Information for Lawyers
Forms Library
Here is Legal Aid Ontario’s forms library. Forms are grouped alphabetically by subject.
Contact the web team if you have any problems with downloading or accessing any of these forms.
Accounts & billing
Expedite payment of account request
Use this form to request consideration for the expedited payment of an account.
Guaranteed Daily Rate for northern lawyers
Use this account form to bill for legal aid services provided in remote northern areas (as specified by regulation). For printing only - does not perform calculations
Form 50: Criminal certificate account form
Submit criminal accounts for payment.
Form 51: Civil certificate account form
Submit civil accounts for payment.
» Macros issue notice
Legal Aid Online is unable to accept forms containing macros. (Read more)
Please note: Legal Aid Online is unable to accept forms containing macros. This includes Forms 50 and 51, which contain an “automatic adding” macro. If you are having trouble attaching forms to your account, try saving the form as a Rich Text File (RTF). To do this, select “Save as,” and select RTF under the “Save as Type” drop down, which appears under the “File Name.” Ignore the warning message that appears regarding saving macros; the information in your form will not be lost.
You can also “print” the document to a PDF. To check if you have this ability, select “Print,” and look for “Adobe PDF” in your list of printers. Select Adobe PDF, and then save the new PDF file to your desktop or folder. If you do not have a PDF writer, there are several options available, some free and some that you must pay for. For example: PDF Creator (free) and Adobe Acrobat (paid). Legal Aid Ontario does not support or endorse these products.
Block fees
Request to add charges, to change an existing certificate or to request a new certificate for charges proceeding separately
To add additional charges, make changes or request a new certificate due to charges proceeding separately, on open and active certificates.
Request for a mental health authorization
This authorization may be granted when the certificate is issued if there is an identifiable history of mental health issues. If the authorization is not granted when the certificate is issued, it may be requested.
Request for Gladue authorization
You must be a member of the Gladue panel to receive this authorization.
Case Management and Litigation forms
Big Case Management (BCM)
BCM Hearings Opinion Guideline
Application form for the BCM program. Can be used for any type of hearing, i.e. a preliminary hearing, sentencing hearing, dangerous offender hearing etc.
BCM Trials Opinion Guidelines
Application form for the BCM program. Use this form for cases that have gone to trial.
Complex Case Rate (CCR)
Complex Case Rate case eligibility application
Membership on the Complex Case Rate panel is a prerequisite for a case to be considered eligible.
Complex Case Rate panel application
The Complex Case Rate (CCR) panel offers eligible lawyers enhanced funding on particular types of cases.
Expert forms
Application for inclusion on LAO Vendor of Record
For experts in all fields interested in being on LAO’s Vendor of Record list.
Application for enhanced expert rate
Complete this form to apply for an enhanced expert rate.
Survey - Enhanced rate services
This survey must be completed at the conclusion of an expert’s services.
Reference form (Experts)
Experts wishing to be included on the Vendor list must get references from LAO panel members.
Change of information
Lawyer change of information form
For changes in personal information, panel membership, and direct deposit information. Only fill in the information that you are changing, and leave the other sections blank.
Disbursement authorization forms
Requests for the following types of disbursements (authorized, additional funds) can be submitted by email (disbursements@lao.on.ca) or fax (416-204-4739 or 416-979-8562).
Request for an expert/other service provider
Request for transcripts/transcriptions
» Read tips and instructions on how to use these forms
Discretion forms
Request for discretion
In some cases, where exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated, a discretionary increase in payment of an account may be granted where an account has exceeded the tariff maximum for the certificate.
If your account exceeds the tariff maximum, and you want to apply for discretion, attach this form when submitting your account.
Retroactive discretion request
Use this form to make retroactive requests for discretionary increase on an account, within 60 days of receiving payment of the account.
Request for Review
If you are dissatisfied with the settlement of your account, use this form to request a review. Requests for review should be made within 60 days of payment of the account.
Lawyer empanelment forms
You must also send in a request for panel membership, in addition to submitting the forms specific to the panel you wish to join. For more information, see panel standards.
Lawyer empanelment package
Includes the request for panel membership, the tier level increase and the direct deposit authorization.
Application form for tier level increase
Direct deposit authorization
Lawyers must be registered for direct deposit in order to be entered onto the legal aid panels.
Lawyer's annual self-report
Lawyer's annual self-report
Find instructions and more information on the annual self-report page.
Panel standards application forms
Application forms to join the various LAO panels. For more information, see panel standards.
Criminal
Consent and capacity
Duty counsel
Duty counsel: Advice lawyers
Domestic violence panel application
Mental health, refugee and immigration, and criminal institutions panel application
Extremely serious criminal matters (ESM)
Family
Gladue
Refugee
