Skip to content Leave Site Now

Legal Aid Ontario will be closed on October 2
Please note that we will be closed on Monday, Oct. 2 to commemorate Truth and Reconciliation Day. Offices and the call centre will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

X
Legal Aid Ontario
  • Services
    • Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the courts: Answers to frequently asked questions
    • Our services
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • Youth legal issues
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
    • Languages
    • Contact us
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • Changes to policies and certificate coverage
    • Roster resources
      • Audit & Compliance
      • Billing
      • Case management
      • Forms library
      • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 policies
      • Legal Aid Online
      • LAO LAW
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • More resources
    • Do legal aid work
    • Mentoring
    • Test case funding
    • News for lawyers
    • B3 Newsletters
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
      • By-laws
      • Our clients
      • Board of Directors
      • Executive Team
      • Board Advisory Committees
      • Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Award
      • French Language Services
    • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020
      • LASA 2020 Rules and Policies
      • LASA 2020 glossary
    • Consultations
    • LAO Consultation Registry
    • Open Government
    • Reports
    • Publications
    • News
    • Social media
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • FAQ
Français LAO Client Portal
Français LAO Client Portal
  • Services
    • Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the courts: Answers to frequently asked questions
    • Our services
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • Youth legal issues
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
    • Languages
    • Contact us
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • Changes to policies and certificate coverage
    • Roster resources
      • Audit & Compliance
      • Billing
      • Case management
      • Forms library
      • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 policies
      • Legal Aid Online
      • LAO LAW
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • More resources
    • Do legal aid work
    • Mentoring
    • Test case funding
    • News for lawyers
    • B3 Newsletters
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
      • By-laws
      • Our clients
      • Board of Directors
      • Executive Team
      • Board Advisory Committees
      • Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Award
      • French Language Services
    • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020
      • LASA 2020 Rules and Policies
      • LASA 2020 glossary
    • Consultations
    • LAO Consultation Registry
    • Open Government
    • Reports
    • Publications
    • News
    • Social media
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • FAQ

Block fees: Getting paid

Please note that LAO only pays a block fee if a lawyer conducts and completes a block fee activity or proceeding. For example, LAO will not pay a block fee if a lawyer only prepares for a JPT. To be billable, the JPT must be conducted and completed. This is why lawyers are required to provide resolution and/or hearing dates when submitting block fee accounts online. Details as to when blocks are billable are on pages 2-56 to 2-58 of LAO’s Tariff and Billing Handbook.

The two exceptions to this general rule are for the Gladue block and the mental health block. These blocks have special billing rules to account for the unique circumstances of Aboriginal clients and clients with serious mental health issues. The Gladue block, for example, may be billed for the preparation of Gladue submissions when the matter is withdrawn or stayed. Gladue submissions are therefore not required.

LAO has modified the wording for Gladue and bail review authorizations so the instructions on how to bill under these services are clearer. The new wording is as follows:

Code New wording
CRIM600 Gladue Additional five hours tariff, or the Gladue block, to prepare/make submissions on Gladue principles for Aboriginal client at bail hearing or sentencing
CA007 Bail review To represent client re: bail review (initial) or bail de novo. Bail review block or tariff maximum of five hours to conduct and complete bail review.
CA009 Bail review (second) To represent client re: bail review (second) or bail de novo. Bail review block or tariff maximum of five hours to conduct and complete bail review.
CA011 Bail review (third) To represent client re: bail review (third) or bail de novo. Bail review block or tariff maximum of five hours to conduct and complete bail review.

As with the other block fees, the Charter Motion block is only payable if and when a Charter motion is conducted and completed prior to the matter being set down for trial. This should only occur in very rare circumstances. Coverage for the charter block ended Dec. 4, 2021.

As with the Charter Motion block, LAO will be monitoring the Gladue and mental health block fees closely. As a result, lawyers should take care to docket Gladue and mental health—related work in detail. This will help LAO assess the operation and impact of the Gladue and mental health block fees.

Lawyers do not have to submit dockets online when billing block fee accounts. Nevertheless, lawyers are under a duty to maintain dockets necessarily required by:

  • the lawyer’s duty to their client
  • the Law Society of Upper Canada
  • the Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 and the Rules thereto; and
  • LAO’s policies and procedures.

LAO may ask lawyers to provide detailed dockets and supporting invoices for disbursements in the event of an audit or for investigative purposes.

If a block fee matter is set down for trial and thus payable by the hourly tariff, lawyers must attach dockets with their accounts in accordance with LAO’s usual rules for tariff accounts.

  • This form is feedback only.
Go back to top

Site footer

Sign-up for email alerts about upcoming consultations.

Need legal help?

Call us toll free at 1‑800‑668‑8258 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) for help in over 300 languages.

Current wait time: The CLSC is currently closed.

Wait times: Monday is our busiest day. For faster service, try calling Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Legal Aid Ontario is a safe and respectful space for our clients and employees. Verbal or threats of physical abuse will not be tolerated. Abusive behaviour may result in refusal of service.

Links

  • Freedom of information requests
    • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility policy
    • Terms of use
  • What do you think about our services?
    • Contact us
  • Sitemap

Legal Aid Ontario on social media

  • Social
    • Facebook
    • Intagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Legal Aid Ontario

Legal Aid Ontario land acknowledgement

Land acknowledgement: Legal Aid Ontario recognizes that its work, and the work of its community partners take place on traditional Indigenous territories across the province.

Legal Aid Ontario copyright information

Legal Aid Ontario © 2023