Legal Aid Ontario
CONNECTING REGIONS:
DURHAM-FRONTENAC
About Legal Aid Ontario
2
LAO’s mandate is to "promote access to justice
throughout Ontario for low-income individuals by
means of providing consistently high quality legal aid
services in a cost-effective and efficient manner”.
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Legal Aid Ontario services
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LAO is committed to continuously enhancing client
services that meet client expectations
Seamless Service
Lower cost transactions
No wrong door
Accessibility
Multilingual services
Right service at the right time
Simplified process
Standardization
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March 3-4, 2011
Legal Aid Ontario services
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 Telephone
 Web/Internet
 Courthouse services
 Duty counsel
 Private Bar
 Brydges
 Aboriginal services
 Community Legal Clinics
(independent not-for-profit organizations)
 Law School Clinics
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March 3-4, 2011
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 Toll-free service is a key part of
Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
LAO’s new service delivery model

Telephone based toll-free services is
scalable to manage continuous
enhancements and growing demand

Toll-free services provides a greater
range of services than were previously
available at legal aid offices

Telephone service providing clients
with a much requested tool for
accessing legal assistance.
Monday to Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)
TTY:
1-866-641-8867
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March 3-4, 2011
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 Toll-free help line launched in
Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
December 2008


Monday to Friday:

8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.

(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)
Accessible from anywhere in Ontario
and out-of-province
Collect calls accepted
1,300 calls answered per day, with an
average wait time of under one minute.
TTY services for hearing impaired
clients, including message relay to
other departments in Legal Aid Ontario

TTY:
1,093 calls to the TTY line answered
between Dec ’10 and Feb ‘11
1-866-641-8867
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March 3-4, 2011
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Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
 Services available in 120
languages, including 18 aboriginal
languages and dialects

4,840 calls answered from non-English
callers in January 2011
Monday to Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)
TTY:
 Enhanced menu of information is
under development to permit
clients calling after-hours to
access help
1-866-641-8867
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
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
Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
Monday to Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)

Separate queue for French language
callers
Priority queue for:
Victims of domestic violence
 Callers requiring interpretation
 Callers from courthouse locations:
 CSC has access to client’s information
 5 CSC staff dedicated to take calls
 Simplified screening process
 Reduced turn around time to process
application

TTY:
1-866-641-8867
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March 3-4, 2011
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 Calls to the toll-free service
Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
Monday to Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)
continue to climb, with 9,417
more calls answered in Jan ‘11
than in Apr ‘10
Toll-free service monthly call volume
21,682 22,064
20,000
15,521
16,900
19,263 19,869
17,848
17,767
15,000
10,000
1-866-641-8867
5,000
8,185
7,873
5,883
TTY:
24,938
23,788
25,000
5,195
4,724
4,729
4,716
5,192
6,259
3,928
6,081
4,527
3,818
4,153
0
Apr-10 May-10 Jun-10 Jul-10 Aug-10 Sep-10 Oct-10 Nov-10 Dec-10 Jan-11
Tier 1 calls answered
Connecting Regions
Tier 2 calls answered
Lawyer Service Centre
March 3-4, 2011
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Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
Services available:
 Certificate applications
 Referrals to


Monday to Friday:

8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)



TTY:

Duty counsel
Community legal clinics
Ontario Disability Support Program or
Ontario Works
Family Responsibility Office
Citizenship and Immigration
Ontario Labour Relations Board
Law Society of Upper Canada
1-866-641-8867
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March 3-4, 2011
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Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
Services available (cont...)
 Information for current clients


Monday to Friday:

8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)
TTY:
1-866-641-8867
Connecting Regions
Application or appeal status
Change of address or personal
information
Confirmation of lawyer
acknowledgement of certificate
 20 minute telephone-based
criminal and family law summary
legal advice (SLA) services

1363 assists provided between Aug '10
and Jan '11
March 3-4, 2011
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 The number of summary legal
advice assists has continued to
climb between Apr ’10 and Jan ‘11
Toll-free services
1-800-668-8258
Monday to Friday:
Summary legal advice: total assists
250
8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
200
(Best time to call between 8-10
a.m. and 3-5 p.m.)
150
201
161
142
108
100
TTY:
50
1-866-641-8867
0
72
81
103
66
114
78
36
Aug-10
Sep-10
Oct-10
Criminal
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201
Nov-10
Dec-10
Jan-11
Family
March 3-4, 2011
Legal Aid Ontario Service integration
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Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Enhanced website
www.legalaid.on.ca
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 Enhanced website provides in-depth information for
clients and lawyers

1800 visitors to the website each day
 Quick online access to information about LAO’s
range of services better prepare clients to navigate
the justice system
 Internet-based services are a cost-effective and easily
accessible way to receive legal information from
anywhere inside or outside of Ontario.
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Enhanced website
www.legalaid.on.ca
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 New services such as the Family Law Information
Program (FLIP) and Public Legal Information (PLI)
will broaden legal services for both low and middle
income Ontarians.

FLIP is a free online resource that provides legal and practical
information for adults in Ontario whose relationship with their
spouse or partner is breaking down.


http://legalaid.on.ca/en/getting/flip.asp
PLI, available early spring 2011, is an online resource that
clients will be able to access that will help them make more
efficient use of frontline services such as duty counsel.

While initially focused on criminal matters, PLI will be
expanded to include family law.
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Courthouse services
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 Integrating services and resources in courthouse
locations ensures direct-client services are accessible
for low-income Ontarians.

