Message from David Field, President and CEO of Legal Aid Ontario, for National Duty Counsel Day

Published: October 27, 2023

Today, October 27, marks National Duty Counsel Day, a moment to recognize the vital work many of you do to support low-income Ontarians with access to justice.

When meeting with clients, duty counsel (and many other front-line staff at LAO) listen with compassion. You advocate tirelessly for clients grappling with complex legal problems.

By one estimate, almost half of Canadians will experience at least one legal challenge in their lifetime. Many of these people are from equity seeking groups, from Indigenous communities, or are experiencing domestic violence. Across Canada, duty counsel assist Canadians more than 1.2 million times a year, including close to 1 million in Ontario.

Criminal duty counsel in Ontario resolve around 40,000 criminal cases a year through diversion, discharge, withdrawal of charges, or informed and appropriate guilty pleas. Duty counsel are also an integral part of the bail hearings process across the province. Ontario family duty counsel lawyers settle over 25,000 matters annually. Clinic staff acting as tenant duty counsel assist approximately 15,000 clients a year at Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board.

Duty Counsel Day is the occasion to recognize your work and the essential role you play in the justice system. On behalf of myself and the executive at LAO, thank you for your hard work and dedication.

David Field, President and CEO