Information for Lawyers
Panel Standards
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Information for Lawyers
As part of Legal Aid Ontario's (LAO) commitment to ensure that all clients receive high quality legal aid services, LAO has implemented the following eight panel standards, which include minimum experience and professional development requirements. The standards were developed in consultation with members of the refugee, criminal and family bars as well as lawyers practicing before the Consent and Capacity Board, judges, lawyers' associations and the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Lawyers new to an area of practice may be admitted conditionally to a panel provided they agree to acquire the necessary experience within a specified time frame, and take approved continuing legal education or be mentored as required by their area director. (This conditional admission does not, however, apply to the Extremely Serious Criminal Matters panel.)
Ongoing annual professional development is necessary to continue to maintain panel membership.
In addition to submitting the forms specific to the panel you wish to join (see below) you must also send in a Request for Membership to be approved by the local legal aid director (or supervisory duty counsel for duty counsel panels).
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Update - March 1/08: Domestic Violence
Update - November /07: Mental Health, Refugee and Immigration, Correctional Institutions
For more information on Panel Standards please contact your local area director. The Panel Standards were developed by Legal Aid Ontario's Quality Service Office.
In order to maintain your standing on LAO's panels all certificate lawyers must complete the Annual Panel Self-Report.
Deadline for submitting the Annual Self-Report is June 30th, 2010
Click here for more information and the required form(s)