Amendments to Legal Aid Services Rules: minimum experience requirements

Published: July 12, 2023

LAO to consult on minimum experience requirements for Ontario Review Board roster

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is consulting on introducing minimum experience requirements (MERs) in the Legal Aid Services Rules for the existing Ontario Review Board roster. At the same time, LAO proposes revoking the unimplemented MERs for youth criminal and criminal mental health sub-authorization.

LAO introduced rules setting out minimum experience requirements for two new criminal law sub-rosters, youth criminal and criminal mental health, in August 2022.

LAO has since identified that implementing the youth criminal and criminal mental health MERs is not operationally feasible.

LAO will be introducing enhanced training for the criminal roster to further improve the quality of service for youth and clients experiencing mental health issues.

LAO has an existing Ontario Review Board roster, which does not have minimum experience requirements. Setting meaningful requirements specifically for the Ontario Review Board roster will support clients accessing high-quality legal aid services specific to their needs.

If you wish to participate, please provide written feedback during the consultation period, taking place from July 12, 2023, to August 12, 2023. All related materials are posted on LAO’s consultation webpage.

For more information, please contact consultation@lao.on.ca.