About Legal Aid Ontario
Fact Sheets
Legal Aid Ontario's toll-free services
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO)’s toll-free telephone service provides clients with a convenient access point for legal aid help and information. Clients can call 1-800-668-8258 toll-free (or 416-979-1446 in Toronto) to get legal aid help in over 120 languages, including 18 Aboriginal languages and dialects. Toll-free services are available from Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Collect calls are accepted.
LAO’s toll-free client service representatives answer an average of over 1,200 calls a day, and LAO is continuing to enhance the toll-free service to meet growing demand. More legal aid services are now available through the toll-free number than are offered at most of our local legal aid office locations.
Services currently available over the phone include:
General information
- Information on the range of legal aid services available to eligible clients
- Legal and financial eligibility criteria
- Legal aid office locations
- Phone numbers for agencies, shelters and community legal clinics
Referrals
Staff can refer eligible clients to one of Legal Aid Ontario’s many services, or other social service agencies, including:
- Duty counsel
- Community legal clinics
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works
- Family Responsibilities Office
- Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- Ontario Labour Relations Board
- The Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)
Summary Legal Advice
Eligible clients with criminal and family law issues may be able to speak with a lawyer for up to 20 minutes of summary legal advice and information.
Applications for legal aid
Applications for the certificate program are also available through the toll-free number. The certificate program allows eligible, low-income clients to have full representation by their own lawyer. Eligibility requirements are strictly applied.
Information for current clients
Services and information are also available for current clients:
- Application or appeal status
- Information on whether a certificate has been acknowledged by a lawyer
- Update personal information
Questions?
For more information on this topic contact media@lao.on.ca
