Community Law Canterbury — Te Ture Whānui o Waitaha — is a not-for-profit organisation working to reduce and remove barriers to the law. From its base at 198 Montreal Street in Christchurch, it provides accessible, quality legal help to people throughout Canterbury and the West Coast who face barriers in accessing justice, offering a general legal advice service, information services, specialist advice, and education services.
Coming into a session is the fastest way to receive advice, and the clinic runs on a simple principle: services are not first in, first served — they are prioritised by legal urgency. If you're unwell, self-isolating, or unable to reach the clinic, the team can advise over the phone or by email. For anything urgent that can't wait, reception asks that you call 0508 CANLAW. For quick questions, the Infoline operates Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, staffed by centre employees supported by senior law students and graduates.
The centre's reach extends well beyond Montreal Street: outreach clinics run in Linwood, Hornby, Aranui, Rangiora, Ashburton, Timaru, Greymouth and at Ngā Hau e Whā Marae, a family law drop-in operates weekly at the Christchurch Justice Precinct, and a Prison Advice Service covers the three Christchurch prisons. Community Law Canterbury is a proud Living Wage Employer, supported by a range of funders, and welcomes volunteers and donations from the community it serves.
Kia ora — do you need legal help? For many Cantabrians that question comes with a second one: where do you even start? Community Law Canterbury, known in te reo Māori as Te Ture Whānui o Waitaha, exists to answer both. From its base at 198 Montreal Street in Christchurch, this not-for-profit organisation works to reduce and remove barriers to the law, providing accessible, quality legal help to people across Canterbury and the West Coast who face barriers in accessing justice.
The centre's work runs across four strands: a general legal advice service, information services, specialist advice, and education. Together they form a support network for people who might otherwise navigate legal problems alone.
Coming into a session is the fastest way to receive advice, and the team is refreshingly upfront about how the clinic runs: services are not first in, first served. Instead, staff prioritise by legal urgency, so someone facing an imminent matter is seen ahead of something with more time to spare. If you are unwell, self-isolating, or simply unable to get to the clinic, the centre can advise over the phone or by email. And if you can't come in and your request is urgent, reception asks that you call 0508 CANLAW directly.
Not everyone needs a lawyer's appointment — sometimes you just need to know whether you actually have a legal issue. That's where the Infoline comes in. The telephone legal information service operates Monday to Friday between 10:00am and 4:00pm on 0508 226 529 (0508 CANLAW), or 03 3666 870 ext 1. It is staffed by Community Law Canterbury employees with additional support from senior law students and graduates, and can answer most questions about the law. One important limit: the centre is prohibited from giving legal advice over the phone. Callers may be asked to come in for advice, or — where necessary — referred to a private-practice lawyer or another agency. It's a very busy service, so allow two to three days for a call-back.
The centre's website also curates a library of helpful links, from New Zealand legislation and Tenancy Services to the Ministry of Social Development, IRD, Netsafe and the Ngāi Tahu Māori Law Centre, so people can start resolving issues themselves.
Legal help shouldn't depend on where you live, and Community Law Canterbury takes that literally. Outreach clinics run across Canterbury and Westland: at The Loft in Eastgate Mall, Linwood, every Tuesday morning; at Hornby Citizens Advice Bureau every Wednesday from 1:30pm (last appointment 4:30pm); in Rangiora every Monday through Citizens Advice Bureau North Canterbury; and at ACTIS in Aranui every Tuesday. Ashburton and Timaru are served by Zoom appointments every second Thursday, facilitated by City Mission staff who help with paperwork, while lawyers visit Greymouth on the first and third Tuesday of the month and Ngā Hau e Whā Marae in Wainoni every second Thursday.
There's a weekly drop-in for family law at the Christchurch Justice Precinct itself — Level 3 of the court building, Mondays 10:00am–1:00pm and Wednesdays 3:00pm–5:30pm. The team advises on family violence (protection orders), care of children (parenting orders), guardianship, and welfare guardianship. Relationship property and wills, trusts and estates are outside their advice scope, but they'll provide basic information and referrals to lawyers who practise in those areas.
The Prison Advice Service brings help to the three Christchurch prisons, covering general legal advice and prison-related issues such as Parole Board hearings and release conditions. Christchurch Men's is visited twice a month, Rolleston and the Women's prison once a month, with appointments arranged through the Principal Corrections Officer — or by writing to Prison Advice Service, PO Box 2912, Christchurch 8140.
Community Law Canterbury is proud to be a Living Wage Employer — paying the hourly wage a worker in New Zealand needs to cover the necessities of life and participate as an active citizen. Behind the service stand a range of funders, a Givealittle donation page, and a volunteering programme for people who want to pitch in. For the latest updates and legal insights, the team shares on Facebook and Instagram.
Whether you walk into 198 Montreal Street, call the Infoline, or catch a clinic in Greymouth or at the marae, the starting point is the same: legal help that meets you where you are. Reach the office on 03 366 6870 or [email protected].