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Question & Answer
Where can I get legal advice and help with my refugee claim?It can be useful to get legal information and help before you make decisions or even before you talk to a lawyer.
Law Society Referral Service
The Law Society Referral Service can give you the name of a lawyer you can speak with for free, for up to 30 minutes. You can ask for a lawyer who speaks your language, or a lawyer who accepts legal aid certificates.
If you can’t use the online service to find a lawyer, you can call the Law Society of Ontario crisis line at 1-855-947-5255 or 416-947-5255 in Toronto. The crisis line is available from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) phone lines
LAO gives general information and referrals over the phone to people of all income levels. You can get up to 20 minutes of free general legal advice by calling 1-800-668-8258 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
LAO also has 4 regional offices with a Francophone legal advice line that gives legal information and advice to French-speaking people in the following areas:
- Eastern Ontario: 1-877-500-4508
- Northern Ontario: 1-877-687-2847
- Greater Toronto Area (GTA): 1-877-966-7345
- Southwestern Ontario: 1-855-650-9716
The Ontario Legal Information Centre phone line
The Association of French-Speaking Jurists of Ontario (AJEFO) has a resource called the Ontario Legal Information Centre. The Centre lets you speak to a lawyer for 30 minutes, over the phone or in person at their Ottawa office, for free. Call 1-844-343-7462 to speak with a lawyer in English or French about any area of law. If you have to leave a message, a lawyer will call you back.
