Legal Aid Ontario (LAO)

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is continuing to raise the fees that it pays roster members to do legal work.

Starting April 4, Legal Aid Ontario's (LAO) contact centre hours will change to Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST). Currently, the contact centre is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (EST).

Legal Aid Ontario will be able to begin a phased approach to return to both physical workplaces and in-person services on April 4.

The LASA 2020 was proclaimed on October 18, 2021. Under this new legislation, LAO has established rules and policies to manage and administer legal aid.

Legal Aid Ontario has introduced a pilot expansion of its Second Chair mentorship program, a program which allows new and mid-career lawyers to serve as “second chair” with experienced counsel and work on legal aid cases. This pilot expansion will permit in-firm mentorship of lawyers from equity-seeking groups. Additionally, LAO will endeavour to match mentees with mentors based on identification, location and area of law, if requested.

LAO Guide on Services LAO Duty Counsel May Provide in OCJ Virtual Case Management Courts

As of July 26, 2020, lawyers will now be able to bill Legal Aid Online for COVID JPT and Myers (s.525) reviews as a part of LAO’s emergency response for the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent decision of the Bath Institution allows a medically vulnerable prisoner to be released to self-isolate in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of the Solicitor General has prepared the attached Process Guide

LAO as a temporary and emergency measure to address the COVID pandemic will provide expedited transcript rates for bail reviews. These expedited rates will be offered as an inherent disbursement on the billing portal. LAO hopes to have made the necessary changes to the billing portal by early next week. Recall that LAO has recently, as a response to the COVID pandemic, waived any assessment of merit in issuing bail review certificates.