April 1, 2024, marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of our modernized Tariff. The modernized Tariff has received an overwhelmingly positive response, and we want to thank our colleagues for their patience during the implementation process.
Legal Aid Alberta staff and our roster colleagues worked together to navigate various processes, including utilization of Extra Hours under 11.19, attaching time sheets, understanding Court of Justice and King’s Bench fees and billing for multiple Informations when a global resolution takes place.
One year later, roster counsel report that billing is more straightforward and that they are being adequately compensated for the more labour-intensive steps on their files, such as resolutions and trials.
Our goals in launching this project are twofold:
- First, we want to ensure that trial preparation is remunerated fairly, with minimal reliance on the Hourly Case Management structure. The HCM process is still in place, and counsel can apply it to longer, more complex matters. In many cases, the block fees of the regular Tariff often pay the same, if not more, than the HCM route.
- Secondly, we want to make it easy for our roster lawyers to work with LAA. Roster counsel and their support staff can spend less time on billing and more time serving our shared clients.
As always, we thank the roster for their assistance and patience throughout the process.
Our team of Certificate Tariff Officers are available to help roster members, both new and old, to navigate the new Tariff when needed. They can reached by email at [email protected].