Problem with legal aid lawyer

[malvina]

I got my lawyer through legal aid. Unfortunately, he is very sloppy and inaccurate in doing his business, doesn't read the legal documents properly and doesn't pay attention to the correspondence that comes to him on my behalf. He hasn't been done much since last April, when we met first time. So far I 've been obediently consenting to any motions which my ex's filing. Really, I could have done this without legal representation.
I asked my legal aid officer to change lawyers. The officer doesn't want to do that. She wants me to resolve the problems with my lawyer, i.e. to continue using his services. She told me that if I don't resolve the issue, I will be refused legal aid and will need to use a private lawyer.
Is there anything I can do??? I feel like I'm being enslaved by the legal aid and stuck with this lawyer for the rest of my divorce process. I feel helpless and taken advantage of by the legal aid system.
Can you advise anything?

[logicalvelocity]

malvina,

Have you spoken to the lawyer in regards to their apparent deficiencies?

I always believed you could change lawyers even if legal aid was picking up the tab. What if the individual ceases to practice law and the issues are not resolved? Would it not be reasonable to choose another lawyer?

lv

[smadax]

Bobblehead Lawyer

I had a major issue with our Legal Aid lawyer we were assigned 2005 when we first went to court for custody of my DH two children.

I had done everything, but was frightful about going in front of a Judge without knowing the legal proceedings. So we went to Legal Aid. We put blind faith in our Legal Counsel and have since inherited a horrible Custody Agreement!!

I found the Law Society website and opened an investigation.

http://www.legalaid.on.ca/en/about/quality.asp

http://www.lsuc.on.ca/index_en.html

[WorkingDAD]

What bother me with this Legal AID and I still can not find and answer How in hell you can go to lawyer put bunch of lies on affidavit what I can prove wrong with papers and file APPLICATION to THE COURT covered by Legal AID?

I still do not really believe that it's even legal. I was under impression that you can use LAO if you need to defend yourself... But to go after someone. Put other person in dept and basically destroying his life for long years to come using taxpayers money ...

I just do not understand how it's even possible to get that certificate...

May be someone know with how I need to speak to clear it out ? May be write email to LAO?

[walshch]

Malvina...It doesn't really matter if it's a Legal Aid Lawyer or Lawyer you pay yourself, they all need to be kept an eye on. You need to EDUCATE yourself by reading the applicable Laws ... Family Law Act (Ontario), Family Law Rules, The Divorce Act...etc. Then after you've read them, read them again, then have a smoke or whatever, then read them again. I just recently helped out a friend dealing with CS issues where a Lawyer (NOT Legal Aid) had them sign off for CS about 2 years ago !!! WTF It's going back to Court tomorrow. I recently spent over $5000.00 to have my lawyer appear 2 times at Case Conferences. I did most of the negotiating, (where I prepared the Briefs !!!!!) and we finally settled. The Lawyer did alot of NOTHING. If you're not happy with the Lawyer, change them, but you have to learn about the laws to see that the Lawyer is not leading you down the proverbial "garden path." Good luck

[Mess]

This thread is from 2006.

[WorkingDAD]

and how I got into it ?
I am lost )

[walshch]

Thanks for drawing that to my attention, Mess...must be the Rum !!! lol