Survey – LAO Cuts

Question Title

* 1. What percentage of your family law clients are legally aided (excluding child protection)?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 2. What percentage of all your files (private and Legal Aid) is the opposing side self-represented?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 3. Please list the courthouses where you regularly appear (choose all that apply) ?

47 Sheppard

311 Jarvis

393 University

150 Bond (Oshawa)

50 Eagle (Newmarket)

7755 Hurontario (Brampton)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. What percentage of all your files (private and Legal Aid) at the Superior Court of Justice, has the opposing side been assisted by duty counsel?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 5. Of your Legal Aid files, what percentage of files require more than one case conference?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 6. Of your Legal Aid files, what percentage of files require more than one settlement conference?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 7. For the files that require more than 2 conferences (judicial conferences of any kind), what are the reasons for requiring multiple conferences? (choose all that apply)?

Self-represented party on the opposing side

Disclosure issues

High conflict/intransigent parties

Domestic Violence

Multiple contested issues

Opposing counsel

Ordered by the Judge

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. Do you always bill LAO for all your conferences?

Yes

Question Title

* 9. If you do not bill LAO for all case/settlement conferences, why not?

Concern about audit

Additional hours not requested

Additional hours requested but not authorized

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. On average, for domestic and child protection files which are still within the tariff allotment, how much of your time do you bill on Legal Aid files?

I bill 100% of my time

I reduce my time by about 10%

I reduce my time by about 25%

I reduce my time by about 50%

Question Title

* 11. If you do not regularly bill for all the hours worked on a Legal Aid file (domestic or child protection) which is still within the tariff allotment, what are the reasons for under billing?

Question Title

* 12. For Legal Aid files (both domestic and child protection) that exceed the number of hours allowed under the tariff, how often do you request discretion?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 13. If you do not request discretion, why not (select all that apply)?

Time consuming

Unlikely to be compensated

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 14. In what percent of files where you request discretion is the request granted?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 15. When discretion is refused, how often do you appeal the decision?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

Question Title

* 16. In your experience, which of the discretion criteria are most likely to lead to an award of discretion?

Result obtained

Complexity of the matter

Unclear why discretion awarded

Other relevant factors (please specify)

Question Title

* 17. When acting as per diem duty counsel, what percentage of your clients require assistance with more than one case conference?

0 to 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

75% to 100%

N/A

Question Title

* 18. When acting as per diem duty counsel, how often did you assist clients on motions?

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

Question Title

* 19. When acting as per diem duty counsel, how often do you typically negotiate consents for parties earning over $22,000?

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

N/A

Survey – LAO Cuts

Question Title

* 1. What percentage of your family law clients are legally aided (excluding child protection)?

Question Title

* 2. What percentage of all your files (private and Legal Aid) is the opposing side self-represented?

Question Title

* 3. Please list the courthouses where you regularly appear (choose all that apply) ?

Question Title

* 4. What percentage of all your files (private and Legal Aid) at the Superior Court of Justice, has the opposing side been assisted by duty counsel?

Question Title

* 5. Of your Legal Aid files, what percentage of files require more than one case conference?

Question Title

* 6. Of your Legal Aid files, what percentage of files require more than one settlement conference?

Question Title

* 7. For the files that require more than 2 conferences (judicial conferences of any kind), what are the reasons for requiring multiple conferences? (choose all that apply)?

Question Title

* 8. Do you always bill LAO for all your conferences?

Question Title

* 9. If you do not bill LAO for all case/settlement conferences, why not?

Question Title

* 10. On average, for domestic and child protection files which are still within the tariff allotment, how much of your time do you bill on Legal Aid files?

Question Title

* 11. If you do not regularly bill for all the hours worked on a Legal Aid file (domestic or child protection) which is still within the tariff allotment, what are the reasons for under billing?

Question Title

* 12. For Legal Aid files (both domestic and child protection) that exceed the number of hours allowed under the tariff, how often do you request discretion?

Question Title

* 13. If you do not request discretion, why not (select all that apply)?

Question Title

* 14. In what percent of files where you request discretion is the request granted?

Question Title

* 15. When discretion is refused, how often do you appeal the decision?

Question Title

* 16. In your experience, which of the discretion criteria are most likely to lead to an award of discretion?

Question Title

* 17. When acting as per diem duty counsel, what percentage of your clients require assistance with more than one case conference?

Question Title

* 18. When acting as per diem duty counsel, how often did you assist clients on motions?

Question Title

* 19. When acting as per diem duty counsel, how often do you typically negotiate consents for parties earning over $22,000?

Question Title

* 20. What do you think the impact of these cuts to Legal Aid will be on your clients (including both legal aid and private clients)?