Requesting A Children’s Lawyer

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Requesting a Children’s Lawyer in a Family Law Case

Our Child and Youth Legal Centre (CYLC) provides free legal representation for young people in family law cases. Each case is considered on its merits and there is no guarantee that representation will be provided.

To request a lawyer from CYLC to represent a young person in a court matter, we require an order from the court allowing CYLC to represent the young person.

We have standard terms that we request in any order appointing counsel. If you are requesting a court order appointing a lawyer for your child, please ask the court to include these terms in the order.

Download our Standard Terms of Order:

Provincial Court of BC

Supreme Court of BC

For more information about requesting a children’s lawyer, please read our FAQs below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Requesting a CYLC Lawyer

This section includes FAQs for requesting a CYLC lawyer in a family law case.

Will CYLC apply for counsel to be appointed for my child, or do I need to make the application myself?

CYLC does not make those applications. You should speak to your lawyer or seek legal advice about how to request the appointment of a children’s lawyer.

I have some questions about the application process. Can you help me with the application?

No, CYLC cannot assist with applications to appoint counsel for the child. If a child wishes to have information about the application process, we are happy to book an appointment for them to speak with an advocate who can provide them with information however we do not assist with the court application and cannot give legal advice about the application.

Can the child apply for a lawyer on their own behalf?

One of the parties will usually apply for the appointment of children’s counsel.

Do I need to notify CYLC before I apply to have a children’s lawyer appointed?

No, we do not need to be notified, although if you wish to let us know that an application is being made you can do so by emailing us at cylc@scyofbc.org.

What happens after an order is made to appoint a lawyer for a child?

Once CYLC has been notified of the appointment, we will begin our intake process and will determine if the child meets our criteria for representation. Part of our intake process involves speaking with the child. We will promptly notify the parties once a decision has been made by CYLC.

Is there anything that I need to do to start that process?

We require a copy of the court order and the Court Appointed Intake Form completed and submitted.

How will I know if you have been notified about the appointment of a lawyer for the child?

Our intake department will contact you on receipt of the court order appointing children’s counsel. If you are not sure if we have been notified, you can send us an email at cylc@scyofbc.org. Please include the file name, file number, court location, name(s) of the child(ren) and whether the file is in the Provincial Court or the Supreme Court. Alternatively, you can complete and submit the Court Appointed Intake Form.

Client Testimonial

“We all wanted to have a voice. People who aren’t 18 or above, they’re not allowed to be in court; they’re not allowed to speak for themselves. They (the courts) don’t know what’s in our best interests. We wanted to tell the court what we wanted. We’re old enough to know what we’ve been through and what’s best for ourselves, so we wanted someone who could speak for us.”

Former CYLC Client

Thank You To Our Funders

The Society for Children and Youth of BC

102 - 1678 W. Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1X6 - Office open by appointment only
P: (778) 657-5544 or toll-free 1-877-462-0037 F: (604) 357-1758

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