Skip to content
Leave Site Now X
LAO Client Portal
Français
  • Legal Help
    • Apply for legal aid
      • What is legal aid?
      • Do I qualify for legal aid?
      • Apply now
      • Client Portal
    • Our services
      • About our services
      • Family legal issues
      • Criminal legal issues
      • Refugee and immigration legal issues
      • Domestic violence legal issues
      • Mental health legal issues
      • Youth legal issues
      • Getting help at court (duty counsel)
      • Services in French
    • column-break
    • Find help
      • Find a lawyer
      • Find a legal clinic
      • Find a duty counsel office
      • Find a legal aid office
      • Speak to a representative
    • column-break
    • FAQ
      • Frequently asked questions
    • Other
      • Languages
      • What do you think about our services?
      • Contact
  • For Legal Professionals
    • For roster lawyers
      • Legal Aid Online
      • About Legal Aid Online
      • Contacts for lawyers
      • Forms library
      • Billing
      • Mentoring
      • Audit and compliance
      • LAO LAW
      • Case management
      • Roster resources
      • Test case funding
    • column-break
    • Working with legal aid
      • Join legal aid roster
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • Careers
    • LASA 2020
      • Legal Aid Services Act 2020 policies
      • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • column-break
    • Duty counsel
      • Service guides
    • News
      • News for lawyers
      • Better Billing Bulletin
  • About
    • Legal Aid Ontario
      • About
    • Our people
      • Our clients
      • Executive team
      • Board of directors
    • column-break
    • Resources
      • News
      • Reports
      • Publications
      • Open government
      • Social media
    • column-break
    • LASA 2020
      • Legal Aid Services Act
      • LASA 2020 rules and policies
      • LASA 2020 glossary
    • Careers
      • Job openings
    • Other
      • Consultations
  • Contact

LAO Client Portal
  • Legal Help
    • Apply for legal aid
      • What is legal aid?
      • Do I qualify for legal aid?
      • Apply now
      • Client Portal
    • Our services
      • About our services
      • Family legal issues
      • Criminal legal issues
      • Refugee and immigration legal issues
      • Domestic violence legal issues
      • Mental health legal issues
      • Youth legal issues
      • Getting help at court (duty counsel)
      • Services in French
    • column-break
    • Find help
      • Find a lawyer
      • Find a legal clinic
      • Find a duty counsel office
      • Find a legal aid office
      • Speak to a representative
    • column-break
    • FAQ
      • Frequently asked questions
    • Other
      • Languages
      • What do you think about our services?
      • Contact
  • For Legal Professionals
    • For roster lawyers
      • Legal Aid Online
      • About Legal Aid Online
      • Contacts for lawyers
      • Forms library
      • Billing
      • Mentoring
      • Audit and compliance
      • LAO LAW
      • Case management
      • Roster resources
      • Test case funding
    • column-break
    • Working with legal aid
      • Join legal aid roster
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • Careers
    • LASA 2020
      • Legal Aid Services Act 2020 policies
      • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • column-break
    • Duty counsel
      • Service guides
    • News
      • News for lawyers
      • Better Billing Bulletin
  • About
    • Legal Aid Ontario
      • About
    • Our people
      • Our clients
      • Executive team
      • Board of directors
    • column-break
    • Resources
      • News
      • Reports
      • Publications
      • Open government
      • Social media
    • column-break
    • LASA 2020
      • Legal Aid Services Act
      • LASA 2020 rules and policies
      • LASA 2020 glossary
    • Careers
      • Job openings
    • Other
      • Consultations
  • Contact

LAO’s paralegals provide full range of practice in criminal courts

Published: April 4, 2016

Legal Aid Ontario has created permanent roles for five paralegals in four criminal courthouses in Hamilton, Ottawa, London and Brampton, based on results from Phase 1 of LAO’s paralegal pilot.

“We are thrilled about the study’s results,” says David McKillop, LAO’s Vice President, Policy, Research & External Relations. “They show that with the proper support and mentorship, licensed paralegals can thrive alongside duty counsel, providing client-centered and cost-effective services as part of an inter-disciplinary team.”

“As a result, paralegals can provide our clients with more comprehensive services, our managers with more options for staffing, and our duty counsel with more time to work with clients on complex matters.”

“Paralegals are now another trusted foundation of client services at Legal Aid Ontario duty counsel offices.”

– Stephen Parker, president of the Ontario Paralegal Association

“Paralegals are now another trusted foundation of client services at Legal Aid Ontario duty counsel offices,” says Stephen Parker, president of the Ontario Paralegal Association. “With Phase 1 of this study now complete, we hope more paralegals will be able to provide LAO with the full scope of practice for which they are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada.”

Results of the study

Phase 1 of LAO’s paralegal pilot began in 2014 with five legal aid workers who already had their paralegal licences and significant experience working as legal aid workers in the criminal duty counsel office.

The five paralegals, working within teams of staff lawyers and other legal aid workers, demonstrated personalized and conscientious support for clients within their scope of service, to help court cases move more effectively and expeditiously through the criminal system.

What the five paralegals will do

The five individuals who participated in Phase 1 of the pilot are now taking on one of three basic permanent roles at LAO:

  • “Specialist” paralegals who have gained expertise in areas such as mental health or Gladue court will dedicate their time to serving clients individually and ensuring continuity of service in these courts.
  • “Traditionalist” paralegals will support duty counsel in a variety of simple summary offence matters in diversion, set date and domestic court.
  • “Hybrid” paralegals will take on matters in “specialist” courts and also support their office in a “traditionalist” role.

Next steps

LAO hopes to expand the program to other experienced legal aid workers with paralegal licences who work in criminal courthouses with high volumes.

More information

  • Law Society of Upper Canada resources for paralegals
  • This form is feedback only.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
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: 0 minutes

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 © 2025