5. Request a review if you’re rejected
Question & Answer
How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?If Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) rejects your application for a , you get a refusal notice. The notice has information on how to request a review.
If LAO refused your application because your income was too high, you can apply again 6 months later if your income goes down.
Contact LAO and ask them to reconsider your application based on your current income.
If your application was refused for other reasons, you can request a review.
Request a review
When you request a review, it means that you disagree with the decision and want to ask someone with more authority to review it.
If you want to request a review, you must write to LAO within 22 days after you get LAO's refusal notice. If you were in jail or a hospital, you have 52 days.
LAO will not accept your request for review if they receive it past the deadline.
In your request letter, you must include:
- your name
- your client number, which appears at the top of the notice
- your current contact information including mailing address, email, and telephone number
- the reason for your review
You can send your request for review to LAO:
- through LAO's online client portal, if you have an account
- by fax: 416-979-7338
- by mail to:
Legal Aid Ontario
Attn: Name of the director who signed your refusal notice
20 Dundas Street West, Suite 730
Toronto, ON M5G 2C2
Your review is decided based only on the information and documents you send. So make sure to include all the reasons why LAO should give you a certificate.
LAO will try to get back to you within 10 business days. If you do not hear from them after 10 business days, call them at 1‑800‑668‑8258.
If you disagree with LAO's decision on your request for review, you may be able to file an . Your decision letter from LAO will have information about how you can file one.
You can file an appeal on your own, but it's a good idea to try to get legal advice before you file it.
