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COVID-19 updates
We’ve temporarily changed some of our services.

Legal Aid Ontario is moving!
Starting April 2023, Legal Aid Ontario’s Provincial Office, Toronto Family Law Services Office, Criminal Senior Counsel Services Office, and Refugee Law Office will be located on the seventh floor of the Atrium on Bay.

Legal Aid Ontario
Atrium on Bay
20 Dundas St. West
Suite 730

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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
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
  • 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 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

For criminal lawyers

Information for criminal lawyers on Legal Aid Ontario certificates or working on legal aid cases.

Updates

    Updates

    • Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs)
      LAO provides funding for IRCAs for individuals who self-identify as Black or as member of another racialized community who:

      1. has a legal aid certificate and
      2. is facing jail time of two years or more, or is a youth is facing a custodial sentence (open or closed custody facilities).

      Read more

      Clients who self-identify as Black do not require a court order to obtain an IRCA.

      Clients who self-identify as a member of any other racialized community require a court order to obtain an IRCA.

    • Merit test for bail review guidelines
      Certificates issued after July 7, 2019 will no longer be automatically approved for a bail review. Certificates issued before July 7, where authorization has been given, will not be affected. If the authorization is added on an existing certificate after July 7, then the new merit rules and rates apply.
      Read more
    • Private retainer for bail practice memo
      In response to LAO’s decision to remove bail hearing, bail variation and second bail hearing from authorizations on Block Fee Certificates, a question has arisen as to whether you may charge a client a private retainer for bail prior to acknowledging a legal aid certificate. LAO has been asked whether we can provide some additional guidance on how issues of eligibility or set off may be applied in the event that you have been privately retained for bail.
      Read more

    Accounts and billing

    • All you need to bill us for services.

    Forms

    • Plea comprehension inquiry form facilitates informed guilty pleas and protects both LAO clients and lawyers.
    • Lawyer inmate request for legal aid service. Application form for the Toronto South Detention Centre project.
    • For all other forms, visit our forms library.

    Standards

    • Criminal law standards. What you need to be authorized to provide criminal legal aid services.

    Projects and programs

    • Mentorship
    • Case management for complex criminal cases likely to cost more than $8 K.
    • Bail Strategy, our commitment to making bail faster and fairer.

    Research and resources

    • LAO Law
      Legal Aid Ontario’s research department. You must be a registered service provider to use this service.
    • Legal Resources
      A list of Law Society resources and other organizations that provide legal information and services in Ontario.
    • A Guide to Law in Ontario: Criminal Law
      Steps to Justice: questions and answers for accused persons going to criminal court.

      • Going to Criminal Court
        • What happens on my first appearance?
    • General Criminal Trial Court Info Guide
      A guide that provides accused person with general information about criminal trials. (Click here for PDF version)
    • General Criminal Law Information
      A resource on the Ministry of the Attorney General website that provides information on Criminal Law in Ontario.
    • This form is feedback only.

Related Pages

Essential information for criminal lawyers whose clients are non‑Canadians

Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs)

Merit test for bail review guidelines

Private retainer for bail practice memo

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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.

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