Legal Aid BC services for your clients

Legal Aid BC (LABC) has a range of free services from legal representation and legal advice to legal information.

To get a lawyer to represent your client, their legal problem must be covered by LABC and they must qualify financially. The coverage areas for which your client may qualify are:

• criminal charges,
• serious family issues,
• child protection matters,
• immigration and refugee issues, and
• mental health and prison issues.

Clients looking for legal advice also have to qualify financially. Our legal information resources are free.

How to help your client apply for legal aid

You can help your client apply for legal aid by:

• preparing them for the intake interview they’ll have when they call their nearest legal aid location or the LABC Call Centre (see How to apply), or
• initiating an electronic legal aid application on your client’s behalf when they’re unable to apply themselves due to personal barriers or other reasons.

What your client needs to know about and should expect from a legal aid contract

If your client is approved for representation by a legal aid lawyer, they must agree to the Legal Aid Representation Services Contract. To find out about contract terms, see the sample contract.

Your client should expect a certain standard of service with their legal aid contract. But they also need to understand their role and responsibilities. See Working with Your Legal Aid Lawyer below.

Working with Your Legal Aid Lawyer

Fact sheet to help clients and lawyers know what to expect from a legal aid contract

View resource →

How to change a legal aid lawyer

If your client wants to change the legal aid lawyer assigned to their case, they must have a good reason. LABC allows a client to change their lawyer only in limited circumstances, and only if they still qualify for services. Your client can ask the intake legal assistant at the office where they applied for a ​“Change of Counsel Request — Client Questionnaire.”

How to apply for a review of a legal aid decision

If an intake legal assistant tells your client that they’re not financially eligible for legal aid or that their case isn’t covered by legal aid, they can ask for a review of a legal aid refusal decision. 

Even if your client isn’t eligible for legal representation, they may be eligible for legal advice. LABC also has free legal information.

How to make a complaint about a legal aid lawyer

If your client wants to make a complaint about their legal aid lawyer or a duty counsel lawyer, see Complaints.

How to help your client find online resources about the law and legal services in BC

If your client wants to get information about the law and legal services in BC, see Links.