In brief
LAO in brief is your resource for news and information about doing legal aid work with Legal Aid Ontario.
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2019
October
Regional changes
Thursday, October 3
LAO updates processes for Refugee Protection Division hearing coverage
Wednesday, October 2
September
Legal Aid Online unavailable September 12 (6pm) to September 16 (6am)
Thursday, September 5
July
June
Duty counsel service changes effective July 7
Tuesday, June 18
Updated: LAO changes to policies and certificate coverage
Wednesday, June 12
May
LAO providing limited refugee law services through staff offices
Wednesday, May 15
April
February
Billing webinar: Using Legal Aid Online
Thursday, February 21
Submit your eligible account—get paid sooner
Wedneday, February 20
January
Staying connected to Legal Aid Online
Monday, January 28
2018
December
The Legal Aid Ontario Client Portal has launched!
Monday, December 3
November
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 54 now available
Wednesday, November 7
Legal Aid Ontario updates process for restraining order certificates
Monday, November 5
October
New process for counsel in-court certificate applications
Tuesday, October 9
September
LAO's website – we want to hear from you!
Wednesday, Septmber 19
Merit consideration guide available for Consent and Capacity Board appeals
Monday, September 17
Guaranteed authorization process for bail review pilot
Monday, September 17
May
Upcoming purchase order close process
Monday, May 28
Register now for the 2018 Refugee Law Office Conference!
Wednesday, May 23
April
Become an LAO advisor on complex criminal matters
Thursday, April 5
2017
December
November
LAO and MAG develop resources for family law cases subject to the Hague Service Convention
Thursday, November 30
LAO reintroducing merit consideration for Consent and Capacity Board appeals
Monday, November 6
Important notice - Legal Aid Online
- Thursday, November 2
October
Legal Aid Ontario's plea comprehension form is now available online
- Friday, October 27
September
LAO launches pilot to expedite applications from Toronto South Detention Centre
Monday, September 18
August
Notice: possible delay in legal aid payments
Friday, August 25
June
Hearing time billing reminder
Wednesday, June 14
Changes to the fee waiver regulation
Wednesday, June 7
May
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 53 now available
Wednesday, May 31
Certain documents can now be uploaded through Legal Aid Online
Tuesday, May 30
Register now for the 2017 Refugee Law Office Conference!
Wednesday, May 24
Refugee case law toolkit now available online
Thursday, May 11
February
LAO now funding second judicial pre-trials in all provincial courts
Tuesday, February 28
Reminder: Applying for a tier level increase
Tuesday, February 28
Scheduled Maintenance
Thursday, February 23
Complete your 2017 self-report by the March 31 deadline
Tuesday, February 21
Upcoming purchase order close process
Thursday, February 16
New question on lawyer response form for change of solicitor requests
Monday, February 13
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 52 now available
Wednesday, February 8
January
Legal Aid Online account submission process updates
Monday, January 30
2016
December
Reminder: The deadline for submitting your LAO self-report for 2015 has passed
Monday, December 12
November
Updated Gladue panel standards and requirements
Wednesday, November 16
All notices will be on Legal Aid Online, none to be mailed
Thursday, November 3
October
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 51 now available
Wednesday, October 26
September
Expansion of Judicial Pre-Trial pilot process
Wednesday, September 21
July
Deadline to join a refugee panel is July 31
Tuesday, July 26
Second chair mentoring program update
Monday, July 18
June
Judicial Pre-Trial pilot process
Friday, June 24
May
Register now for the 2016 Refugee Law Office Conference!
