STEP 1
You can contact LAA in three ways:
Please note: Duty counsel is available to assist you at the courthouse on the day of your scheduled appearance. Be sure to attend the correct court location and on the date listed on your court documents.
STEP 2
LAA will ask a few questions about income, assets and expenses to confirm your financial eligibility. While AISH recipients are generally considered eligible, all clients must have less than $120,000 in equity assets to qualify.
If you are between the ages of 12 and 17 years old and have been charged with a criminal offence, financial eligibility guidelines do not apply and you have the right to a legal aid lawyer under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
STEP 3
If you are an adult and your charge is a low-level criminal offence, LAA will refer you to our Duty Counsel Triage Program. This program helps you resolve your matter without needing a legal aid certificate (and a bill for legal services). If duty counsel cannot assist, they will assess whether imprisonment upon conviction is likely to determine if you’re eligible for a legal aid certificate.
If your charge is an indictable criminal offence (serious charges where imprisonment upon conviction is the usual outcome), LAA will send your matter as a certificate offer to your preferred counsel (or a counsel selected by LAA if you have no preference).
STEP 4
When you apply, you’ll be asked to provide the name of a preferred lawyer. To prepare, visit our Lawyer Directory. You can search by court location, area of law or languages spoken to find a Roster lawyer that is right for you.
LAA staff lawyers provide full representation but only accept certain types of cases; therefore, you may be connected with a roster lawyer.
The lawyer has 48 business hours to accept your certificate. Lawyers may decline due to availability, workload, or conflict of interest. LAA continues to offer the certificate until it is accepted.
STEP 5
Once a staff or roster lawyer accepts your certificate, LAA will email you the lawyer’s contact information. Please check your junk mail and spam folders. You and your lawyer can then contact one another. Often, your lawyer will reach out at your next court appearance or as soon as they are able.
From this point, you will work directly with your lawyer and do not need to contact LAA again unless:
STEP 1
If you are seeking assistance with family law matters, you can contact LAA by phone. You can also speak with a duty counsel lawyer at King’s Bench Family Docket Court in Edmonton and Calgary, as well as at 75 court locations across Alberta.
Please note: Duty counsel is available to assist you at the courthouse on the day of your scheduled appearance. Be sure to attend the correct court location and on the date listed on your court documents.
STEP 2
Due to changes in the court processes and a focus on mediation prior to taking court action, most clients applying for family matters are referred to free resolution services through the courthouse.
If free resolution services cannot resolve your issue, you may seek legal representation from Legal Aid Alberta.
LAA will ask you a few questions about your income, assets and expenses to confirm your financial eligibility. If you are an AISH recipient, you are generally considered eligible. However, all clients must have less than $120,000 in equity assets to qualify.
STEP 3
Once we’ve confirmed your financial eligibility, our assessment team will ask you to provide all relevant documents for review. The team will conduct a detailed review to determine service eligibility if you have complex family matters, such as spousal support, custody, or property division.
STEP 4
When you apply, you’ll be asked to provide the name of a preferred lawyer. To prepare, visit our Lawyer Directory. You can search by court location, area of law or languages spoken to find a Roster lawyer that is right for you.
LAA staff lawyers provide full representation but only accept certain types of cases; therefore, you may be connected with a roster lawyer.
The lawyer has 48 business hours to accept your certificate. Lawyers may decline due to availability, workload, or conflict of interest. LAA continues to offer the certificate until it is accepted.
STEP 5
Once a staff or roster lawyer accepts your certificate, LAA will email you the lawyer’s contact information. Please check your junk mail and spam folders. You and your lawyer can then contact one another. Often, your lawyer will reach out at your next court appearance or as soon as they are able.
From this point, you will work directly with your lawyer and do not need to contact LAA again unless:
If you or your family are experiencing family violence and need protection, call the Emergency Protection Order program in the following locations:
Edmonton area: 1-780-422-9222
Calgary area: 1-403-297-5260
If you live outside of these areas, call the police at any time or visit your nearest courthouse during business hours.
STEP 1
Contact us by phone if you need assistance with immigration matters, specifically refugee claims, detention, and admissibility reviews.
STEP 2
LAA will ask a few questions about your income, assets and expenses to confirm your financial eligibility. If you are an AISH recipient, you are generally considered eligible. However, all clients must have less than $120,000 in equity assets to qualify.
STEP 3
If you’re financially eligible, you will qualify for coverage as soon as your immigration file is sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). There is no need to wait for a hearing date to be scheduled.
To determine your eligibility for our services, we’ll ask questions to confirm that your case has been sent to the IRB. If necessary, we may also ask you to provide any letters or documents related to your immigration matter.
STEP 4
When you apply, you’ll be asked to provide the name of a preferred lawyer. To prepare, visit our Lawyer Directory. You can search by court location, area of law or languages spoken to find a Roster lawyer that is right for you.
LAA staff lawyers provide full representation but only accept certain types of cases; therefore, you may be connected with a roster lawyer.
The lawyer has 48 business hours to accept your certificate. Lawyers may decline due to availability, workload, or conflict of interest. LAA continues to offer the certificate until it is accepted.
STEP 5
Once a staff or roster lawyer accepts your certificate, LAA will email you the lawyer’s contact information. Please check your junk mail and spam folders. You and your lawyer can then contact one another. Often, your lawyer will reach out at your next court appearance or as soon as they are able.
From this point, you will work directly with your lawyer and do not need to contact LAA again unless:
LAA covers the limited issues of trusteeships and guardianships for adults, some specific issues related to federal prisoners, and income support issues. We do not cover landlord-tenant issues or suing for breach of contract or damages.
If you require assistance with a civil law issue that is not covered by LAA, please visit our Support Services page to explore other community partners and organizations that may be able to help.
If you are dealing with matters under the Mental Health Act, you have access to duty counsel services as needed. You don’t need to apply to receive this service.
For more information about financial eligibility and application needs, please visit our Resources page.
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