Why Client Literacy is Important to You People with limited literacy are intimidated by the legal system. They do not perceive that lawyers and the legal system are there to help them. They are reluctant to use legal services and avoid taking legal action. If clients cannot read and use the material produced by your law firm, they cannot communicate clearly. Poor communications between a lawyer and client can interfere with your ability to obtain the appropriate legal remedy for your client. A client's limited literacy interferes with access to justice. Nearly all legal material is written -- in a manner peculiar to the legal system. This creates formidable obstacles for people with limited literacy who try to use the system.

Taking Action The Lawyers for Literacy Project helps lawyers to make some simple changes in their practice procedures to better meet the needs of clients with limited literacy skills. Some benefits of action include: Clear communication; Increased efficiency in your practice procedures; Improved legal outcomes for your client; Increased client confidence and satisfaction with your services.

A person is literate if they can read and use the words required for their everyday needs. Clients may not be able to read and use the written material produced in a lawyer's office. Yet they may be able to function well in more routine areas of their life.

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Lawyers for Literacy Project The Lawyers for Literacy Project is an initiative of the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch. It helps lawyers improve their client communications, particularly when their client's literacy skills are not adequate to deal with written material. The Project, funded by Human Resources Development Canada's National Literacy Secretariat, carries out the recommendations of the 1992 Canadian Bar Association Task Force on Legal Literacy. The Task Force identified the need to increase lawyers' awareness of literacy issues and their ability to adjust communications practices to fit the reading abilities of their clients.

What Lawyers Can Do Lawyers who want to learn more about adapting their practice procedures can get a free copy of the Lawyers for Literacy Awareness Kit produced by the Project. The kit shows how lawyers and their firms can improve client communications by making some basic changes. The kit helps lawyers: identify clients who may have trouble reading; adopt practice techniques that help clients; take steps to change practices. The kit: contains a reception area tent card identifying a firm as 'literacy aware;' explains how to conduct a literacy audit that helps firms to create an environment of clear communication with their clients; contains a brochure describing general references and specific resources such as audio and video materials for use with clients; includes a list of Dial-a-Law topics. This project can also provide in-house training sessions that include assistance with literacy audits. Copies of the Canadian Bar Association task force reports on plain language and literacy are available from the BC Branch.