What is LISNS?
The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS) is a charitable organization providing Nova Scotians with information and resources about the law since 1982.
If you think about it, laws in some way regulate almost everything we do: the food we buy, the clothes we wear, our rights at work and play, how we get around, our health and well being, and our environment.
But as with many things, we rarely think about laws until something goes wrong. We are stopped by the police, our marriage breaks up, our child gets into trouble, we fall ill, get a new job, or get into a dispute with our neighbour.
At the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia, we believe Nova Scotians have a right and responsibility to learn about the laws that affect them. And to do this, Nova Scotians must have access to these laws and to easy to understand information.
We believe providing easy access to legal information is fundamental to a fair justice system.
Below is a brief description of the services we offer to help ensure Nova Scotians have access to legal information and resources.
- Ask us a legal question
We answer questions about the law for free on our Legal Info Line, email, and live chat service. We cannot give you legal advice, but we can provide relevant legal information and tell you where to get help with legal problems. There is no charge for this service.
- Projects
As part of our ongoing mission to provide Nova Scotians with access to legal information, we take on various projects that involve public legal education. These projects often involve providing information about specific legal issues or recent changes to the law that are likely to affect large numbers of people. Our projects often involve workshops, training sessions, and digital products like apps and guided pathways.
- Lawyer Referral
If you are planning to hire a lawyer, but aren’t sure where to start, we may be able to help. Contact the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia for legal information and to see if we may be able to refer you to a lawyer in private practice who is a member of the Legal Information Society's Lawyer Referral Service. Members of the Lawyer Referral Service offer an initial consultation of up to 30 minutes for no more than $20 plus tax. During that time, the lawyer reviews your legal problem and discusses your options and the costs involved. Or, go here for other ways to find a lawyer.
Structure
LISNS has a community-based volunteer Board of Directors and a small team of dedicated staff. Core funding is provided by the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia, the Department of Justice Canada, the Nova Scotia Department of Justice, and by support from the community through private donations.
Vision
The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia is access to justice in action.
LISNS provides legal information, resources and referral options in traditional and innovative ways to enable Nova Scotians to understand their legal rights and responsibilities.
Mission
LISNS empowers Nova Scotians to identify, prevent and solve legal issues.
You will find LISNS Annual Reports here.
Public Legal Education in Canada
The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia is part of a national association of public legal education and information organizations in Canada. Our Executive Director is on the Board of Directors of the Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC).
Founded in 1987, PLEAC supports communication and cooperation among individuals and groups interested in public legal education, encourages the development of knowledge and skills in this field, and acts as a national voice and advocate on issues that concern PLEAC members.
You can find a list of Public Legal Education Organizations in other provinces here.
Acknowledging the Land