Section 1: In this Act unless the context otherwise requires–

"accredited civil society organization" means a civil society organization that has been accredited by the Board to provide legal aid; "accredited non-governmental organization" means a non-governmental organization accredited by the Board to provide legal aid; "accredited paralegal" means a person employed by the Board, a government department, an accredited civil society organization or a non-governmental organization and who has completed a training course in the relevant field of study at the Judicial and Legal Training Institute or an educational institution approved by the Board; "accredited university law clinic" means a university law clinic accredited by the Board to provide legal aid; "Appeals Panel" means the Appeals Panel established by section 28; "Bar Association" means the Sierra Leone Bar Association; "Board" means the Legal Aid Board established by section 2; "cooperation agreement" means a written agreement entered into between a legal aid provider and the Board; "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Board; "Director " means the Director appointed under section 13; "General Legal Council" means the General Legal Council established by the Legal Practitioners Act 2000; "indigent" means a person who cannot afford to pay for legal services; "legal advice and assistance" means providing information in both criminal and civil cases about the relevant law and legal processes, assisting with alternative dispute resolution, advising on legal issues, assisting with the drafting of documents other than instruments prohibited under section 24 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 2000, referring matters to legal practitioners and doing other things that do not constitute legal representation; "legal aid" means the provision of legal advice, assistance or representation to indigent persons; "legal aid practitioner" means a legal practitioner employed by the Board, a legal practitioner in private practice accredited by the Board, a legal practitioner employed by an accredited civil society, nongovernmental organization or university law clinic, to provide legal aid ; "legal aid provider" means a legal practitioner, civil society organization, non-governmental organization, university law clinic or paralegal accredited to provide legal aid; 2 3 Interpretation. Act No. 15 of 2000. Act No.15 of 2000. "legal practitioner" means a person who has been admitted and enrolled to practice law as a barrister and solicitor under the Legal Practitioners Act, 2000; "legal representation" means a representation in court by a legal practitioner or pupil barrister ; "legally-aided person" means a person who has been granted legal aid under this Act; "Minister" means the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice; "pupil barrister " means a person serving a period of pupilage under section 20 of the Legal Practitioners Act 2000; "University law clinic " mean a law clinic attached to a University in Sierra Leone , the Sierra Leone Law School or other institution approved by the Board in which law students provide free legal advice and assistance to indigent persons under the supervision of a legal practitioner. PART II–ESTABLISHMENT OF LEGAL AID BOARD