News

Do you know someone who has shown a long-standing commitment to supporting access to justice for low-income people in Ontario? Is there a person who regularly goes above and beyond to help? If so, please consider nominating them for the Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Award! The deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m. Friday, December 6,…

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is releasing a new report highlighting the progress made on its Racialized Communities Strategy Action Plan. “In 2020, LAO published its 10-year action plan committing to 17 specific objectives to be achieved by 2030,” says David Field, President & CEO of…

Legal Aid Ontario is creating an Indigenous Services Department bringing together existing lines of work from across the organization to create a more holistic, strategic approach to the delivery of services for Indigenous clients. The Indigenous Services Department will lead LAO’s implementation of reconciliation initiatives and work within LAO’s mandate to better reach and serve…

After a successful launch and testing period, Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is extending the hours of our live chat. The chat will now be available from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST. The live chat was previously available from Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST. As a reminder, the chat is available…

Do you know someone who should be recognized for their exceptional work in helping low-income Ontarians with complex legal problems? Tere’s still time to nominate them for the 2023 Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Award—the deadline has been extended to Friday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. About the award The award is named after Justice Sidney…

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…

Ash Keyvani, a staff family lawyer at Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) in Newmarket, remembers a mother of two who felt stressed when her former spouse falsely accused her of committing fraud. The ex-husband alleged that she failed to report child support payments from him while she was receiving social assistance at a time when the…

Helping a mother of three to access mental health resources and get her life back on track was a rewarding experience for Brockville lawyer Alana Logie. Alana is a staff lawyer in Brockville who provides duty counsel services to people eligible for legal aid. Her client became involved in a domestic dispute with her former…

Helping clients navigate the justice system and court process is one of the most satisfying aspects of duty counsel work. That’s the view of Steven Akman, who has been serving as a staff lawyer for Legal Aid Ontario in Belleville for the past 10 years. That role includes working as duty counsel, assisting clients at court…