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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
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic Violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • All services
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • 2019 service changes
    • Empanelment
    • Case management
    • Test case funding
    • Mentoring
    • Billing
      • Legal Aid Online
      • B3 Newsletters
      • Audit & Compliance
    • Resources
      • Aboriginal legal issues
      • Criminal lawyers
      • Family lawyers
      • Mental health lawyers
      • Refugee and immigration lawyers
    • News for lawyers
    • LAO LAW
    • Forms library
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
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    • Executive Team
    • Board Advisory Committees
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    • Sidney B. Linden Award
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    • Contact Us
  • FAQ

For criminal lawyers

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

Updates

  • Merit test for bail review guidelines
    Certificates issued after July 7 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 Form for Legal Aid Service. For use during the COVID-19 disruptions only
  • For all other forms, visit our forms library.

Manuals

  • A roadmap for certificate and duty counsel lawyers. All you need to know to do legal aid work.

Panel standards

  • Criminal law panel standards. What you need to be admitted to and remain on the criminal panel.

Projects and programs

  • Mentorship opportunities at Legal Aid Ontario
  • 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 panel lawyer 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.
  • Please tell us why

Related Pages

Essential information for criminal lawyers whose clients are non‑Canadians

Criminal lawyers have a duty to advise clients who are not Canadian citizens and are contemplating guilty pleas or being sentenced that: there may be immigration consequences and they should seek the advice of an immigration lawyer before entering a plea/sentencing. LAO has…

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…

Merit test for bail review guidelines

A lawyer must demonstrate that there is a reasonable chance of success on the review. The request for coverage should include a statement that the lawyer would advise a reasonable client of modest means to undertake the review. It must be supported by a significant change in…

Call us 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.

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