers for unrepresented women across Ontario. To address this gap, Luke’s Place rapidly expanded the Virtual Legal Clinic province-wide. As demand grew beyond the capacity of community partners, temporary federal pandemic funding enabled further expansion, including increased capacity for Legal Support Workers to prepare and support women before, during, and after consultations and to connect them to local services.
Following COVID-19, the clinic became part of our sustained services due to the ongoing need. Today our Legal Clinic supports women across Ontario.
Who can use the Clinic?
You can use our Legal Clinic if you are a woman who:
- Has experienced violence or any form of abuse in your relationship
- Has a family law legal issue for which you wish to receive summary legal advice (e.g. parenting arrangements, financial arrangements, safety concerns)
- Does not have a lawyer for the legal issue(s) you wish to discuss
Luke’s Place Legal Clinic Today
The clinic has grown steadily and made a real impact. In 2025 alone, we held 299 clinics, with 53 active volunteer lawyers supporting women across the province. In addition to serving women in Durham, our Legal Clinics are available to 50 partner organizations across Ontario, extending this support to communities far and wide.
One of our first volunteer lawyers with the Virtual Legal Clinic, and now staff lawyer and Program Manager, Min Jin, shares some of the successes of the clinic in the video below:
If you are a lawyer interested in volunteering with us, apply today!
If you are an organization that supports women and think the Legal Clinic is a good resource for clients, please contact legalservices@lukesplace.ca.
For more information call us at 905.728.0978 ext. 235 or toll-free at 1.866.516.3116 ext. 235 or email us at Intake@LukesPlace.ca to book an appointment.
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