African Canadian Legal Clinic | Exercising Your Legal Rights | Finding a Lawyer

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Need legal advice?

Seeking information in a specific legal area? Can't afford a lawyer? Want to know where to go to find more information? The ACLC provides access to material that will help you to understand and exercise your legal rights.

African Canadian Youth Justice Program

Learn how the ACLC's African Canadian Youth Justice Program serves African Canadian youth involved in the justice system while providing community supports.

National African Canadian Initiative

The ACLC supports the National African Canadian Initiative on Full Participation and Capacity Building.

Finding a Lawyer

Getting a Legal Aid Certificate

Legal Aid Ontario issues certificates through its network of offices. Clients with low incomes can use these certificates to retain private lawyers to represent them in proceedings before the following bodies:

  • criminal or family courts
  • certain administrative tribunals
  • immigration and refugee boards

The certificate is the private lawyer's payment guarantee from Legal Aid Ontario, subject to the rates and limitations set out in the legal aid tariff.

To find a Legal Aid office visit: www.legalaid.on.ca/en/locate/default.asp.

Duty Counsel

Clients who are not eligible for Legal Aid Certificates may be able to get help from duty counsel. Duty counsel lawyers are assigned to criminal, family, and youth courts specifically to assist clients who do not have a lawyer to represent them in the courtroom. Clients may have to provide information to duty counsel lawyers to show that they cannot afford their own lawyers.

Lawyer Referral Service

Clients can also get help finding a lawyer through the Lawyer Referral Service of the Law Society of Upper Canada: www.lsuc.on.ca/public/a/finding/lrs.

Community Legal Clinics

Legal assistance may also be obtained from community legal clinics which serve specific groups.





































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