Pro Bono Students Canada: Windsor Chapter
law students serving the public good
Interested in becoming a part of the PBSC? Check out our current Projects!
Applications for the 2022-2023 year are now closed.
Welcome to
PBSC Windsor!
"One of the most visionary undertakings I have seen in my 40 years at the bar"
Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella
Stay up to date!
ABOUT PBSC
Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) is a national, multiple-award-winning organization with chapters in 22 of Canada’s 23 law schools. The first pro bono organization in the country, PBSC has been working with law schools and the bar to deliver high-quality legal services for 20 years. We have extensive program expertise and experience designing award-winning access to justice placements that are recognized as having a significant impact on access to justice.
WINDSOR LAW
CHAPTER
Every September, Windsor Law students are invited to apply to volunteer on a PBSC project. In previous years, we have had over 118 students participating in our chapter and we have partnered with 21+ local community organizations and have run 40+ community projects (with anywhere from 1-20 student(s) working on one project).
OUR VALUES
DIGNITY
We believe that every person is entitled to respect, to have their voice heard, and to fully enjoy their rights.
EQUITY
HUMILITY
We stand for substantive equality, inclusion, and diversity in all its forms. We focus on impact (not just good intentions).
We prioritize listening, learning, and self-reflection. We value the wisdom of the communities we serve, and their lived experiences inform our work.
OUR PROJECTS
LEGAL RESEARCH
PUBLIC LEGAL EDUCATION
CLIENT INTAKE AND DOCUMENT ASSISTANCE
PROVIDE LEGAL INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS
PBSC BY THE NUMBERS
1600
15,000+
student volunteers
low-income Canadians served
132,500
pro bono hours contributed
85%
of our students report that they plan on offering pro bono upon graduation
450+
projects nationally
MEET OUR TEAM
Oluwatimilehin Robert, Program Coordinator
Timi is a second year student in the single JD Program at the university of Windsor, Factulty of Law. In her first year, she participated in the Youth ID Clinic where she got to help address the challenge of possessing photo identification when one is homeless or marginally housed. Timi completed her undergraduate degree at Lakehead University in political science, where her passion for access to Justice was cultivated. She is passionate about making legal information more accessible to minority communities and newcomers, and is so excited to be a program coordinator this year at PBSC!
Sarafina Guthrie, Program Coordinator
Sarafina is a second-year student in the Single JD program at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. In her first year, she participated in the Pro Bono Radio Project under PBSC making monthly radio shows showcasing the diverse projects under PBSC Windsor in the Windsor/Detroit area. Prior to law school, she spent 3 years working in the Entrepreneurial Non-Profit sector aiding businesses to develop themselves to survive the first year of operations with business planning, loans and grants. Sarafina is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University in Leadership and Law & Society and has a Certificate of Project Management through Sheridan College. Sarafina is working to gain a deeper understanding of Access to Justice and the Intersectionality of Race and Law which are deep passions for her. She is excited to continue with PBSC as its School-Year Coordinator and working with her fellow law students in breaking down barriers! She enjoys daydreaming of the ocean, weekend patio brunches and relaxation of winter walks.
EVENT UPDATES
Anna Maria Decia-Gualtieri, On-Site Supervisor
The Windsor Law PBSC Faculty Supervisor is Anna DeCia-Gualtieri, who is also the Career Services Coordinator. Anna is an alumna of Windsor Law, Class of 2001 and also earned her Honours Bachelor of Arts (French Language & Literature) from the University of Windsor. Anna was called to the Ontario Bar in 2002 and practiced commercial and estate litigation at McTague Law Firm LLP until 2008, when she joined Career Services. Over the past 13 years, Anna has built many relationships with alumni and employers to better serve students. In her role as co-chair and a contributing member of the NALP - Canadian Section Diversity Working Group over the last nine years, Anna has grown to better understand and appreciate diversity and inclusion. For the past four years, Anna has chaired and co-chaired the NALP - Canadian OCI Schedule Working Group, whereby school and employer representatives work as a team to ensure that all vested interests are accounted for from coast to coast. In addition, Anna has proudly served as the only Canadian member of the NALP “Emerging Employer Engagement” Task Force and has recently been elected as a member of the “Conference Planning Team”. As a long-standing member of the Windsor Essex community, Anna is Vice President of the Board of Directors of Harmony in Action and an active member of the Notre Dame Catholic School Advisory Council.
Ashley Villagracia, Communications Coordinator
Ashley is a third year student in the Dual JD Program at the University of Windsor and the University of Detroit Mercy. During her 2L Summer she worked at Jasmine Daya & Co. Lawyers as a summer student focusing on personal injury claims such as motor vehicle accidents and senior home claims. As part of the University of Detroit Mercy Veterans Law Clinic, she has also had the opportunity to represent a client on an appeal at the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. She completed her undergraduate program at the University of Toronto with a degree in Linguistics and Philosophy. During her undergraduate years, she worked as a research assistant, focusing on the relationship between cultural heritage and immigrant speakers, mainly Tagalog. She is excited to be working with the executive team and the rest of PBSC in its goal to make the law more accessible to everyone. In her spare time she loves to play the piano and do digital art.
Get in touch!
pbsc@uwindsor.ca
EVENT UPDATES
Check back later for event updates.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The University of Windsor sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomie. We respect the longstanding relationships with First Nations people in this place in the 100-mile Windsor-Essex peninsula and the straits – les détroits – of Detroit.