Looking for the best family lawyer in Toronto, Ontario accepting legal aid cases? You have come to the right place. Jane Mukongolo has 25+ years of experience as a family law lawyer in Toronto & we accept legal aid cases.
What is Legal Aid & how it works?
If you want a private lawyer but cannot afford one, you may be able to get a legal aid certificate from legal aid. Most certificates pay your lawyer's fees and expenses, but some pay only expenses. You can get a certificate for some types of legal problems, but not all.
Legal Aid Ontario ("legal aid") receives funding from the provincial government to provide legal services to people with low incomes. Legal aid has two main components:
- The community legal clinic system; and
- The legal aid certificate program.
Community legal clinics are staffed by family law lawyers, community legal workers and sometimes law students. Legal clinics provide representation and advice on various kinds of legal issues. To receive services from a clinic, you must live in the area it serves. Most clinics also provide brief advice, or "summary advice", without asking about your financial situation.
In family law, legal aid covers the following areas:
- To obtain custody of your children or change custody
- To get access for you to see your children or to make a major change to access arrangements that have already been made
- To assist you if your partner denies you access to your children
- To obtain child support or increase or decrease support
- To obtain spousal support or increase or decrease spousal support
- To stop your partner from selling or destroying your property
- To negotiate ownership of things like RRSPs or pensions that could provide you with some income
- To assist you get a restraining order against your partner
- To assist you get exclusive possession of the matrimonial home.
Will Legal Aid Pay for My Divorce or Child Support Case?
You can get legal aid to pay for a lawyer if:
- You have little or no money left after you pay for necessities; and
- Your legal problem is one that legal aid covers.
When you go to a legal aid office to apply for legal aid certificate you should take as much information as possible including:
- Court papers, if you have been served with any
- Identification documents
- Proof of your current income i.e. 3-4 recent pay stubs, income tax return or notice of assessment for previous year; welfare statement of income or employment insurance statements
- Up-to-date bank books
- Proof of monthly expenses and bills (rent receipt or mortgage payment, hydro, gas, car payments receipts, credit card statements, car insurance bill)
- Deed for your house
- Proof of any unusual expenses such as medical costs.
If legal aid decides that you have enough money to pay a lawyer yourself, you will not be given a certificate. If you get a certificate, you may be required to sign a payment agreement. This means that you agree to pay legal aid back for some or all of your legal fees and expenses.
Take your legal aid certificate to a lawyer who accepts certificates.
If you get a certificate for a family law matter, ask for a free consultation with our divorce lawyer in Toronto. You can also refer to our free family law resources page for more info.
Locations of Legal Aid offices in Toronto and area :
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has several offices and locations in Toronto and the surrounding area. Here are some of the main locations where you can find Legal Aid offices in Toronto and nearby:
| Region | Address | Tel No. |
| Downtown Toronto | 375 University Ave, Suite 204 Toronto | (416)-979-1446 |
| North York | 47 Sheppard Ave E, Suite 700 North York | (416)-730-0373 |
| Scarborough | 1911 Eglinton Ave E, Suite 1B Scarborough | (416)-751-1600 |
| Etobicoke | 5353 Dundas St W, Suite 400 Etobicoke | (416)-207-4760 |
| Mississauga | 7145 West Credit Ave, Suite 4 Mississauga | (905)-567-1444 |
Contact Jane Mukongolo - Legal aid family lawyer in Toronto.