Courthouse services are a key aspect of providing the right
service at the right time.
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Courthouse services
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 51 courthouse locations offer a convenient way to
provide low-income Ontarians appearing in court
that day without a lawyer, help or information on
their legal matters.

90 per cent of all criminal matters are heard in courts that
have an LAO office.
 Courthouse locations assist with filling out certificate
applications, referrals to other services and general
information about court processes.
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March 3-4, 2011
Courthouse services
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 Courthouse-based duty counsel lawyers provide
assistance for low-income Ontarians who are
unrepresented in criminal and family matters.
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March 3-4, 2011
Courthouse services
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 Duty counsel services
include:

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

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Assessing the legal needs of
clients
Providing information and legal
advice
Providing representation where
appropriate
Making referrals to other LAO
services, including the toll-free
call centre and LAO courthouse
office for legal aid certificate
services
Making referrals to other nonLAO services in the community
Connecting Regions
In fiscal year
2009/10, duty
counsel lawyers
provided over a
million assists
March 3-4, 2011
Simplified certificate program eligibility
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 A Simplified financial eligibility test introduced in
February 2011 expedites the application process for
Legal Aid Ontario’s certificate program, providing
faster services for low-income Ontarians.
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Faster certificate appeals process
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 Appeals are now processed faster and more
consistently through area committees

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Area committees consider appeals within three days
Clients no longer need to travel to area committee meetings for
their appeal matters to be heard
Area committee meetings are held by teleconference with the
necessary documents available for review on a secure website
Area committee membership criteria has changed and
members are now paid for their work
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March 3-4, 2011
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 Community legal clinics are nonCommunity legal
clinics
77 community legal
clinics (including 17
specialty legal
clinics)
profit legal centres that provide
low-income people and
communities triaged assistance
with matters such as housing,
income security programs, and
workers’ rights
 Other matters may include:
Six student legal aid
societies

Aboriginal legal
services corporation
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Human rights
Criminal Injuries Compensation
Consumer law
Special education and education law
Other areas of the law depending on
community need
March 3-4, 2011
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 Community legal clinics offer a variety
Community legal
clinics
of services, including:
o
Triaged legal services
comprehensive referrals
 legal information and advice
 brief services, where representation is
not necessary or feasible
 legal representation before courts and
tribunals

77 community legal
clinics (including 17
specialty legal
clinics)

Six student legal aid
societies
Aboriginal legal
services corporation
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Outreach activities
Websites with legal information
Public legal education of all types
Community development and community
capacity-building
Systemic advocacy
Law reform including test case litigation
March 3-4, 2011
LAO in Durham-Frontenac district
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 LAO has been
providing access to
justice for low-income
clients in DurhamFrontenac since 1967

117,130 DurhamFrontenac area residents
currently fall below the
low-income cut-off line,
Connecting Regions
LICO Stats - By clinic and
Total Durham-Frontenac
District - 2006 Census
16,445
830
6,160
52,200
18,470
22,925
Durham CLC
Hastings Prince Edward LS (Belleville)
Kingston CLC
Northumberland CLC
Peterborough CLC
Rural Legal Services (Sharbot Lake)
March 3-4, 2011
LAO in Durham-Frontenac district
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 LAO recognizes the need for high-quality cost
effective services and is committed to
maintaining a strong presence in the DurhamFrontenac district

82 per cent of Durham-Frontenac district legal aid
applicants to the certificate program are accepted
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March 3-4, 2011
LAO in Durham-Frontenac district
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l
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March 3-4, 2011
LAO in Durham-Frontenac district
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LAO services points in the district

Community Clinics
7 community clinics
 7 main office and 13+ additional satellite locations

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Correctional Law Project
Student Legal Services – Queen’s University Legal Aid
Belleville’s Community Advocacy & Legal Centre and Queen’s
University Student Legal Services share space at the Napanee
office on Tuesday & Friday
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
LAO in Durham-Frontenac district
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District office role


Peterborough district office and the Oshawa and Napanee
offices coordinate and support staff and per diem lawyers, duty
counsel.
Offices also manage client service and build partnerships with
justice sector stakeholders
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March 3-4, 2011
Lawyers in Durham-Frontenac
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 317 active lawyers accepting legal aid work operate in
the Durham-Frontenac district.
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194 on the Criminal Panel
207 on the Family Panel
140 on the Child and Family Services Panel
9 on the Refugee & Immigration Panel
30 on the Consent and Capacity Board Panel
42 on Extremely Serious Matters Panel
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March 3-4, 2011
Service cooperation in Durham-Frontenac
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 LAO continues to receive and process expedited
applications from shelters across the district.

Shelters fax the completed application to either the
Peterborough district office or the Napanee office.

Applications completed by Rights Advisors, Patient Advocates
and duty counsel (in the case of the Regional Treatment
Centre) for clients requiring representation for CCB/Mental
Health matters are expedited and processed by the
Peterborough district office and the Napanee and Oshawa
offices.
Connecting Regions
March 3-4, 2011
Service cooperation in Durham-Frontenac
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 Federal institutions
serviced by LAO:
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Millhaven
Bath
Kingston Penitentiary
Regional Treatment
Centre
Collins Bay
Frontenac
Joyceville
Pittsburgh
Warkworth
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 Provincial institutions
serviced by LAO:


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Quinte Detention Centre
Central East Correctional
Centre
Brookside Youth Centre
Sundance Youth Centre
March 3-4, 2011
Connecting Regions: Durham-Frontenac
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COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
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March 3-4, 2011