If you cannot afford a lawyer, and if the Government grants you a Legal Aid Certificate, we are prepared to assist you. Legal Aid in Toronto is available to low income individuals with a variety of legal problems. If you need a criminal lawyer to assist you in a Toronto court, or you need some advice or assistance with court documents, Legal Aid would be able to provide you with legal assistance.
If your legal problem is covered by Legal Aid, or if you have little money left over after you pay for basic necessities, then you will be eligible for Legal Aid in Toronto.
To qualify for a Legal Aid Certificate, you will have to do a financial eligibility test, where Legal Aid staff will analyze your financial situation. Every situation is different, and the financial test depends on the size of your family and your monthly expenses. The Legal Aid Certificate program entitles you to receive advice and representation through a criminal lawyer in Toronto or through Legal Aid staff lawyers. To apply for a Legal Aid Certificate, which outlines the services Legal Aid will provide, you must attend in person at a local Legal Aid office in Toronto.
Legal assistance is also available through the community legal clinic program. Clinics provide services for poverty law issues related to landlord/tenant disputes, disability support, and family benefits payments. Other alternatives to Legal Aid are duty council, or the Student Legal Aid Service Societies (SLASS) who are available in six Ontario universities with a Faculty of Law. Volunteer law students represent clients with the supervision of full time lawyers.
