Institutional Addresses & General Inquiry Numbers
REGIONAL CONTACT LIST for LAO staff (updates ongoing)
April 9th Legal Aid Ontario announced further emergency temporary changes to their billing and certificate coverage in order to address the continuing challenges of the COVID pandemic. In brief, below are changes: *Extending billing deadlines when submitted late as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, billing deadlines will be extended for accounts due between March 16, 2020 and September 30, 2020 *Expanding the criteria for exceptional circumstances for discretionary payments beyond the applicable tariff to include additional work that was required as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic *Treating teleconference and video appearances as physical appearances for the purposes of LAO billing rules *Allowing lawyers to bill a criminal law certificate as a block fee, or by the hourly tariff *Further information for Temporary Absence Permit certificate coverage including early release remedies at federal institutions More information can be found on FOLA's website.
March 25 - Legal Aid Notice with respect to changes to summary legal advice services.
Effective as of end of day on Friday, March 20, 2020, LAO has stopped all in-person staff and per diem services in the courthouses across the province until further notice. They will be using their normal system of staff and per diems for all services done remotely. Certificates will still be available in the normal course. Also, LAO recently announced that it will be temporarily re-instating the bail block to the private bar with certificates in order to respond to demand as a result of COVID-19. Details to follow. Panel lawyers should know that they can do bails (on certificates) and be paid per the former rules. LAO also announced that, in order to ensure that those in remand are getting fair treatment and timely access to justice, LAO will no longer assess merit prior to granting bail review authorizations. Further, LAO is exploring billing and administrative changes to support the private bar and their legally aided clients during this crisis period. You can visit the Legal Aid website for more information.
