Ask a Lawyer: National Duty Counsel Day can be a powerful tool for those heading to court
Legal Aid Alberta staff lawyer Sean Smith shares the significance of knowing your rights and the crucial role of duty counsel in Canada Stepping into a courtroom can feel like entering a whole new world, filled with unfamiliar language and uncertainty. Whether you’re facing a criminal charge, dealing with a family issue, or […]
How to deal with a rejected authorization request
At times, Legal Aid Alberta must reject an authorization request due to lack of information. When this occurs, the comment section will outline to counsel what is missing. Counsel should then re-submit their request with all the information provided in the earlier request and add the missing data. If seeking more clarity about the rejected […]
LAA welcomes new roster members through enhanced onboarding
Key takeaways of LAA’s new enhanced onboarding for roster include: Enhanced onboarding includes a more detailed application and a brief information exchange. LAA is in the process of contacting more than 30 applicants who have expressed interest in joining the roster over the last few months. Since the summer, more than 30 lawyers […]
Legal Aid Alberta announces early closure Sept. 29 for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Legal Aid Alberta allows employees time for learning and reflection to honour residential school survivors on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, Legal Aid Alberta offices will close early to the public on Friday, September 29 to allow our teams to participate in an […]
Gladue principles and factors: What you need to know
R. v. Gladue established guidelines for courts when dealing with Indigenous people If you identify as an Indigenous person and find yourself charged with a criminal offence, the Court must consider these Gladue Principles and the Gladue Factors that apply to you. Be sure to ask your lawyer, duty counsel, or Indigenous court […]
New roster lawyers to attend first ever onboarding interviews
Legal Aid Alberta is pleased to announce that we are welcoming new counsel onto our roster through a new and enhanced onboarding process. LAA recognizes that our onboarding process was not as fulsome as it could and should be. At the application stage, new counsel joining our roster will now be provided with information that […]
Bail only certificates obtain more hours under new Tariff
In accordance with the new Tariff of Fees, bail only certificates will no longer be a maximum of two hours. Effective immediately, they align with tariffs 11.04 and 11.05. For example, if the highest legal level issue is Indictable, and bail is being spoken to in Provincial Court, three hours are provided under 11.04. If, […]
Ask a Lawyer: Canadian Justice System v. American TV Legal Dramas
Legal Aid Alberta staff lawyer Cameron Mitchell addresses common misconceptions about our justice system and how our courts work The allure of American legal dramas on TV like Law & Order and Suits often portray a day in the life of a lawyer with gripping courtroom showdowns and dramatic plot twists – but have you ever wondered just […]
When change of counsel comes into play
When our roster lawyers need to change counsel, working collaboratively with LAA Certificate and Tariff Officers (CTOs), knowing best practices and where to find valuable resources, can significantly facilitate a smooth transition. If your client fails to appear Where a client fails to appear for Court, and a maximum of 90 days have elapsed […]
Requesting duty counsel to act as an agent
Lately, we’ve had questions regarding the best process to request duty counsel (DC) to act as an agent on criminal matters. “If we have advanced notice of who duty counsel is on a particular date and location, can we send our instructions to adjourn directly to them?” This is not advised. Duty counsel staffing can […]