by Web Master | Aug 12, 2025 | News, Uncategorized
Prisoners’ Legal Services is a non-profit society providing legal assistance to people in federal and provincial prisons in British Columbia. We also engage in strategic litigation and advocacy on the prison justice issues brought forward by our clients to achieve systemic, anti-carceral change. We are a team of lawyers and non-lawyers who believe that no one is disposable, and who work alongside and in solidarity with incarcerated people. We witness some of the harshest forms of state violence, and use the legal system’s tools to protect our clients from the abuses and degradations of prison.
We are currently hiring for the following positions:
Director of Legal Services
Human rights and healthcare staff lawyer
Applications due by September 15, 2025.
Prisoners’ Legal Services is located in Burnaby, BC, on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and qiqéyt (Qayqayt) Nations.
by Web Master | Jul 10, 2025 | News, Uncategorized
LEGAL ADVOCATE – RACIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM
Burnaby, BC | Prisoners’ Legal Services is located on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and qiqéyt (Qayqayt) Nations.
Title: Legal Advocate – Racial Justice Program
Location: Primarily in-person at our office in Burnaby, with some remote work opportunities
Employment type: Full-time (approximately 35 hours/week)
Salary: $66,402/year
Application deadline: August 1, 2025 or until filled. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.
Start date: As soon as possible.
Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS) is looking for a passionate, strategic, reliable and empathetic person to join our efforts to protect the rights and dignity of people in prison as a legal advocate focusing on racial justice. The Racial Justice Advocate position is an opportunity to help advance systemic change while also providing direct legal support to racialized incarcerated people.
About us:
Prisoners’ Legal Services is a non-profit society providing legal assistance to people in federal and provincial prisons in British Columbia. We also engage in strategic litigation and advocacy on the prison justice issues brought forward by our clients to achieve systemic, anti-carceral change.
We are a team of lawyers and non-lawyers who believe that no one is disposable, and who work alongside and in solidarity with incarcerated people. We witness some of the harshest forms of state violence, and use the legal system’s tools to protect our clients from the abuses and degradations of prison. More information about our work is available at https://prisonjustice.org/.
About the position:
PLS’ Racial Justice Program combines individual legal services with litigation and advocacy on issues of systemic racism, including the mass incarceration of Indigenous people, the over-classification of Black and Indigenous people to higher security prisons, barriers to community release for Black and Indigenous prisoners, race-based harassment and discrimination by prison authorities, investment in prisons over community-based and Indigenous-run alternatives, and more.
The Racial Justice Advocate assists incarcerated clients, primarily by phone, with prison legal matters, focusing on issues that engage anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. Advocacy may involve summary advice, informal advocacy with prison authorities and others, written submissions, complaints to oversight bodies, representation at administrative hearings (such as Parole Board hearings), and more. Legal advocates have conduct of client files and are responsible for determining what services will be provided to a client and ensuring tasks are completed, deadlines are met, commitments to clients are honoured, and accurate records are kept. Legal advocates work under the supervision of a lawyer.
The Racial Justice Advocate works closely with the Racial Justice Staff Lawyer to identify trends, develop and pursue systemic litigation and advocacy, and promote the integration of individual client representation with systemic change work.
Qualifications & skills:
- Post-secondary education in law, criminology, social work, or related discipline, or equivalent education and experience;
- Strong writing, research, interviewing and negotiation skills;
- Ability to be a strong advocate for marginalized clients, including people with high mental health needs and people convicted of various crimes;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people in prison, lawyers, prison and parole officials, community partners, and others;
- Knowledge of colonialism and anti-Black and anti-Indigenous systems of oppression; strong commitment to social justice and anti-oppression work;
- Excellent judgment in matters of ethics and confidentiality;
- Interest in law and legal approaches;
- Intellectual curiosity and creativity, and an ability to think strategically;
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and to partner effectively and compassionately with incarcerated clients;
- Familiarity with concepts of cultural safety and humility;
- Self-directed and attentive to detail, with the ability to set goals and meet deadlines;
- Critical and anti-colonial approach to carceral systems;
- Ability to care for yourself and colleagues amidst challenging work;
- Knowledge of French an asset.