Friday, May 27
Aboriginal Self-Identification Question to become mandatory June 1st
Thursday, May 26
Billing update: Submitting accounts when two block fee matters for a client are resolved together
Tuesday, May 17
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 50 now available
Wednesday, May 18
April
Hot bytes news for lawyers is now LAO in brief news for lawyers
Wednesday, April 13
January
New coverage for immigration detainees through habeas corpus
Tuesday, January 12
Panel lawyers: complete your 2015 self-report by the March 31 deadline
Tuesday, January 12
2015
December
Revised Refugee Protection Division practice manual now available online
Wednesday, December 23
Alternative Fee Arrangement pilot project expands
Friday, December 18
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 49 now available
Wednesday, December 2
November
Certificate coverage for merit assessments now available to refugee appellate panel lawyers
Wednesday, November 18
Expedites for Syrian refugee claimants
Monday, November 2
October
How to request Brydges hotline lawyer reports
Tuesday, October 6
August
Expanded coverage for bail services
Friday, August 7
July
LAO establishes permanent funding for refugee appeals
Friday, July 24
Information every panel lawyer should know
Wednesday, July 15
June
Certificate coverage for refugee lawyers
Wednesday, June 24
Immigration & refugee law certificate expansion
Wednesday, June 24
Register today for 2015 Refugee Law Office conference
Wednesday, June 10
May
New translation disbursement for refugee certificates
Friday, May 29
Professionalism policy for panel lawyers
Tuesday, May 26
FYI family lawyers: New policy directive for Children’s Aid Societies on hair strand testing
Friday, May 8
Deadline postponed for self-reporting
Thursday, May 7
April
Updated features for duty counsel on Legal Aid Online
Tuesday, April 28
Update on expenses eligible as disbursements on certificate accounts
Monday, April 27
Job aid and webinar sessions about changes to Legal Aid Online
Friday, April 24
LAO implements strengthened refugee and immigration panel standards
Tuesday, April 21
Second chair mentorship program expands
Thursday, April 2
March
Lawyers’ pay rates to increase April 1, 2015
Tuesday, March 31
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 48 now available
Monday, March 30
February
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 47 now available
Wednesday, February 4
How to fix small or missing text when printing Legal Aid Online pages
Monday, February 2
January
LAO board approves new refugee and immigration panel standards
Thursday, January 8
2014
December
Update: Fixing Legal Aid Online access issues
Tuesday, December 23
We’ve upgraded Legal Aid Online; please make sure your browser is compatible
Wednesday, December 17
Legal Aid Online system outage reminder
Friday, December 5
November
Legal Aid Online will be… offline December 11 to 15
Wednesday, November 12
Certificate clean-up process for Legal Aid Online
Wednesday, November 5
October
LAO increases hours available for child protection cases
Monday, October 20
September
Major to certificate billing processes
Tuesday, September 23
Non-litigation certificate coverage
Wednesday, September 10
August
Proposed refugee & immigration panel standards released
Tuesday, August 26
Important upgrades to Legal Aid Online platform underway
Monday, August 18
Better Billing Bulleting (B3) volumen 46 now available
Friday, August 15
July
IRB hearing hours now added to legacy claim PIF certificates
Wednesday, July 9
Independent legal advice certificates available province-wide
Thursday, July 3
LAO introduces separation agreement certificates
Thursday, July 3
June
One convenient self-report for all panels
Thursday, June 19
May
Annual LAO Refugee Law Office conference
Thursday, May 22
Deadline is now June 9 to tell us what you think about our conflict management program for family law
Wednesday, May 21
Refugee lawyers: help us speed up authorizations for your RPD hearings
Wednesday, May 21
Apply by May 23 for a bursary to attend the 35th Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop in July
Friday, May 16
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 45 is now available
Friday, May 2
April
Speedier payment of accounts
Thursday, April 17
Legal Aid Online has been assessed and is safe to use
Thursday, April 10
Is your Legal Aid Online account information up to date?
Wednesday, April 9
March
LAO and stakeholders taking next steps together to update quality standards for refugee and immigration service providers
Thursday, March 27
Lawyers’ pay rates to increase April 1, 2014
Wednesday, March 19
Intake changes to refugee staff services
Tuesday, March 18
LAO to improve judicial review merit assessment process for refugee clients
Thursday, March 13
A new easy-to-fill-in application form for Big Case Management appeals
Wednesday, March 5
February
LAO pilots special authorization for independent legal advice
Tuesday, February 18
How to backdate your account
Monday, February 3
January
Lawyers to be paid even if disbursements put them over the eligible limit
Thursday, January 30
LAO improves services for refugees and immigrants based on province-wide consultations with service providers
Thursday, January 16
Lawyer Service Centre service advisory
Monday, January 13
Reminder: Refugee and immigration panel standards consultations ending soon
Tuesday, January 7
New online panel lawyer directory coming soon
