More Albertans are eligible for legal aid under new guidelines
More Albertans are eligible for legal representation from Legal Aid Alberta, thanks to new financial guidelines that are now in effect. As of April 1, individuals earning a net annual income of $25,346 (approximately $30,000 gross) may qualify for legal representation in eligible criminal, family and immigration cases. The income amounts for larger […]
Planning leave or a vacation? Update your availability in the Lawyer Portal
Delays in appointing counsel can contribute to court delays, uncertainty for clients and unequal access to justice. Keeping your availability status up to date can mitigate these delays and ensure our clients get the help they need in a timely manner. If you are on leave or have a planned vacation coming up, use the […]
Time to celebrate: One-year milestone for LAA’s modernized Tariff
April 1, 2024, marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of our modernized Tariff. The modernized Tariff has received an overwhelmingly positive response, and we want to thank our colleagues for their patience during the implementation process. Legal Aid Alberta staff and our roster colleagues worked together to navigate various processes, including utilization of Extra […]
LAA roster lawyers named King’s Counsel
Congratulations to LAA roster team members who were recently named King’s Counsel in recognition of their contributions to the legal community. Announced March 28, a total of 103 lawyers across the province were recognized with the designation, including LAA roster members: Adebanke Adediran Michael Bates Suchetna Channan Shamsher Kothari Ian McKay Paul Moreau Kim Ross […]
Updating availability
Delays in appointing counsel can contribute to court delays, uncertainty for clients and unequal access to justice. Keeping your availability status up to date can mitigate these delays and ensure our clients get the help they need in a timely manner. If you are on leave or have a planned vacation coming up, use the […]
Ask a Lawyer: What happens to pets during divorce proceedings?
Division of property is just one step of many for Alberta families in a divorce proceeding. You can split the couch, the car and the house, but what about the beloved pets? Does “pet custody” exist in the eyes of the court? This month on Ask a Lawyer: Legal Aid Alberta staff lawyers Sheila […]
News: Financial Eligibility Guidelines Changes
On Monday, April 1, Legal Aid Alberta’s Financial Eligibility Guidelines will be increasing. The primary impact for roster lawyers is that more Albertans will be eligible for legal aid funding, resulting in a larger pool of certificates in the long run. Over the next few weeks, however, the more immediate impact is likely to be […]
Merit Opinions: What Are We Looking For?
LAA is seeking the background information that you have as trial counsel so that we can determine if there is merit to fund an appeal for the matter. Our staff lawyers make the final determination on merit for every appeal file, but the information in your opinions helps us know what issues were at play […]
Reminder: Gladue Report requests must be submitted online
A friendly reminder from Legal Aid Alberta’s representatives on the Gladue Report Committee that effective April 1, 2024, only electronic requests will be accepted for Gladue reports submitted by Counsel. Please use the online Gladue Request Form. Once submitted online, this form is automatically forwarded to the appropriate offices for processing. This form is the only method to […]
Changes to LAA’s Financial Eligibility Guidelines
On Monday, April 1, Legal Aid Alberta’s Financial Eligibility Guidelines will be increasing. The primary impact for roster lawyers is that more Albertans will be eligible for legal aid funding, resulting in a larger pool of certificates in the long run. Over the next few weeks, however, the more immediate impact is likely to be an increase […]