News

In a vote conducted by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, a majority of Legal Aid Ontario’s staff lawyers have voted to be represented by the union the Society of Energy Professionals. In September, LAO allowed its staff lawyers, who are employed full-time by LAO, to explore options around representation by a collective bargaining regime. The…

Whenever you visit a lawyer, a lot of paperwork is always involved: every lawyer has to complete and then update many forms, often repeatedly, about every client. Plus, if you go to court, you may have to talk to different Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) lawyers and other staff, and they often have to fill in…

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is offering a one-time grant of $200,000 for two organizations to provide services to Black students facing suspension or expulsion hearings. Community organizations in Ontario that work primarily with Black students and/or their families are invited to apply for these grants worth $100,000 each. The funds must be used for projects…

TORONTO, Ont: Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) objects to an inaccurate, incomplete and misleading media release by the Society of Energy Professionals (“Legal Aid Ontario Thwarts Democracy by Refusing to Open Ballot Box at OLRB”, October 3, 2016) In their release, the Society of Energy Professionals, a trade union, asserts that the ballots in the certification…

Click here to download image. It’s time to send in your nominations for the Sidney B. Linden Award! The deadline for submission is Friday, November 4, 2016, at 5 p.m. The award is named after Justice Sidney B. Linden, the first Chair of Legal Aid Ontario (LAO), who has been involved with legal aid for over 35…

Test cases are important cases that possibly set a precedent in law. LAO takes on such cases because they can address system-wide issues that affect large numbers of low-income and vulnerable people. Test cases are a practical and realistic way to bring province-wide issues before the courts that would not otherwise happen. One such recent…

Click here to download image. This Sept. 8-9, Legal Aid Ontario (LAO), Legal Services Society of BC and Osgoode Hall Law School are co-hosting Wired Justice, the first technology and access to justice (A2J) conference focused on legal aid. The web conference will feature legal experts digging into key topics at the intersection of technology…

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) made 27 recommendations for the development of the Strategy for a Safer Ontario, a new blueprint for policing. LAO’s submission to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is based on its own understanding of the legal needs of vulnerable client groups. The submission focuses on: education and training programs…

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has provided input to the Ministry of the Attorney General on whether family legal services should now also be delivered by people who aren’t lawyers-people such as paralegals, law clerks and law students. LAO’s submission to the Family Legal Services Review consultation outlines its experience in providing legal services by non-lawyers…

The following letter to the editor appeared in slightly shorter form in the Toronto Star on June 29. Click here to download image. Re: CAS study reveals stark racial disparities for blacks, aboriginals Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) applauds the Toronto Star for calling attention to the overrepresentation of children who are Aboriginal or Black in…