Monday, January 6
2013
December
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 44 is now available
Wednesday, December 18
Refugee service provider? Have your say about LAO’s proposed panel standards
Friday, December 6
November
New feature on Legal Aid Online to help lawyers submit bills on time
Friday, November 22
LAO consulting with refugee lawyers on proposed panel standards
Thursday, November 21
October
New change to block fee resolution rule
Wednesday, October 22
LAO to fund digital audio recordings of court proceedings
Wednesday, October 16
Notice: Issue with lawyers’ deposit notices
Friday, October 11
September
LAO to fund certificate for refugees at risk of losing their status
Wednesday, September 4
August
LAO’s RAD pilot to fund transcripts for refugee appeals
Monday, August 19
July
LAO increases coverage for RPD matters and adds ministerial intervention as discretionary factor
Wednesday, July 31
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 43 is now available
Friday, July 19
June
Change of Solicitor forms available on Legal Aid Online
Monday, June 10
May
Enhancements to Legal Aid Online to help reduce data errors, speed up processing of accounts
Friday, May 24
Help LAO continue to improve BCM by answering questionnaire
Thursday, May 23
Update on Legal Aid Ontario’s delivery of refugee services
Friday, May 17
LAO review committee to advise on implementation of Refugee Services Transformation initiatives
Wednesday, May 8
Big Case Management (BCM) forms now easier to use
Monday, May 6
April
LAO posts its Law Times Op-Ed on changes to refugee services
Monday, April 22
Introducing LAO’s Provincial Case Management Office
Wednesday, April 17
LAO responds to feedback on its proposed refugee law services model
Thursday, April 11
Reminder: Annual self-report submission deadline is July 1, 2013
Tuesday, April 9
March
Tariff rate increase coming April 1
Thursday, March 28
Refugee law services online consultation feedback
Friday, March 22
Update: LAO interim measures for refugee law services
Monday, March 11
LAO has updated its refugee information pages
Wednesday, March 6
Notice: LAO client financial reassessments
Wednesday, March 6
February
LAO welcomes on-line feedback to refugee law services transformation
Friday, February 22
LAO continues making improvements to Legal Aid Online
Friday, February 8
LAO accelerates application process for refugees
Friday, February 8
LAO expands its interim measures for refugee law services
Tuesday, February 5
Overview of the clinic compensation funding framework
Friday, February 1
January
Better Billing Bulletin (B3) volume 42 is now available
Tuesday, January 29
LAO announces interim process for refugee law services
Friday, January 25
Refugee resources on LawFacts recently updated
Friday, January 25
CEO presentation to CDLPA Fall 2012 plenary session now online
Friday, January 18
Legal Aid Ontario: Myths and realities
Friday, January 18
Complex Case Rate billing tips
Wednesday, January 16
How to submit refugee claimant PIFs/BOCs to LAO
Friday, January 11
Give us your feedback on our consultation and training sessions
Tuesday, January 8
2012
December
LAO implements interim plan for eligible refugee law clients
Thursday, December 20
Refugee law services consultation feedback
Wednesday, December 19
Reminder: LAO staff cannot accept holiday gifts
Wednesday, December 19
New LSUC lawyer status verification
Tuesday, December 18
Interim changes to LAO’s refugee law services after mid-December
Tuesday, December 11
LAO wraps up consultations on refugee law services reform
Tuesday, December 11
November
Join a Legal Aid Ontario training session on clarified new discretion guidelines
Thursday, November 22
Register for information sessions on case management and tariff pre-authorizations
Wednesday, November 21
LAO’s new discretion guidelines, case management and tariff pre-authorizations come into effect Nov. 26, 2012
Tuesday, November 20
The verdict is in: amending certificates for criminal matters on Legal Aid Online saves time and effort
Thursday, November 15
LAO fast-tracks financial eligibility confirmation for refugees seeking judicial review
Friday, November 9
LAO launches wireless in the courthouse pilot
Thursday, November 1
October
Join a Legal Aid Ontario training session on clarified new discretion guidelines
Wednesday, October 31
LAO to consult on refugee law services reform
Tuesday, October 30
Legal Aid Online now available
Friday, October 19
Legal Aid Online power interruption
Thursday, October 18
Legal Aid Online now available
Wednesday, October 17
Legal Aid Ontario begins case management and tariff pre-authorization consultations
Tuesday, October 16
Legal Aid Online temporarily unavailable
Tuesday, October 16
Enhancements to Legal Aid Online promote better billing
Friday, October 5
September
Legal Aid Online: More than just a billing portal
Friday, September 14
Lawyers now able to attach dockets and disbursement invoices to block fee accounts
Wednesday, September 12
Thunder Bay loses respected lawyer Peter Mrowiec
Thursday, September 6
August
Legal Aid Ontario releases final discretion guidelines and initiatives
Thursday, August 16
Initiatives to respond to tariff matters
Thursday, Augsut 16
Mystery Shopper/Customer Service Evaluator – Fraud Alert
Thursday, August 9
Changing refugee and immigration legal aid services
Wednesday, August 1
July
June
Discretion guidelines consultation feedback
Wednesday, June 20
