What we do: Artists and Lawyers for the Advancement of Creativity (ALAC) brings volunteer lawyers who provide summary legal advice and information and artists together.

Artists and Lawyers for the Advancement of Creativity (ALAC) facilitates the operation of the ALAS Legal Clinic, including intake, scheduling, reception, and providing space for lawyers and their clients to meet.

What we don’t do: ALAC doesn’t provide legal advice and is not responsible for the volunteer lawyers’ guidance.
ALAC, a non-profit organization, does not provide legal advice. It has no responsibility for any information, advice or other guidance provided by the individual volunteer lawyers who meet with clients and discuss their issues at the ALAS Legal Clinic appointments.

The role of the lawyers providing "summary legal advice and information" is, without research or follow up, to explain briefly and help artists understand their situation with respect to the law or laws that may be applicable, and may suggest possible options for them to consider to resolve their issue or proceed towards a resolution. This may include pointing to other resources, sites and organizations.

We cannot protect what is shared over the Internet.

Any online appointments via Zoom are unencrypted and Internet-based and, as with such electronic data and communication, may be subject to unlawful breaches or interceptions by others, as well as some forms of lawful interception by authorized government or court-approved agents.

I understand, acknowledge, and agree that:

1. 1. The pro bono (free) ALAS Legal Clinic serves artists of all disciplines.
   ALAC facilitates the ALAS Legal Clinic service whereby volunteer lawyers provide summary legal advice and information to creators working in all disciplines.


2. 2. My appointment will be confidential.

   During my appointment at the ALAS Legal Clinic, a volunteer lawyer, sometimes referred to as the “duty counsel”, will meet with me and discuss my legal matter on a confidential basis.

3. 3. The ALAS Legal Clinic volunteer lawyer will do their best to assist me.
   The duty counsel will not always have time to obtain adequate details or context for my problem or question, and may not be able to review issues with me sufficiently in the time available for my appointment. As far as time and experience permit, the volunteer lawyer on duty will provide whatever summary legal advice or information they can to help me to analyse my problem, answer questions on issues, and advise me on steps that I might take to move towards a potential resolution on my own. They may additionally suggest other resources, services, or that I may wish to consult other legal counsel for additional or more extensive or specialized advice.
4. 4. ALAC is not responsible for the advice and information the duty counsel may provide.
   The volunteer lawyer I meet with at my appointment is responsible for the summary legal advice and information given to me at my appointment.
5. 5. ALAC is not responsible for any guidance I choose to follow after my appointment.

   Neither ALAC nor those involved in facilitating operation of the ALAS Legal Clinic may be held responsible for any steps I may take as a result of any summary legal advice and information provided to me during my appointment, nor for lack of any legal advice or information that could have been provided during my appointment or afterwards.
6. 6. The volunteer lawyer will not have a relationship with me after my appointment.
   My meeting with a particular volunteer lawyer at the ALAS Legal Clinic will not start an ongoing lawyer-client relationship between me and that duty counsel. This lawyer has not agreed and will not agree to continue as my lawyer or to represent me on the issue we discussed at my appointment. Nor will ALAC represent me.

7. 7. To the best of my ability, I have provided or will provide information about other people involved in the issue for which I am seeking assistance. 

   If my issue involves a dispute or an agreement, or any other matter or document involving persons or organizations with potentially conflicting interests, I must provide the names of the other parties in advance of my appointment so that I will not be scheduled to meet with a lawyer who would be unable to advise me because of an actual or potential conflict of interest due to a previous dealing or other connection with another party. The lawyer who meets with me must have the right to withdraw from providing advice in matters where such a conflict of interest becomes apparent, even if during a scheduled appointment.

8. 8. Documents relevant to my issue that I may have sent to alas@alasontario.ca may not be looked at prior to my appointment.
   It is not ALAC’s policy for the lawyer acting as duty counsel to look at or review documents in advance of my appointment and or to do any prior research on my issue.. However, if I have sent relevant documentation to alas@alasontario.ca (preferably several days prior to the day of the appointment), the duty counsel may endeavour, time permitting and at their own election, to look at any short documents or particular contract clauses I have provided. During the appointment, I may point duty counsel to portions of this documentation sent in advance likely to be most helpful or to other documentation that I may provide during the appointment, time permitting.

9. 9. My information (aside from my name and contact information) will not be kept by ALAC.

   Only my name and identifying contact information may be preserved by ALAC for the purpose of administrative record keeping. However, ALAC has no obligation to keep any records. The duty counsel may keep their own confidential record, including identifying contact information, any notes, documents or information related to their discussion with me and summary legal advice and information they provide, but they are under no obligation to make or preserve such a record of the appointment with me.

10. 10. Meeting over Zoom means that Internet breaches could happen.
    By proceeding with my request for legal advice and information from a duty counsel by a Zoom virtual meeting, rather than in person, I accept that Zoom is unencrypted and Internet-based and, as with such electronic data and communication, it may be subject to unlawful breaches or interceptions by others as well as some forms of lawful interception by authorized government or court-approved agents.
11. 11. ALAC is not responsible for any breaches caused by Zoom.

    Neither ALAC nor duty counsel may be held responsible for any unauthorized breaches or interceptions of electronic data or communications (including my personal information and any summary advice and information provided to me) via Zoom.

12. 12. I waive or relinquish any right that I may have to make to make any claims against ALAC or the ALAS Legal Clinic.

    In consideration of the appointment for summary legal advice or information or any other services received through the ALAS Legal Clinic (including use of free means of communication and any premises required to hold the clinic), I hereby irrevocably release ALAC, its board of directors, its officers and employees, and the volunteers and any others (including law students) who facilitate the operation of the ALAS Legal Clinic, together with their respective directors, officers, employees and volunteers, from any and all claims whatsoever with respect to my appointment with the ALAS Legal Clinic (for greater certainty, including any damages as a result of any unauthorized breaches or interceptions of electronic data or communications).