Legal Aid Ontario to begin consultation process for a new relationship with clinics

Published: August 17, 2020

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is beginning a consultation process that will see a new structure for oversight between LAO and community legal clinics across Ontario.

This new framework will replace the previous memoranda of understanding and funding agreements between LAO and the clinics, which have been in place for the past 20 years, and will enable LAO and the clinics to better assess community needs and offer services that will better assist LAO’s clients.

“Over the course of 20 years, a lot has changed in how everyone delivers services in the justice sector and how poverty law services are understood,” said Legal Aid Ontario CEO David Field. “We want to establish this new framework so that clinics can better help their clients and the communities they serve, and to enable both LAO and clinics to be more responsive to community needs.”

Consultations will be held to solicit feedback and input from community legal clinic management and board members in order to support the development and implementation of a new accountability and funding framework focused on services to clients.

The process will be in three phases. The first phase, to determine common principles, is underway now. The second phase, which will begin this autumn, will involve developing draft rules, polices and new agreements between LAO and clinics. The final phase will roll out the final documents and provide support to clinics in order to begin implementation of the new framework on April 1, 2021.

All consultation materials will be posted on LAO’s website.

For more information contact:

Graeme Burk
Senior Media Relations Advisor
416-347-7862 / burkg@lao.on.ca