Legal Aid Ontario launching updated domestic violence training program to address need for gender and trauma-informed legal aid services

Published: September 10, 2025

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has updated its domestic violence awareness training program for lawyers providing legal aid certificate services in family law and duty counsel services in family law and domestic violence.

The training includes up-to-date information, such as changes made to the Divorce Act and the legal definition of family violence. Reviewed by community organizations specialized in gender-based violence, the updated training offers practical guidance on trauma and violence-informed lawyering, intersectionality and the specific legal needs of this vulnerable demographic.

In 2024-2025, LAO issued almost 90% of its family law certificates to individuals who self-identified as victims or survivors of domestic violence.

LAO’s decision to update its domestic violence training program addresses a need for specialized, gender and trauma-informed training to better equip lawyers working on family law cases involving domestic violence and aligns with LAO’s mandate to provide high-quality services to its clients.