Don Valley Community Legal Services
12 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 478 handling Employment & Labour Law.
Accepts Legal Aid
Free consultation
Virtual appointments
Accepts Legal AidFree consultationVirtual appointmentsAbout Don Valley Community Legal Services
Don Valley Community Legal Services is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario, giving free legal help to low income residents in a defined east Toronto catchment area, from Lake Ontario in the south to York Mills and the 401 in the north, and from Yonge Street and the Don River in the west to Victoria Park Avenue in the east. The clinic formed on April 12, 2019, when two long-running local clinics merged: East Toronto Community Legal Services, first incorporated in 1978 as Riverdale Socio-Legal Services and renamed in 1984, and Flemingdon Community Legal Services, which began serving clients in 1980 and incorporated in 1983.
The clinic advises directly on employment, housing, immigration, and income support matters, and refers people with family, criminal, debt, or wills questions to other legal aid resources and community partners. It works out of the Thorncliffe Park Community Hub at 45 Overlea Blvd, alongside health and settlement services. A Board of Directors and a Community Services Committee that meets monthly guide the clinic's outreach and consultation work. Its written materials are available in ten languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Pashto, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- East Toronto Community Legal Services traces back to 1978, when it was incorporated as Riverdale Socio-Legal Services.
- It was renamed East Toronto Community Legal Services in 1984 to reflect its expanded catchment area.
- Flemingdon Community Legal Services began serving clients in 1980 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1983.
- East Toronto Community Legal Services and Flemingdon Community Legal Services merged to form Don Valley Community Legal Services on April 12, 2019.
In the community
- The clinic has staffed a table at the Taylor-Massey and Oakridge Community Response Team's Community Health and Information Fair, handing out free legal information resources.
- The clinic lists a free elder abuse prevention workshop series for seniors and caregivers in the Scarborough community, offered by the Heritage Skills Development Center.
- The clinic has published tenant tip sheets on residential tenancy changes under Bill 60 and made recommendations on proposed changes to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario's rules of procedure.
- A Community Services Committee meets monthly and provides community consultation to the clinic's Board of Directors.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Parking available
Virtual appointments
By appointmentFees & payment
Free consultation
Legal aidLawyers 12
Allison Krochak
Staff Lawyer, Team Lead (Immigration)
Immigration Law
Bhavin Bilimoria
Staff Lawyer, Director of Legal Services
Christine Da Costa Antunes
Staff Lawyer, Team Lead (Income Maintenance)
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Cosimo Morin
Staff Lawyer (Employment)
Employment & Labour Law
Jennifer Wan
Staff Lawyer (Immigration)
Immigration Law
John Wigle
Staff Lawyer (Employment)
Employment & Labour Law
Marjorie Hiley
Staff Lawyer, Executive Director
Michelle Choe
Staff Lawyer, Team Lead (Housing)
Landlord & Tenant
Nalini Ramsook
Staff Lawyer (Income Maintenance)
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Rana Ismail
Staff Lawyer (Income Maintenance)
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Richa Oza
Staff Lawyer, Team Lead (Employment)
Employment & Labour Law
Zach Morgenstern
Staff Lawyer (Immigration)
Immigration Law
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Law schools
- University of Ottawa 1 of 12 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
DVCLS's office is in the Thorncliffe Park Community Hub at 45 Overlea Blvd, a multi-service building in the Thorncliffe Park area of East York. Thorncliffe Park is a dense Toronto neighbourhood with a large newcomer and refugee population, which lines up with the clinic's direct work in immigration and income support. The clinic's catchment area stretches well beyond Thorncliffe Park itself, reaching south to Lake Ontario, north to York Mills and the 401, and east to Victoria Park Avenue, taking in several other east Toronto communities.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Don Valley Community Legal Services charge for its help?
- No. DVCLS is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario, so its legal services are free for eligible low income residents in its catchment area.
- Do I need to live in a specific part of Toronto to get help from DVCLS?
- Yes. DVCLS serves a defined catchment area running from Lake Ontario in the south to York Mills and the 401 in the north, and from Yonge Street and the Don River in the west to Victoria Park Avenue in the east.
- Can DVCLS help if I think I was treated unfairly at work?
- DVCLS advises directly on employment law matters, including workplace rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code, such as accommodation for family status.
- I'm facing an eviction or a rent increase, can DVCLS help?
- Housing is one of DVCLS's core service areas. The clinic publishes updates on tenant rights, including recent changes under Bill 60 and new rules on air conditioner installations.
- Does DVCLS handle immigration cases?
- Immigration law is one of DVCLS's direct service areas, and the clinic also tracks federal program updates, such as pauses to the Parents and Grandparents Program.
- What if my legal problem is something DVCLS doesn't handle directly, like family law or wills?
- DVCLS provides referrals for matters outside its direct scope, including family law, criminal law, debt and consumer issues, and wills and powers of attorney.
Where to find them
Thorncliffe Park Community Hub, 45 Overlea Blvd, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M4H 1C3 · 416-441-1764
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