Lawyers employed in certain agencies provide services to members of the public, typically to enhance access to justice. These lawyers do not qualify for exemption because their practice is not restricted to services provided “for and on behalf of the employer.”

However, our analysis of the claims history for this work reveals that it is low risk compared to general private practice. Therefore a premium discount equal to 75 per cent of the base rate has been introduced to lawyers employed by Designated Agencies. These lawyers will also be exempt from payment of the civil litigation transaction levy provided the services that would normally give rise to the levy are provided in the course of the lawyer’s employment with a Designated Agency.

Please note that this discount is available to lawyers who practice ONLY through the Designated Agency, providing professional services to third parties pursuant to their employment and on a no-fee basis. It is not available to lawyers who maintain a separate private practice.

Designated Agency(ies) means the following employers for the purposes of the professional liability program:

• Association des jurists d’expression francaise de l’Ontario (AJEFO)
• Animal Environmental Legal Advocacy
• Black Legal Action Centre
• Canadian Centre for Housing Rights
• Canadian Civil Liberties Association
• Centre des services communautaires de Vanier/Vanier Community Service Centre
• Community Justice Collective
• Downtown Legal Services (DLS)
• Ecojustice
• Free Legal Support For Survivors Of Human Trafficking Program
• Human Rights Legal Support Centre
• Legal Clinic Programs – Lincoln Alexander School of Law (aka Toronto Metropolitan University Student Legal Clinic)
• Office of the Employer Adviser
• Office of the Worker Adviser
• Pro Bono Ontario (PBO)

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