Help Centre

Choosing and changing my lawyer

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FAQ

Can I choose my lawyer?

You can provide the name of a lawyer you prefer to work with during your application. Legal Aid Alberta will attempt to connect you with this requested lawyer. However, we cannot guarantee that the lawyer you request will take your case. Legal Aid will review the circumstances of your case when determining which lawyer to provide. Ultimately Legal Aid Alberta has final discretion in providing your lawyer.

For a searchable list of Legal Aid Alberta roster lawyers, visit the Lawyer Directory.

What if I have already spoken to a lawyer who said they will accept my case?

Make sure to provide their name during your application. Legal Aid Alberta will review the circumstances of your case to determine if we are able to connect you to that lawyer. A lawyer does have to accept a file from Legal Aid Alberta, so the lawyer will have to confirm they are interested in representing you when Legal Aid Alberta asks. Legal Aid Alberta has final discretion in providing your lawyer.

To confirm whether or not a specific lawyer accepts legal aid files, search our Lawyer Directory. Note that only active roster lawyers who have chosen to be listed will appear in the directory.

Does my lawyer have to be local to the city my court is in?

No, lawyers are not restricted based on geographic location.  You can request a lawyer who lives in a different city.

What if I already have paid a lawyer to represent me?

If you have already paid a lawyer prior to contacting us, we may be able to extend an offer to that lawyer if they agree to represent you on behalf of Legal Aid Alberta. Please inform the Intake Officer you speak with when applying that you have already paid a lawyer, and they will explain what additional steps are required.

Can I change my lawyer?

It is not a guarantee that Legal Aid Alberta will change your lawyer. We will review the issues you are having with your lawyer, will follow up with the lawyer and then determine the most appropriate solution.

How can I change my lawyer?

If you currently have a Legal Aid Alberta lawyer and are considering changing lawyers, we first ask that you bring up your concerns directly with the lawyer to allow them the opportunity to address them. If after this discussion you wish to request a different lawyer, you can contact our office at 1-866-845-3425 to submit a request. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm (excluding holidays).

What if I just fire my lawyer?

Before firing a lawyer, you first need to speak with Legal Aid Alberta to try and address the issue. There is no guarantee you will be assigned a new lawyer if you fire your lawyer without speaking to Legal Aid Alberta.

What can I do if Legal Aid is refusing to change my lawyer?

If you believe an incorrect decision was made on your file you can submit a Request for Review form to have the decision reviewed.

How can I change the court-ordered lawyer who is representing my children?

If Legal Aid Alberta has provided a lawyer to represent the interests of a child as per a court order, we require a new court order detailing that the lawyer is to be changed.

How can I submit feedback about my lawyer to Legal Aid Alberta?

You can submit any feedback about your lawyer to [email protected]

What should I do if I am concerned about the professionalism/quality of my lawyer?

You can provide information on your concerns to Legal Aid Alberta through email to [email protected]

How can I find out which lawyers take legal aid cases in Alberta?

Visit our Lawyer Directory for a searchable list of active roster lawyers who have chosen to be included in the directory. You can search by name, court location, area of law and languages spoken.

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