Forms library
Accounts & billing
- Expedite payment of account request
Use this form to request consideration for the expedited payment of an account.
- 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.
- Guaranteed Daily Rate for northern lawyers
Use this account form to bill for legal aid services provided in remote northern areas (as specified by regulation). For printing only – does not perform calculations.
Application
- Lawyer Inmate Request Form for Legal Aid Service
For use at Toronto South Detention Centre only
Block fees
Solicitors who have an active portal ID can submit an electronic request to add additional charges, make changes to an existing certificate or request a new certificate due to charges proceeding separately. Those who do not have a portal ID may complete the manual request form, print and fax it to the number shown on the bottom of the form.
- Request to add charges, to change an existing certificate or to request a new certificate for charges proceeding separately
To add additional charges, make changes or request a new certificate due to charges proceeding separately, on open and active certificates.
- Request for a mental health authorization
This authorization may be granted when the certificate is issued if there is an identifiable history of mental health issues. If the authorization is not granted when the certificate is issued, it may be requested.
- Request for Gladue authorization
You must be a member of the Gladue panel to receive this authorization.
Case management and litigation forms
Assessment
- Family Case Management Assessment form
For counsel conducting a CYFSA case where certificate total cost (fee & disbursements) is likely to exceed $8,000.
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) panel offers eligible lawyers enhanced funding on particular types of cases.
- Complex Case Rate panel application
Membership on the Complex Case Rate panel is a prerequisite for a case to be considered eligible.
Expert forms
- Application for inclusion on LAO Vendor of Record
For experts in all fields interested in being on LAO’s Vendor of Record list.
- 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 - Reference form (Experts)
Experts wishing to be included on the Vendor list must get references from LAO panel members
Major criminal appeal application
- Area Committee Opinion Guide – Section 28 of LASA
Pursuant to Section 28 of the Legal Aid Services Act only the Area Committee can authorize an appeal certificate.
Change of information
- Lawyer change of information form
For changes in personal information, panel membership, and direct deposit information. Only fill in the information that you are changing, and leave the other sections blank.
Consent forms
- Client consent – Duty counsel
Form for client to sign before being assisted by duty counsel
Costs and settlements
- Assignment for Judgment for Costs
Agreement for paying to LAO and monies the assignor might receive in relation to the costs award
Disbursement authorizations
Requests for the following types of disbursements (authorized, additional funds) can be submitted through Legal Aid Online using electronic document submission or LAOiFax process.
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
Click here for a sample of a completed form
- Request for discretion – Family law: Child Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA)
Click here for a sample of a completed form
- Request for discretion – Family law: Support, Access, Custody
Click here for a sample of a completed form
- Request for discretion – Refugee law
Click here for a sample of a completed form
- Request for discretion – General
Use the general form for all other case types
- 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.
For more information on the use of these forms please refer to our Discretion Guidelines.
Group Application and Test Case Committee
- Application for test case funding
To make an application for a test of public interest case (“Test Case”) please fill out all of the applicable fields and submit it, as well as any other relevant documentation, to the Group Application and Test Case Committee
Legal aid panel
- Application forms to join the various LAO panels. For more information, see panel standards.
Application forms
Consent & Capacity Board
Criminal panel forms
Duty counsel panel
Family/CYFSA panel forms
Mentor/mentee
Refugee and immigration panel
Releases
Plea comprehension – Duty counsel
- Plea comprehension form
Mandatory form for use by all staff criminal duty counsel
Refugee
- Judicial Review Merit Assessment – Refugee services
Lawyers must use this form to provide an opinion regarding the legal merits of a judicial review application.
- Merit assessment – Refugee Appeal Division (RAD)
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 submissions
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.
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
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:
PC users
- right click on the link
- select ‘save as…’ or its equivalent
- save a copy of the file to your computer
- open the file from your computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader
Mac users
- press the Control (ctrl) key and click on the link
- when the option menu appears, choose “Download link to disk” or “Download linked file”
- save a copy of the file to your computer
- 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.