Working Conditions:
This is a primarily in-person position based at our office in an elevator building in Burnaby, BC, with some opportunities for remote work. Office hours are approximately 8:30-4:30 Monday – Friday, with periodic work outside these hours. Each advocate has their own office within our communal office space. There is a gender-neutral accessible washroom. Staff are unionized.
The position requires extensive phone communication, in-person and virtual meetings and hearings, and travel to prisons in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. A driver’s licence and as-needed access to a vehicle strongly preferred. A CPIC clearance will be required to visit prisons.
This position is dependent on grant funding.
Salary: $66,402/year, plus a comprehensive benefits package. Additional benefits include 20 paid vacation days, wellness days and professional development opportunities.
How to apply:
We are committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice. We welcome and encourage applications from members of marginalized communities or communities that experience structural discrimination, including but not limited to Indigenous people, racialized people, people with (dis)abilities, and people of minority gender identities and sexual orientations.
As an employer, we strive to create an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process; please contact info@pls-bc.ca to request accommodations.
Interested applicants should submit a covering letter and résumé to:
Nicole Kief, Executive Director
Prisoners’ Legal Services/West Coast Prison Justice Society
info@pls-bc.ca
Please note “Racial Justice Advocate” in the subject line.
Closing date: August 1, 2025 or until filled. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.
by Nicole Kief | May 8, 2025 | News, Uncategorized
The West Coast Prison Justice Society / Prisoners’ Legal Services, represented by Alina Chekh, John Trueman, and Danielle Wierenga of Allen / McMillan Litigation Counsel, will be at the Supreme Court of Canada on May 13, 2025.
The appeal, Frank Dorsey and Ghassan Salah v. Attorney General of Canada, asks whether the ancient writ of habeas corpus should be available to incarcerated persons who have been wrongfully denied reclassification and transfer to a lower security level. The West Coast Prison Justice Society was granted leave to intervene to explain the impact the court’s decision will have on prisoners in maximum security institutions.
In his oral submissions to the Court, John will explain how a wrongful reclassification and transfer decision is as impactful — and as illegal — as wrongful imprisonment itself, and habeas corpus provides a timely, accessible, and effective remedy for such injustices.
The Supreme Court of Canada’s hearing on May 13 will be webcast live.
by Nicole Kief | Apr 30, 2025 | News, Uncategorized
The Board of Directors of West Coast Prison Justice Society is delighted to announce the appointment of Nicole Kief as Executive Director of Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS). Nicole joined PLS eight years ago, and has held roles including Legal Advocate, Senior Legal Advocate, Policy Director and most recently Interim Executive Director. She has been a driving force behind the expansion of legal services to address health care and human rights of people in prison and she has worked collaboratively to enhance the organization’s ability to integrate litigation and advocacy and to advance systemic, anti-carceral change. The Hiring Committee and the Board are deeply impressed with Nicole’s commitment to collaborative leadership and to ensuring that the work of PLS is impactful for clients, consistent with core values, and sustainable for staff.
We are indebted to Jennifer Metcalfe who served as Executive Director of PLS for 16 years, working tirelessly with staff and the broader prison law community to advance the rights of incarcerated people, some of the most marginalized members of our communities. During her time at PLS, the organization expanded its programs, services, and advocacy. This has involved enhancing programs under the primary mandate to provide legal services to people incarcerated in British Columbia, as well as providing leadership to support advocacy and decarceration at the national and international levels. Jen leaves a legacy at PLS of which she can be proud and one we can all build upon.
Michael Jackson K.C.
