Legal Aid Ontario may be able to help low-income individuals in need of legal assistance through a number of programs and services.

Duty counsel services

Duty counsel are private bar or Legal Aid Ontario staff lawyers who can give immediate, legal assistance to low-income people who appear in court without a lawyer.

Duty counsel services are available to low-income people in every courthouse in Ontario, including more than 30 remote and fly-in locations. Duty counsel assist over 700,000 people a year.

If you have a criminal or family law issue, speak to duty counsel before your court appearance. Please note that duty counsel cannot assist with criminal trials.

For more information how duty counsel can help you go to Getting help in the courtroom.

Community and specialty clinics

Legal help is also available to low-income individuals and disadvantaged communities through 77 independent community legal clinics in Ontario, including 17 specialty clinics.

Community legal clinics provide services for these situations:

• tenant rights
• Ontario Works and Welfare
• Ontario Disability Support Program
• government pensions
• immigration
• employment insurance
• workplace safety and insurance
• Workers' Compensation
• employment rights
• criminal injuries compensation
• human rights

Contact a community legal clinic directly to determine your eligibility for their services.

Student Legal Aid Services Societies

Student Legal Aid Services Societies (SLASS), funded by Legal Aid Ontario, operate out of Ontario's six law schools. With the supervision of full time lawyers, volunteer law students provide legal advice and represent clients in cases such as:

• minor crimes
• landlord and tenant
• immigration
• tribunals, including the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

For a list of SLASS locations follow this link.

Advice lawyers

Legal Aid Ontario offers out-of-court support through advice lawyers. Advice lawyers, provide general advice and review legal documents on issues such as family law.

Call Legal Aid Ontario toll-free at 1-800-668-8258 or 416-979-1446, to find the one in your region. Legal Aid Ontario accepts collect calls.

Family Law Information Centre (FLIC)

Family Law Information Centres offer free assistance and information related to family law issues. For further information, click here.

Family Law Information Centres have been established in most courts that deal with family law matters. Click here for a listing of the FLIC offices.

Toll-free

Need immediate assistance? You can call Legal Aid Ontario toll-free at 1-800-668-8258 or 416-979-1446 to speak to a representative.

Legal Aid Ontario accepts collect calls.