Forms library

COVID-19

• COVID-19: Early release of inmates
  This request is limited to persons pursuing remedies for the early release for inmates during COVID‑19
• Lawyer assisted inmate request for legal aid service form
  FOR USE DURING COVID-19 DISRUPTIONS ONLY. This form can be used for potential Big Case Management (BCM) charges.
• COVID-19 refugee authorization request form
  Use this form to submit an authorization request for an additional 2 hours for RPD hearing preparation.

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Accounts & billing

Court fees

• Court fees waiver form
  Use this form to have fees for family, civil and small claims court matters waived where it is anticipated court fees will be incurred. It is recommended that clients be asked to sign the fee waivers early on as the waiver cannot be applied retroactively.More information can be found on the website for the Ministry of the Attorney General.

Disbursements

Requests for the following types of disbursements (authorized, additional funds) can be submitted through Legal Aid Online using electronic document submission or LAOiFax process.

• Request for an expert/other service provider
• Request for paternity testing
• Request for transcripts/transcriptions
• Request for translation

Discretion

In some cases, where exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated, a discretionary increase in payment of an account may be granted where an account has exceeded the tariff maximum for the certificate. If your account exceeds the tariff maximum, and you want to apply for discretion, attach the appropriate form when submitting the account:

• Request for discretion: Criminal law
• Request for discretion: Family law – Child Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA)
• Request for discretion: Family law Decision-making responsibility, parenting time, contact, and support
• Request for discretion: Refugee law
• Request for discretion: General
• Discretion – request for review
  If you are dissatisfied with the settlement of your account, use this form to request a review. Requests for review should be made within 60 days of payment of the account.

Payment

• Expedite payment of account request
  Use this form to request consideration for the expedited payment of an account.

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Application

Lawyer assisted application

• Lawyer assisted application for adult criminal court proceedings
  Only submit this form for adults facing criminal charges who are out of custody and are legally eligible for a certificate in section 2. This form cannot be used for potential Big Case Management (BCM charges).
• Lawyer assisted application for youth criminal court proceedings
  Only submit this form for youth facing criminal charges who are out of custody. This form cannot be used for potential Big Case Management (BCM charges).
• Lawyer assisted application form for child protection proceedings
  This form is reserved for use in cases where the applicant is a parent or caregiver in an active child protection proceeding. This form should not be used for relatives seeking to be added to the proceedings. All fields in this form must be completed.
• Lawyer assisted application form for family law proceedings (domestic violence)
  This form is reserved for use in cases where a family law client (“hereinafter “applicant”) is experiencing domestic violence. This form can be used for new applicants and/or existing clients of LAO All fields in this form must be completed.
• Lawyer assisted application form for immigration and refugee proceedings
  This form is reserved for applications for the following immigration and refugee law services:
  • preparation of a Basis of Claim (BOC) forms
  • appeals to the Refugee Appeals Division (RAD)
  • applications for Judicial Review in Federal Court

  For other immigration and refugee service types, clients must contact LAO. Do not use this form if the applicant is part of a case that is already covered by a legal aid certificate.

• Lawyer assisted application for Judicial Intensive Case Management Court (JICMC) proceedings
  Only submit this form for lawyer-assisted-application-for-adult-criminal-court-proceedings-ENs facing criminal charges who are out of custody and are legally eligible for a limited certificate as they are referred into Judicial Intensive Case Management Court (JICMC). This form cannot be used for regular certificate applications. Incorrect forms and those that do not meet the criteria will not be processed.

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Case management and litigation

Assessment

These assessments will assist LAO’s Case Manager in setting a budget that will provide counsel with the resources required to deliver a high-quality and cost-effective defence.

• Criminal mid-level case management: Preliminary hearing assessment
• Criminal mid-level case management: Trial assessment

Big Case Management (BCM)

• BCM Hearings Opinion Guideline
  Application form can be used for any type of hearing, i.e. a preliminary hearing, sentencing hearing, dangerous offender hearing, etc.
• BCM Trials Opinion Guidelines
  Application form for cases that have gone to trial.

COMPLEX CASE RATE (CCR)

Complex Case Rate case eligibility application
The Complex Case Rate (CCR) roster membership offers eligible lawyers enhanced funding on particular types of cases.

Complex Case Rate (CCR) panel application
Membership on the Complex Case Rate roster is a prerequisite for a case to be considered eligible.

