What is Legal Aid Montreal | Laval?
The Centre communautaire de Montréal is a member of the legal aid network.
In 1973 the Commission des services juridiques created the Centre communautaire juridique de Montréal (CCJM) also named Legal Aid Montreal| Laval.
We are part of the legal aid network. Put into place by the Commission des services juridiques, this network is composed of 11 community legal aid centres and one local centre. In all, 119 legal aid offices are spread out over all regions of Quebec. Each year, tens of thousands of Quebecers trust 350 lawyers in the legal aid network.
The mission of the Centre: to provide legal aid to the residents of the territories of Montreal and Laval pursuant to the Act respecting legal aid and the provision of certain other legal services. For more than 40 years, we have done our utmost to help and inform citizens regarding their legal problems.
Today, we have 115 lawyers in our ranks, assisted by a team of 158 devoted and engaged persons.
The mission of Legal Aid Montreal | Laval
Justice for All
Our mission is to ensure access to justice to those people who are financially admissible and reside in the territory of Montreal and Laval, by providing services to exercise their rights free of charge or with a financial contribution, to the extent required by the Act respecting legal aid and the provision of certain other legal services.
Support, Advise, Inform
The Legal Aid Montreal |Laval offers legal advice and representation before the courts. In addition, it informs those admissible of their rights and obligations through the development of information programs.
Participate in the Evolution of Law
By the quality of their professional services and their expertise regarding the social, economic, and judicial conditions of its clientele, the Legal Aid Montreal | Laval promotes the evolution of law and contributes to the improvement of justice for all.
The vision of Legal Aid Montreal | Laval
Putting our Clients at the Heart of our Preoccupations
At the Legal Aid Montreal | Laval we distinguish ourselves by the excellence of our services. We prioritize the client-lawyer relationship and maximize our multidisciplinary resources for the benefit of the client, while facilitating access to justice. Our efficiency, pertinence, and influence are favoured by our collaboration with our partners in the community and institutional milieus.
Making a Commitment to our Clients
We are involved in the public debate over social and judicial questions that affect our clientele.
Being Involved with our Employees
As an employer we offer competitive working conditions to our employees, encouraging a healthy, stimulating, and mobilizing work climate in order to maximize the attraction, contribution, and development of our teams.
The values of Legal Aid Montreal | Laval
Respect, spirit of service, competence, team spirit, and accountability: these values guide us each day in the realization of our mission with legal aid. They constantly guarantee the efficiency and quality of our services for our clients.
Choosing between a permanent legal aid lawyer or a lawyer in private practice?
If legal aid is granted, you have two choices: to be represented by a permanent legal aid lawyer (from the CCJM) or by a lawyer in private practice who accepts legal aid certificates.
At the Legal Aid Montreal | Laval our 115 professionals are permanent legal aid lawyers. For 40 years, they have built a solid reputation as experienced, competent jurists.
What fees are required?
Depending on your income, two situations are possible: you will either benefit from free legal aid or a financial contribution will be required.
In the case that a contribution is required, you never pay the lawyer representing you directly. Whether you are represented by a permanent legal aid lawyer or a lawyer in private practice, you must always make your payment at the legal aid office.
The offices of Legal Aid Montreal | Laval
To offer quality services and to meet the needs of citizens, we have six civil offices spread out over the territories of Montreal and Laval: one criminal and penal law office, one youth law office, one immigration law office, one health law office, and one multi-sector office in Laval.
We constantly strive to adapt to the changing needs of our clientele. It is with this objective in mind that we opened an office dedicated to heath law in 2009. In addition, two of our lawyers are devoted exclusively to the practice of carceral law and three of our lawyers are devoted exclusively to the practice of administrative law.
Les services de l’Aide juridique Montréal | Laval
We offer a wide variety of services:
Resolve litigation at first instance and appeal. We intervene in varied aspects of the law such as civil, criminal and penal, family, immigration, youth, health, housing, debt, and carceral.
Request the review of a decision related to social assistance, CSST, employment insurance, automobile insurance, and criminal injuries compensation.
Offer a judicial consultation, notably to those persons under arrest.
Give conferences to inform citizens of their rights.
