Legal Aid is an essential public service

A just society must provide its citizenry – young and old, rich and poor – access to the courts and other tribunals so that they can resolve the legal issues that confront them.  The right to go to court to have one’s rights defined and vindicated is a basic right …. Providing legal aid to low-income Canadians is an essential public service.  We need to think of it in the same way we think of health care or education.  The well-being of our justice system – and the public’s confidence in it – depends on it.
Beverley McLachlin
Rt. Hon. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada

Legal Aid Service in London

1. Legal Aid certificates are available to low income individuals for a variety of legal problems including: criminal matters (only where a jail term is probably), some contested family law matters, immigration and fefugee hearings, hearings before the Consent and Capacity Board, and some appeals to the Social Benefits Tribunal. Legal Aid Ontario

Legal Aid Ontario office
171 Queen'sAve, Suite 601
London
519-433-8179
Monday to Friday 9am-3pm

satellite office
Ontario Court of Justice
2nd floor
80 Dundas Street
Tues-Wed-Thurs 9am-noon
LAO will only meet with people at their satellite office who are charged with a ciminal offence AND have a court date that day.

2. Duty Counsel Program

Lawyers (duty counsel) are available for on-the-spot advice and representation for people attending at Criminal Court Duty counsel will not represent you at trial, but may represent you if you wish to enter a plea of guilty, depending on the seriousness of the charge.

Duty Counsel office
Ontario Court of Justice
2nd Floor
80 Dundas Street
Mon-Fri 9:30 to 4pm

Family Law Information Centre (FLIC)
Ontario Court of Justice
Main Floor
80 Dundas Street
Mon-Fri 9am - 3pm

Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)
150 Dufferin Ave
4th Floor

3. Neighbourhood Legal Services (NLS)
151 Dundas Street
Suite 507
519-438-2890
Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri - 9am-5pm
Wed 9am-noon

NLS deals primarily with matters in the areas of ODSP, EI, OW, CPP, and human rights.

4. Community Legal Services (CLS)
Room 120
Faculty of Law
University of Western Ontario
519-661-3352

Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm

New clients are not accepted between semesters.  CLS provides assistace for criminal law (cases where a jail sentence is not likely) Small Claims over $2000, and other matters.

5. Lawyer Referral Service
1-800-268-8326
will assist you in finding a lawyer. When you call the LRS, we will provide you with the name of a lawyer who will provide a free consultation of up to 30 minutes to help you determine your rights and options.  The Law Society's Lawyer Referral Service (LRS)