January 5, 2022
Why do I see multiple courthouse locations on a single offer?
Legal Aid Alberta has divided the province into service locations. Offers and certificates are grouped by service location, not by courthouse, so a single certificate can include matters in, for example, both Edmonton and Stony Plain or Calgary and Drumheller.
We’ve also seen instances where a matter was moved outside of a service location due to COVID. If that happens to you, our online system won’t show you the option for a courthouse outside your service location, so just give us a call (1-866-645-3425, option 5) and we’ll straighten it out for you.
What’s the difference between a “transfer of certificate” and “change of counsel”?
A transfer of certificate happens when the assigned roster lawyer is unable to continue, hasn’t created any invoicing (and there’s none to come), and wants to transfer the certificate to another lawyer. The other lawyer must be within the same firm and have the same primary court location, and the consent of the client is required.
If there’s any invoicing already created or coming in the future, or if any of the other points above aren’t met, it’s a Change of Counsel instead. We’ve put a definition of “transfer of certificate” up on Lawyer Portal in case you need to refer to it down the road.
The court will waive filing fees for clients who are covered under a Legal Aid Alberta certificate. Does this include e-filing fees?
Yes, the courts have confirmed that the waiver does include e-filing fees. Pursuant to the Alberta Rules of Court – Rule 13.36, a client who is covered under a Legal Aid Alberta certificate is entitled to have filing fees waived at the courts on their matter. To have the fees waived, it’s important that you remember to send a copy of your LAA certificate each time documents are to be filed. Since June 1, 2021, the clerk’s office has stopped issuing refunds for fees where the certificate was not provided, and LAA is not able to reimburse either filing or e-filing fees either. Always remember to request the fee waiver and to provide a copy of your certificate!
How do I update my information in your system?
It’s essential to keep your contact information up to date in our system so that we can reach you with certificate offers and make sure we’re sending you offers for the right service location. You can update much of your profile on your own via Lawyer Portal; for anything that can’t be updated there (such as your primary courthouse location), send us an e-mail at [email protected].
We appreciate getting your questions, and we’ll do our best to help you find the answers you need. Feel free to reach out to us by e-mail or by phone at 1-866-845-3425, option 5. Thanks for all the work you do for Albertans.
Page last updated: January 5, 2022