President, West Coast Prison Justice Society
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About us: West Coast Prison Justice Society is a non-profit society that operates Prisoners’ Legal Services, with support from Legal Aid BC and the Law Foundation of British Columbia. PLS provides legal assistance to people in federal and provincial prisons in British Columbia. We also engage in strategic litigation and advocacy on the prison justice issues brought forward by our clients to achieve systemic, anti-carceral change. We are a team of lawyers and non-lawyers who believe that no one is disposable, and who work alongside and in solidarity with incarcerated people. We witness some of the harshest forms of state violence and use the legal system’s tools to protect our clients from the abuses and degradations of prison.
by Web Master | Jul 24, 2024 | Uncategorized
Prisoners’ Legal Services is looking for passionate, problem solving, empathetic and dedicated advocate for the rights of people in prison.
We are a small non-profit society providing legal services to people in federal and provincial prison in the province of British Columbia. Our office is in Burnaby, BC.
The legal advocate position involves providing advocacy regarding prison legal issues involving liberty rights, health care and human rights. This work is primarily done by telephone, fax and email. Advocacy on behalf of people in prison may involve summary advice, informal advocacy, providing written submissions and personal representation at tribunals.
This position will involve working closely with our Human Rights and Health Care staff lawyer and policy director, assisting with human rights litigation and settlement implementation, drafting grievances and complaints to professional medical regulatory bodies on behalf of people in prison and working on access to information.
The ideal candidate will be able to identify systemic issues and investigate human rights abuses. They will have excellent attention to detail.
Legal advocates have conduct of client files and are responsible for ensuring day-to-day tasks are scheduled and performed within relevant timeframes. The job involves reviewing and determining the legal merit of cases and determining the level of service to be provided. Legal advocates work under the supervision of a lawyer.
Legal advocates have a great deal of contact with people in prison, prison administrators and parole authorities.
This position may require frequent travel to prisons in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Access to a vehicle is essential. A CPIC clearance is required to visit prisons.
Basic Qualifications:
- Post-secondary education in Law, Criminology, Social Work, Paralegal training or equivalent;
- Strong verbal, written and interviewing skills; and
- Experience in a legal environment or advocacy an asset.
Skills and Abilities
- ability to be a strong advocate for disadvantaged clients, including those with low income, those with mental health disabilities, and those whose first language is not English;
- ability to work well with others in a team setting;
- ability to negotiate and find creative solutions to prisoners’ legal problems;
- ability to exercise excellent judgment in matters of ethics and confidentiality;
- ability to identify systemic issues and think strategically;
- must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, in particular in dealing with people in prison, lawyers, and prison and parole officials;
- must be familiar with general software applications (e.g. MS Word, Outlook);
- must be willing and prepared to assist those convicted of various crimes in a non-judgmental way; and
- second language or demonstrated awareness of cultural diversity an asset.
Salary: $60,975
Closing date: August 19, 2024
Start date: ASAP
Interested applicants should submit a covering letter and résumé outlining how their qualifications meet the position requirements to:
Jennifer Metcalfe, Executive Director
Prisoners’ Legal Services
Email: jmetcalfe@pls-bc.ca
prisonjustice.org
We are committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity and inclusion and we welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who experience barriers to equity.
by Web Master | Mar 1, 2024 | News, Uncategorized
On February 28, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the BC First Nations Justice Council, the First Nations Summit and Prisoners’ Legal Services wrote to the Chief Coroner to request an inquest into the death of Kendal Campeau, of the Yellow Quill First Nation, who passed away while in the custody of the Correctional Service Canada. Mr. Campeau reported horrendous abuse in custody. We hope an inquest into his death will help to draw attention to the urgent need for alternatives to prison for Indigenous people that are culturally safe and based on Indigenous law.
Click here to read the letter requesting an inquest.
Click here to read a news release regarding PLS’ calls for CSC to consider systemic abuse of Indigenous people in its investigation into Mr. Campeau’s death.
