Do You Qualify for a Legal Aid Certificate?

Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services (NALSC) Legal Aid issues legal aid certificates to Band members of NAN. If you are a Band member of NAN, you must be financially eligible and their legal matter must be covered by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO).

NALSC Legal Aid abides by the LAO guidelines in determining the financial eligibility of a person applying for legal aid.

If you are eligible and face a serious legal matter, you can apply for a free legal aid certificate through Legal Aid Ontario’s certificate program.

Depending on your income, you may need to make monthly payments towards the cost of some or all of your legal fees.

To find out if you qualify for a certificate, your legal problem has to be one that is covered by LAO. You will need to take a financial test to see if your gross income from all sources is within the range of this chart:

Certificate Eligibility
April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021

Will Legal Aid pay for my lawyer?

Yes, if you qualify for services and your lawyer does legal aid work. Check to the table on the below to see if you qualify financially. In some cases, we may ask you to help pay for your legal fees—we will talk to you more about this when you apply. We will also ask you about any asset you have such as any money in your savings account, investments, or property etc.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, please let us know when you apply because we have special services.

What if I do not qualify for a lawyer?

 We may be able to help you either over the phone or if you are in court and need help immediately. Check the table below to see if you qualify.

For more information, call us at 1-800-668-8258 or visit Legal Aid Ontario Eligibility