ABOUT US
We envision a society with accessible legal systems, where the dignity and rights of every person are upheld. Our mission is to provide free legal support to people and communities facing barriers to justice.
OUR VALUES
dignity
We believe that every person is entitled to respect, to have their voice heard, and to fully enjoy their rights.
equity
We stand for substantive equality, inclusion, and diversity in all its forms. We focus on impact (not just good intentions).
humility
We prioritize listening, learning, and self-reflection. We value the wisdom of the communities we serve, and their lived experiences inform our work.
OUR APPROACH
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COLLABORATIVE
We engage approximately 1,450 law students annually to provide free legal information and services in partnership with community organizations and supervising lawyers and notaries.
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VISIONARY
We cultivate future leaders, advocates and allies through training and experiential learning opportunities. PBSC has student-led Chapters at 22 law schools in Canada.
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RESPONSIVE
Our Chapters respond to local needs in their communities across all areas of law. At PBSC National, we develop programs that address complex and systemic inequities.
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OUR TEAM
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Andrew Biteen
(he/him)
National Director
Andrew joined PBSC as National Director in 2025 after serving in leadership positions in higher education and the not-for-profit sector. Andrew has worked at McGill University, the Rideau Hall Foundation and Canadian Blood Services, where he was Associate Director for Community Engagement and Inclusion. He has also served on boards of several post-secondary institutions and community organizations.
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Andrew obtained his B.C.L./LL.B. from the McGill Faculty of Law, where he was a Pro Bono student volunteer. Andrew also co-founded the L.E.X. Outreach Program, which works to increase the engagement of youth belonging to communities that face systemic barriers to education and access to justice.
Jeanne Arbez
(she/her)
Program Administrator
An integral part of PBSC's team, Jeanne is responsible for many of National Office's initiatives, including organizing the annual National Training Conference and managing PBSC’s national project database. Her interest in social justice was piqued through her studies in sociology and social service work (with a focus on issues pertaining to immigrants and refugees), a path that led her to roles with an international NGO, a national literacy organization, and a women's shelter prior to joining PBSC.
Jeanne loves travelling and taught English in Japan for three years. Her superpower is crocheting.
Carolina Cuevas
(she/her)
Program Manager
Carolina is a passionate advocate for experiential learning, and supports PBSC's programming and Chapters across Canada. Originally from Buenos Aires, Carolina has more than 15 years of experience developing and managing educational programs within both the private sector and non-profit organizations.
She has developed and facilitated French language training programs for several Bay Street law firms; and managed internship, volunteer, employment and national exchange programs for charitable organizations. Carolina has a passion for languages, travel, and food. She considers herself a “chocoholic” and spends lots of time creating new recipes!
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Stephanie Giannandrea
(she/her)
Acting Director, Family Justice
As Acting Director, Family Justice, Stephanie manages all aspects of the Family Justice Centre (FJC), including its operations, continued development, and strategic planning, as well as supporting other National Office initiatives.
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Stephanie is a graduate of the University Toronto Faculty of Law and spent over a decade practicing family and child protection law in Toronto. Throughout her time in private practice, Stephanie worked to make family legal services more accessible in diverse ways, including managing pro bono programs and volunteering herself as a volunteer lawyer with the Family Justice Centre. She was also a panel lawyer for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, representing children in family law disputes. Prior to joining PBSC, Stephanie worked at Justice for Children and Youth, a non-profit legal aid clinic that specializes in protecting the rights of children and young people facing conflicts with the legal system, education, social service or mental health systems.
Outside of work, Stephanie loves to travel in her camper van.
Ruth Hobbis
(she/her)
Communications and Projects Officer
As Communications and Projects Officer, Ruth works with the National Office team to support and promote PBSC's A2J programming. She is committed to raising awareness about barriers to justice and the impactful work that PBSC is doing to address these issues.​
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Ruth has more than seven years of experience in communications roles in non-profits and higher education. She completed a B.A. in Psychology from Queen’s University as well as further education in publishing and marketing.
Kaja Marinic
(she/her)
Program Manager
As a Program Manager with PBSC, Kaja is focused on expanding and assisting in managing our Family Justice Centre, as well as supporting various National Office initiatives, including the Summer Learning Institute.
Kaja is a former family lawyer. She obtained her J.D. from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC and was called to the BC bar in 2017. She practiced law privately in Vancouver (first civil litigation, then family law exclusively), before joining Access Pro Bono BC as a supervising lawyer for their Everyone Legal Clinic. Throughout her career, Kaja has worked and volunteered extensively with various non-profit community organizations to provide much-needed free legal services. She is grateful to continue working on the access to justice crisis in her role with PBSC.
In her spare time, Kaja enjoys watching and performing improv, comedy, and theatre, including in the annual Lawyer Show musical!
Charlée Tolliver
(she/her)
Program Officer
Charlée is a Program Officer at PBSC and oversees 11 of our Chapters across Canada. Prior to joining PBSC, Charlée coordinated mentorship programs, national/international articling placements and a legal resources database, which included access to justice initiatives. She also volunteered on a Diversity & Inclusion Council, where she advocated for organizational education initiatives and as a Mentor, where she provided educational and emotional support to high school students. Aside from her work experience, she has a B.A. from Dalhousie University and a Law Clerk diploma.
PBSC’s values of Dignity, Equity and Humility truly resonate with her, after her many years of experience working in the legal industry. In her spare time, Charlée enjoys roller blading, travelling, trying new eats and practicing Spanish when she has a chance.
NATIONAL FUNDERS
Leaders in the industry, our national funders and partners make PBSC's mission possible.
Principal Funder
Founding Partner
National Law Firm Partner
PROGRAM FUNDERS
We are grateful to our program funders, whose generosity supports the development of PBSC's innovative access to justice programs.
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CHAPTER FUNDERS
We are grateful to our Chapter funders, and our 22 law school partners across Canada, for championing PBSC's work and impact.
ADVISORY BOARD
PBSC’s Advisory Board brings together the knowledge and experience of legal leaders from across Canada to advance our mission.
Comprising community members, partner organizations, former PBSC students, and Faculty of Law representatives, our distinguished Advisory Board provides strategic guidance and support to PBSC's leadership team.
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
WENDAT, SENECA & MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT FIRST NATION
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We wish to acknowledge the land on which PBSC's National Office operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.