Skip to content Leave Site Now

Legal Aid Ontario will be closed on October 2
Please note that we will be closed on Monday, Oct. 2 to commemorate Truth and Reconciliation Day. Offices and the call centre will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

X
Legal Aid Ontario
  • 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
    • Youth legal issues
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
    • Languages
    • Contact us
  • 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 Access to Justice 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
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
    • Youth legal issues
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
    • Languages
    • Contact us
  • 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 Access to Justice 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

One-on-One mentoring

One-on-one mentoring can be arranged through the district offices. Some maintain a local roster of mentors who have been approved, in advance, by the director general. In districts where a pre‑approved list of mentors does not exist, the mentee may identify a mentor and submit the details to the director general for approval. If a mentee is having difficulty identifying a potential mentor, the district office may be able to assist. Mentors who provide one-on-one mentoring do so on a volunteer basis.

Scope of mentoring relationship

It is recommended that at the outset of the mentoring relationship the scope of a mentor’s support be clarified to ensure both parties’ expectations are aligned. The following checklist can assist in tailoring the mentorship to meet the expectations of both the mentor and the mentee.

  1. Determine mentee’s goals of mentorship

    The mentee will clarify at the outset his/her needs during the mentorship:

    • To have access to a mentor’s advice during a specified period of time as matters arise to generally improve practice skills; and/or
    • To have access to a mentor’s advice relating to a specific case with respect to strategy, preparation, presentation, trial tactics, and feedback at conclusion of the matter.
  2. Clarify terms of consultations

    The mentor is volunteering his/her time and may determine at the outset:

    • The duration of the mentorship, i.e. a specific number of months, or the expected duration of a specific case
    • The frequency of consultations
    • The methods for consulting, e.g. telephone, email, in person.
  3. Clarify the mentee’s role & responsibilities

    The mentee is expected to:

    • conduct his/her own research and to identify areas needing clarification. The mentor will assume that appropriate preparation has occurred prior to consultation – time is valuable;
    • be receptive to honest feedback to ensure the maximum benefit of the mentorship;
    • respect the time limitations of the mentor’s resources;
    • observe the confidential nature of the relationship all matters discussed during the course of the relationship shall be confidential unless both parties agree to disclosure.

  4. Clarify the role & responsibilities of the mentor

    The mentor is expected to:

    • clearly identify the scope of the relationship in terms of its duration and frequency of contact, to avoid unrealistic expectations;
    • provide open, honest feedback in a context of professionalism and mutual respect;
    • observe the confidential nature of the relationship;
    • exclude direct involvement in: any dispute resolution; personal and financial matters; career advancement.
  5. No-fault termination of mentorship

    Either party may choose to conclude the relationship prior to the full term of the mentorship; at the onset both parties may wish to discuss the need to provide notice as a courtesy.


Acknowledgement and waiver

PDF icon

Mentoring acknowledgement form
This is to acknowledge that (Mentor) and (Mentee) are entering into a formal mentoring relationship
PDF


How to sign-up

To participate in the Legal Aid Ontario’s mentorship program, please contact your district office. More information about the district offices is available on our contact page.

  • Central East District
    – includes the counties of Haliburton, Bracebridge, Peterborough, Coburg, Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Orillia, Newmarket and Barrie

    Director General: Lisa Banerjee
    Phone: 705-737-3400 / 1-888-590-3961 (toll free)
    Email: banerjl@lao.on.ca

  • Central West District
    – includes the counties of Norfolk, Haldimand, Brant, Hamilton, Niagara, Halton, Peel and Dufferin

    Director General: Matthew Hammond
    Phone: 905-528-0134 / 1-877-449-4003 (toll free)
    Email: hammondm@lao.on.ca

  • East District
    – includes the counties of Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Frontenac, Leeds and Grenville, Lanark, Renfrew, Ottawa and Carleton, Prescott and Russell and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry

    Director General: Annik Wills
    Phone: 613-238-7931 / 1-877-314-0933
    Email: WillsA@lao.on.ca

  • North District
    – includes the districts of Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Cochrane, Algoma, Timiskaming, Parry Sound and Sudbury

    Director General: Andreas Asmus
    Phone: 807-345-1972 / 1-866-297-5559 (toll free)
    Email: asmusa@lao.on.ca

  • Toronto District
    – includes East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and Old Toronto

    Director General: Tom Kelsey
    Phone: 416-598-0200
    Email: KelseyT@lao.on.ca

  • West District
    – includes the counties of Essex, Lambton, Chatham-Kent, Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth, Oxford, Elgin, Middlesex, Wellington and Waterloo

    Director General: Kaitlyn McCabe
    Phone: 519-255-7822 / 1-877-449-4002 (toll free)
    Email: mccabek@lao.on.ca

  • This form is feedback only.
Go back to top

Site footer

Sign-up for email alerts about upcoming consultations.

Need legal help?

Call us toll free 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.

Wait times: Monday is our busiest day. For faster service, try calling Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Legal Aid Ontario is a safe and respectful space for our clients and employees. Verbal or threats of physical abuse will not be tolerated. Abusive behaviour may result in refusal of service.

Links

  • Freedom of information requests
    • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility policy
    • Terms of use
  • What do you think about our services?
    • Contact us
  • Sitemap

Legal Aid Ontario on social media

  • Social
    • Facebook
    • Intagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Legal Aid Ontario

Legal Aid Ontario land acknowledgement

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.

Legal Aid Ontario copyright information

Legal Aid Ontario © 2023