Expert forms

• Application for enhanced expert rate
  Complete this form to apply for an enhanced expert rate
• Survey – Enhanced rate services
  This survey must be completed at the conclusion of the expert’s services

Refugee

• Judicial Review (JR) merit assessment
  Lawyers must use this form to provide an opinion regarding the legal merits of a judicial review application.
• Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) merit assessment
  Lawyers must use this form to provide an opinion regarding the legal merits of a RAD application.
• Refugee authorization request form
  Prep for subsequent IRB-RPD attendance & written submission

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Change of information

• Lawyer change of information form
  Use this form if you are changing information only. Fill in only the information that you are changing. Leave the other sections blank.

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Duty Counsel Program

• Subsequent Representation Request

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Mentoring

Second chair program

• Mentor application form
  For senior lawyers seeking a junior lawyer to act as second chair
• Mentee application form
  For junior lawyers seeking a mentor
• Pre-approved mentor application form
  For small to medium sized cases in various areas of law
• Pre-approved mentor payment report

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Roster

Application

• Application for enrolment on roster
  To be eligible for enrolment on the roster, you must meet the following criteria.
• Eligibility checklist
  In order to apply for roster membership, a roster applicant must complete the following checklist
• Roster application: References
  Please provide the names of THREE referees.
• Request for Sub-Authorizations 

Please submit a letter and curriculum vitae outlining your training and experience in the area of law for which you are requesting authorization. You can also complete this form outlining any training and experience you have in this area of law.

Request for authorization

• Consent & Capacity
  • Request for Authorization – Consent & Capactiy Board Certificate Services
• Criminal
  • Request for Authorization – Criminal Certificate Services (General)
  • Request for Authorization – ESM Certificate Services
• Duty counsel
  • Request for Authorization – Criminal Duty Counsel Services
  • Request for Authorization – Duty Counsel Advice Lawyer
  • Request for Authorization – Family Duty Counsel Services
• Family
  • Request for Authorization – Family Certificate Service
  • Request for Authorization – CYFSA Certificate Services
• Indigenous
  • Request for Authorization – Gladue Certificate Services
• Refugee and immigration
  • Request for Authorization – Refugee and Immigration Appeal Certificate Services
  • Request for Authorization – Refugee and Immigration General Certificate Services

Release of information

• Release of information form for Lawyer’s Professional Indemnity Company
• Release of information form for Law Society of Ontario and/or other law society

PLEA COMPREHENSION – DUTY COUNSEL

Plea comprehension form
Mandatory form for use by all staff criminal duty counsel

Accounts and billing

• Application Form for Tier Level Increase
• Change in direct deposit authorization for business accounts
• Direct deposit authorization for business accounts

Resignation

• Request for Resignation
  If you wish to be removed from the Roster, or to remove certain authorizations to provide Legal Aid Services in a specified area of law, please complete this form and submit it to your local District Area Office.

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Rowbotham

• Consent and waiver to Legal Aid Ontario to release information
  Upon receipt from the client of this form, LAO will release the client’s file to the Ministry of the Attorney General.
• Acknowledgement from counsel authorising legal aid to release information
  If the client is not available to sign a consent to release the file to a lawyer, then the lawyer can request that LAO release the file to the client’s counsel.

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Opening PDF forms on your computer

Forms on our website are provided in Adobe Acrobat PDF and Word formats. You can download free viewers for these file types:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Open Office

PC users

1. right click on the link
2. select ‘save as…’ or its equivalent
3. save a copy of the file to your computer
4. open the file from your computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader

MAC users

1. press the Control (ctrl) key and click on the link
2. when the option menu appears, choose “Download link to disk” or “Download linked file”
3. save a copy of the file to your computer
4. open the file from your computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader

Mobile devices

Mobile devices such as iPhones, iPads, Blackberry and Android devices may have problems opening certain PDF files. If your mobile device displays a ‘Please wait…” error message, try opening the PDF on a computer instead.

“PLEASE WAIT…” ERROR MESSAGES

This error most commonly occurs when using the Chrome, Firefox or Opera browser to open a specific type of PDF form. To resolve this issue, make sure that Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed and follow the steps mentioned above.

If you’ve followed these steps and are still experiencing difficulties, please contact the Lawyer Service Centre.