Kenora lawyer Peter G. Kirby wins Sidney B. Linden Award
Wednesday, June 20
May
LAO wraps up discretion consultations
Monday, May 28
LAO yearly billing limits soon trackable online
Thursday, May 24
LAO releases new, user-friendly legal aid service brochure
Monday, May 14
April
Improving the discretion request process: We want your feedback
Monday, April 30
Reminder: Annual self-report submission deadline is June 30, 2012
Wednesday, April 18
LAO’s Ethics Hotline Protecting Taxpayers
Wednesday, April 18
March
Tariff rate increase coming April 1
Friday, March 30
New! Lawyers able to submit requests through Legal Aid Online April 1
Tuesday, March 27
Certificate acknowledgement dates extended
Monday, March 13
Notice to lawyers: Late billed accounts update
Monday, March 5
Legal Aid Online to undergo certificate clean-up process March 7
Friday, March 2
February
Call for nominations: 2012 Sidney B. Linden Award
Friday, February 24
The clients have spoken: LAO’s annual feedback survey now online
Thursday, February 16
Update: Sixty-one per cent of applications approved for CCR panel
Thursday, February 9
New: Late billed accounts now accepted online
Monday, February 6
LAO meets with lawyer groups in Ottawa and Brockville
Thursday, February 2
New legal information website surpasses 15,000 views in first two months
Wednesday, February 1
January
Coming soon: Legal Aid Online to accept late accounts
Monday, January 30
New! Electronic certificate documents available next week
Thursday, January 12
Register for block fee training sessions now
Wednesday, January 11
Family law centres score high with LAO clients
Wednesday, January 4
Annual poll: Clients happier with legal aid lawyers
Tuesday, January 3
2011
December
LAO billing limit now measured in dollars
Friday, December 16
Legal Aid Ontario launches new legal information website
Thursday, December 8
Legal Aid Ontario response to Auditor General report
Tuesday, December 6
November
Notice to lawyers regarding block fee billing
Wednesday, November 30
Coming soon! New Legal Aid Online features simplify the certificate acknowledgement and billing process
Tuesday, November 29
Criminal amendment requests: When money seized is police property
Thursday, November 24
LAO enhancing family law services
Friday, November 11
October
Electronic certificate documents soon available through Legal Aid Online
Thursday, October 13
September
This weekend, Legal Aid Online will be… OFFLINE for major upgrades
Tuesday, September 27
Scheduled Maintenance: Legal Aid Online
Friday, September 23
August
LAO complaints process more transparent for clients
Wednesday, August 31
Electronic request forms coming to Legal Aid Online
Tuesday, August 30
Register for block fee training sessions now
Thursday, August 18
July
Lawyer accounts now paid to tariff maximum within 30 days
Friday, July 15
Billing tip: Submitting files to Legal Aid Online
Wednesday, July 13
June
The Q-Newsletter for Spring 2011 is now available
Monday, June 20
Nominations now open for the Legal Aid Leader Award
Thursday, June 16
Canada Post strike action plan: Payment deposit notices now available through Legal Aid Online
Monday, June 6
Request forms for criminal certificates now online
Monday, June 6
Reminder: annual self-report submission deadline is June 30, 2011
Wednesday, May 18
Five things lawyers should know about the block fee pilot
Thursday, June 2
May
Legal Aid Online error messages
Tuesday, May 31
Block fees phase 2 online billing implementation
Thursday, May 26
Legal Aid Online: Scheduled maintenance
Wednesday, May 25
Register for block fee training sessions now
Tuesday, May 24
Block fee information sessions coming to a city near you
Friday, May 20
LAO surveys lawyers on block fees
Wednesday, May 18
LAO announces phase 2 criminal block fee pilot rates
Monday, May 16
Submit your Phase 1 block fee draft accounts now
Friday, May 13
April
LAO speaks to the Ottawa Bar
Thursday, April 21
LAO introduces Phase 2 of block fee pilot on May 16
Friday, April 15
Legal Aid Ontario implements new duty counsel referral process
Friday, April 15
Legal Aid Ontario establishes Complex Case Rate panel
Friday, April 1
March
Legal Aid Ontario tariff rate increase
Tuesday, March 29
E-notifications give legal aid lawyers the upper hand with certificate acknowledgments
Thursday, March 3
LAO Launches Gladue panel standards March 1, 2011
Tuesday, March 1
February
Legal Aid Ontario delivers news in a flash with RSS
Thursday, February 10
Better Billing Bulletin Volume 38 is now available
Friday, February 4
LAO to Launch Complex Case Rate – April 1, 2011
Tuesday, February 1
LAO now paying over 98 per cent of lawyers' accounts within 60 days
Tuesday, February 1
January
GATCC Meeting Schedule for 2011
Friday, January 14
Payment Schedule for 2011 now available
Tuesday, January 11
2010
December
Dockets will become mandatory in January
Tuesday, December 21
Lawyers’ panel information now available on Legal Aid Online
Friday, December 17
LAO listens to lawyers on changes to block fees pilot
Friday, December 10
Legal Aid Online: Scheduled Maintenance
Friday, December 10
LAO introduces Gladue panel standards
Wednesday, December 1
November
New client update feature on Legal Aid Online
Tuesday, November 30
September
LAO amends block fee charge list
Wednesday, September 15
August
LAO reduces lawyer payment delays
Tuesday, August 31
Legal Aid Online will be unavailable this weekend from 12:00 midday Saturday, August 21 to 6:00 am Monday morning, August 23.
