In Canada, there is an important difference between legal advice and legal help. Only lawyers can provide legal advice. There are many services and resources that provide free legal help. Generally, Legal Aid lawyers are available for criminal matters and family law matters that involve violence. Legal Aid is not available for civil law issues.
Do You Need Legal Help in Canada
In addition, we provide a series of free legal clinic that may provide you with access to a lawyer. Many courthouses also have duty counsel present to provide on-the-spot legal advice. You can contact your local courthouse to see when duty counsel might be available. There could be restrictions regarding what duty counsel can assist you with.
A legal advocate is someone who is trained to help people with a range of legal issues – but they are not lawyers. Advocates work primarily with economically challenged individuals. Advocates commonly provide services in these areas of law: Employment Assistance, Disability Assistance, Social Assistance, Rental Issues, Elder Care, etc.
CRIMINAL LEGAL ISSUES
You may qualify for legal aid if:
- You have been charged with a crime that could send you to jail if you are found guilty (there is a risk to liberty), or
- You are between 12 and 17 years old, and you have been charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Legal aid services for criminal matters include:
- Same-day legal advice and representation by duty counsel at criminal court and detention centers, and
- Certificates to cover the cost of a private lawyer for a set number of hours to represent you in court.
FAMILY LEGAL ISSUES
We might be able to help if you qualify and if:
If you qualify for assistance from LAO, you will receive a certificate to work with a lawyer; the lawyer you choose must be on the list of those who accept legal aid work.
To find a lawyer in your area who does legal aid work in the type of law that you need help with, you can contact us.
REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION
LEGAL ISSUE
We may pay for a lawyer to represent you if you are a refugee claimant or an immigrant who qualifies for legal aid services. If you are eligible for legal aid but do not have a lawyer, you can choose to have either a private bar or our staff lawyer represent you.