Across this vast province, from urban downtowns to small towns, significant numbers of Albertans depend on Legal Aid Alberta.
We help families in crisis and disadvantaged citizens of all ages who have come into conflict with the law, including youth, refugees and people who suffer mental illness or addictions.
Legal aid duty counsel lawyers are in courtrooms across Alberta to provide immediate legal information, advice and assistance to unrepresented people.
Unless you are a court-appointed guardian for an adult or you are applying as per a court order, you are not able to apply to Legal Aid Alberta on behalf of another individual.
You can help someone apply as long as they are able to provide their consent when they contact Legal Aid Alberta to apply. If you have concerns that they may not be able to complete or understand the application, you can ask to help facilitate the process.
A client can ask to add you as a Release of Information to their file. The client will be asked which information they consent to be released to you. Once your name has been added as a Release of Information you can contact us without the client having to be on the call and be updated on the information they consented to be released.
Please note that being on a Release of Information does not mean you can apply for a new legal issue on a client’s behalf or make any significant changes to a client’s file.
If your dependent or another youth is dealing with a criminal matter, with their consent, you are welcome to assist them by being on the phone along with them while they apply. With their permission, we can add your name to a Release of Information so that you can get information later without them having to be on the phone.
Prior to calling please ensure that the court order grants you the ability to make decisions on the individual’s legal needs. Have the order available when you call as you may be asked to fax or email it to Legal Aid Alberta before completing the application.
You will not be able to apply on a client’s behalf, even if you have the power of attorney status over their affairs. If you are the power of attorney you may be able to speak with our Client Payments Team about that client’s billing and financial arrangements. Have the document available when you call as you may be asked to fax or email it to Legal Aid Alberta before we can provide any details.
They should call us at 1-866-845-3425. The intake officer may first inquire if the caller has a friend, family or worker available to help translate.
If not, Legal Aid Alberta uses a translation service to provide over the phone interpretation and translation for callers who do not speak English.
Legal Aid Alberta is a service for Albertans and individuals in Canada dealing with an ongoing court case in Alberta. If you are unsure of someone’s eligibility based on residency they can contact our office and an intake officer will determine whether they are able to apply.
There is no difference between waiting times regardless of whether you contact the Call Centre using the toll-free number or a local number that was previously more widely in circulation. All numbers link directly into the same phone system and are handled in same manner. Our waiting times fluctuate throughout the day depending on the volume of callers on that day. Our phone queues are open Monday to Friday from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm (excluding holidays).
