In brief: News for lawyers

Showing 1 - 10 of 183 results

Client portal update: change to eligibility criteria for recent arrivals

Published June 22, 2026

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has updated the client portal eligibility criteria for newcomers to Canada who have no income. These clients may now apply for a legal aid certificate through the client portal only if they have been in Canada for less than six months. The client portal wording has been updated accordingly to reflect…

Upgrades to Legal Aid Ontario’s contact centre

Published June 22, 2026

Legal Aid Ontario is pleased to share that we have upgraded our phone system to serve our callers better. What’s new for callers to the Lawyer Service Centre? You may notice a new voice to our phone system when you call the Lawyer Service Centre at 1-866-979-9934 or 416-979-9934. The Lawyer Service Centre can be…

New Criminal Law Live Call Service helps vulnerable clients

Published June 19, 2026

Legal Aid Ontario has launched a new, live phone service that responds quickly to the needs of vulnerable clients who are trying to navigate their legal path with criminal law matters. The new Criminal Law Live Call Service patches hard-to-serve clients with a legal professional through a live transfer from the Contact Centre, which means callers do…

Notice – Account tab layout update

Published June 18, 2026

On June 1, changes were made to the Account Tab on the Solicitor Portal. Please refer to the original notice for more details. Previously, when performing an account search, up to 300 results were displayed. Following the June 1 update, the number of displayed results was reduced to 100 accounts. Based on user feedback, this change has now been reverted, and the system has…

Register now for the 2026 Refugee Law Office Conference

Published May 22, 2026

All-day event on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In person and online Reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Register now Legal Aid Ontario’s Refugee Law Office is pleased to present the 2026 Refugee Law Office Conference. This year’s conference will take place at: University of Toronto – Henry N.R. Jackman…

Update to Legal Aid Online – Account tab layout

Published May 19, 2026

Effective June 1, users logging in to Legal Aid Online will notice minor updates to the Account tab for criminal, civil, and duty counsel statements. While all existing fields and functionality remain unchanged, the layout has been refreshed. Fields will now appear in a horizontal format rather than vertical, making the page easier to navigate and more user-friendly. Users will continue to be able to add…

Update on Bill C-12

Published April 13, 2026

As you may be aware, on March 26, 2026, Bill C-12 received royal assent. The bill introduces significant changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) that directly affect the refugee claim process. Most notably, the bill creates two new eligibility bars that prevent claims from being referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD). A claim is now ineligible to be referred to the RPD if it is submitted: More than one year after the claimant’s first entry into Canada after June…

New process speeds up deferral request and stay motion coverage

Published April 7, 2026

LAO has introduced a new process to speed up legal aid applications for clients facing deportation. Lawyers on the Refugee-Appellate roster can now use a lawyer-assisted application form to request coverage by email on behalf of clients who need the following services: Requests to Canada Border Services Agency to defer removal Motions in Federal Court…

Reminder: Complete your annual self-report by March 31, 2026

Published March 23, 2026

This is a reminder that all Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) roster members admitted prior to January 1, 2025 must submit their annual self-report by March 31, 2026. You may find the self-report on Legal Aid Online in the Personal Information section. Roster lawyers who do not file their self-report by the deadline will be automatically…

Updated Legal Aid Ontario forms to support vulnerable criminal clients

Published February 23, 2026

Legal Aid Ontario has updated the following forms to help reduce delays and improve processing for vulnerable criminal clients: Lawyer Assisted Application for Adult and Youth Criminal Court Proceedings (Out of Custody) Lawyer Assisted Inmate Request for Legal Aid Services What’s new The Charges / Legal Details section now includes additional questions to help identify…


Showing 1 - 10 of 183 results