Friday, August 20
Reminder: Lawyer Service Centre hotline available
Friday, August 20
July
Block fees myths and misunderstandings
Wednesday, July 21
Block fees billing portal now live!
Tuesday, July 13
Block fees billing: training videos and job aids
Thursday, July 8
Block fee accounts coming soon to Legal Aid Online
Tuesday, July 6
June
Legal Aid Online unavailable July 1, 2010
Wednesday, June 30
Better Billing Bulletin: Special Edition – Lawyer Payment Delays
Thursday, June 24
HST added to certificate services as of July 1, 2010
Wednesday, June 9
Block fees billing portal delayed
Friday, June 4
May
Q-Newsletter
Monday, May 31 - The Quality Service Office's Winter/Spring 2010 newsletter is now available
Interested in Becoming an Area Committee Member?
Friday, May 21
Panel lawyers receive retroactive pay under new tariff
Monday, May 17
LAO reduces red tape for amending Criminal Certificates
Monday, May 10
Changes to Legal Aid Ontario’s Civil Litigation Coverage
Tuesday, May 4
Legal Aid Ontario Tariff Increase Update
Tuesday, May 4
April
What is LAO's Block Fee Program
Thursday, April 29
Block Fees start May 1st for most common criminal charges
Friday, April 16
Legal Aid Ontario transforms services in Scarborough
Friday, April 3
Annual Panel Self-Report: Online tool now available.
Thursday, April 1
March
Legal Aid Ontario transforms services in Peel Region
Friday, March 29
Legal Aid Ontario transforms services in Etobicoke
Friday, March 12
Legal Aid Ontario transforms services in Toronto
Monday, March 1
February
Implementation of Revised Tariff Rates and Enhanced Rate for Complex Criminal Cases
Thursday, February 25
CLE downloads now available
Tuesday, February 9
New materials developed for Aboriginal people facing bail or sentencing
Tuesday, February 9
January
2009
December
Mandatory Online Billing coming January 1, 2010 – help us pay you faster!
Thursday, December 31
November
Now available: Better, faster certificate acknowledgement
Monday, November 23
Technology allows lawyers to acknowledge certificates faster
Thursday, November 12
October
Legal Aid Online Upgrade a Success!
Monday, October 5
September
Legal Aid Online Upgrade is Coming Soon!
Friday, September 18
Why do legal work for LAO?
Wednesday, September 2
August
July
Legal Aid Ontario Refugee and Immigration Services
Friday, July 3
May
Articling Fellowships help Legal Aid Ontario expand services to clients
Wednesday, May 27
5 hour Gladue Certificate Extension now available
Tuesday, May 4
April
Lawyer's Annual Self-Report for 2009
Monday, April 13
Seminars for lawyers on domestic violence and clients
Monday, April 6
March
2008
December
LSUC Client Identification Requirement Exemption
Tuesday, December 30 (updated Feb.11 /09)
November
Notice to Duty Counsel and Advice Lawyers - Change to PO Numbers
Friday, November 21
October
Before logging into Legal Aid Online
Monday, October 27
2008 Legal Aid Ontario service satisfaction survey
Monday, October 20
July
Q-Newsletter for Spring '08 is now available
Wednesday, July 15
Lawyer Services and Payments Department is moving
Thursday, July 10
June
Annual Panel Self-Report is due June 30
Monday, June 23
LSP Focuses on Minimal Disruption to Lawyer Account Payments
Thursday, June 3
May
April
LAO seeks exceptional nominees for Sidney B. Linden Award
Tuesday, April 29
Lawyer Services and Payments is Moving
Tuesday, April 29
Lawyers learn it pays to read the new Better Billing Bulletin
Friday, April 4
Annual Panel Self-Report: Online tool now available
Wednesday, April 2
March
Hardcap Detail Report on Legal Aid Online
Thursday, March 20
OLA still going strong, SOAP shows promise
Wednesday, March 12
February
The new OLA Portal is going strong
Friday, February 22
LAO piloting new online services to improve access for clients
Friday, February 15
January
Online Certificate Acknowledgement enhancements
Friday, January 25