For mental health lawyers

Information for lawyers working on legal aid cases for clients with mental health or addiction issues.

If you are working with clients experiencing mental health or addiction issues, we have information and resources available to help you assist them.

Ontario Review Board (ORB) and Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) matters

• • Modified merit test for CCB appeals: details about the two‑stage merit test.
  • Merit consideration guide for CCB appeals: a guide to help lawyers in their assessment of merit and a primer on CCB related law.
  • Modified merit test for ORB appeals: details about the two‑stage merit test. (beginning July 7, 2019)

Guardianship/Substitute Decision Act (SDA) related matters as of July 7, 2019

Legal aid certificate coverage is available for unrepresented incapable persons in Superior Court when the court directs the Public Guardian and Trustee to arrange for a lawyer, under Section 3 of the SDA.

Legal aid coverage is subject to financial eligibility testing. Please follow up with your legal aid district office if you have a client in need of a guardianship related certificate.

Panel standards

• Consent and capacity board panel standards: what you need to be admitted to and remain on the CCB panel.
• Consent and capacity board panel application form.
• Criminal law panel standards: what you need to be admitted to and remain on the criminal panel.
• Criminal panel application form. Criminal law empanelment also enables counsel to accept certificates for ORB representation.

Projects and programs

• The Mental Health Strategy for Legal Aid Ontario: Legal Aid Ontario’s blueprint for prioritizing, expanding and sustaining mental health rights and advocacy in Ontario’s legal system.
• Legal Aid Ontario’s Mental Health Strategy resource page.
• Mentorship opportunities at Legal Aid Ontario.

Manuals and training

• Criminal mental health training manual: training for lawyers with clients who have criminal mental health issues.
• Mental health training for criminal law practitioners: video & training session library. You must be a registered panel lawyer and logged into LAO LAW to access this training.
• Mental health training for family law practitioners: video & training session library. You must be a registered panel lawyer and logged into LAO LAW to access this training.
• A roadmap for certificate and duty counsel lawyers: all you need to know to do legal aid work.

Accounts and billing

• All you need to bill us for services.

Research and resources

• LAO Law: Legal Aid Ontario’s research department. You must be a registered panel lawyer to use this service.