Do I Qualify Financially?
Legal Aid Manitoba (LAM) provides legal help to people who are financially eligible and have cases with merit. This can include people who are working.
Financial Guidelines
We look at your financial situation, including:
- Income
- Assets such as a home or RRSPs
- Debts
- Whether or not money will be available to pay legal fees at the end of the case
We use the guidelines below to decide if you are financially eligible for legal aid and whether or not you will receive legal aid for free. You may be required to pay for all of your legal aid services through the Agreement to Pay (ATP) program (see below).
Financial Guidelines – Free Legal Aid
These are guidelines only. We assess each applicant individually.
| GUIDELINES | |
| Family Size | Gross Family Income |
| 1 | $26,500 |
| 2 | $33,000 |
| 3 | $40,500 |
| 4 | $49,200 |
| 5 | $56,000 |
| 6 | $63,000 |
| 7+ | $70,000 |
Financial Guidelines – Agreement to Pay (ATP) Program
You may qualify for the ATP program if you:
- Have the ability to pay for all of your legal costs at legal aid rates
- Agree to make interest-free, monthly payments to pay back LAM
These are guidelines only. We assess each applicant individually.
| GUIDELINES | |
| Family Size | Gross Family Income |
| 1 | $38,500 |
| 2 | $51,000 |
| 3 | $59,500 |
| 4 | $69,200 |
| 5 | $76,000 |
| 6 | $83,000 |
| 7+ | $90,000 |
As per Notice to the Profession 28-2015, LAM’s Management Council has approved the re-introduction of the ATP program on a pilot project basis.
Lawyers retained by LAM are guaranteed payment in accordance with LAM’s Taxation Manual.
