The Young Bar of Montreal calls for reform of the legal aid system

The Young Bar Association of Montreal (" JBM ") welcomes the announcement of a 7.02% increase in legal aid eligibility thresholds, corresponding to the increase in the minimum wage. However, it maintains that an in-depth review of the legal aid system remains essential to ensure the sustainability of this fundamental system for access to justice.

For several years now, lawyers in private practice who accept legal aid mandates have been reporting numerous difficulties with the way the system works. In this context, the JBM recalls its report on Quebec's legal aid system, published in 2016, which highlighted the difficulties encountered by lawyers.e.s in private practice who accept legal aid mandates and made recommendations to improve remuneration and the operation of the system.

The JBM also takes this opportunity to reiterate to the government the importance of implementing the recommendations of the July 2021 progress reports and the Final Report of the Independent Task Force on Legal Aid Tariff Structure Reform, published in May 2022. The JBM also stresses the importance of collaboration between the government and the Comité indépendant sur les tarifs d'aide juridique (CITAJ), set up by the Quebec Bar to represent its members in negotiations on legal aid tariff reform.

The JBM is convinced that these measures will help improve access to justice and guarantee fair and equitable remuneration for lawyers who accept legal aid mandates. Legal aid is a key component of Quebec's justice system, and it is important to improve its operation to ensure better access to justice for those who need it most.

About JBM

Founded in 1898, the JBM brings together lawyers with ten years' practice or less in Montreal, representing over 6,000 members. This makes it one of the largest associations of young lawyers in the world, in terms of numbers for a single city. Its mission is twofold. On the one hand, it defends and promotes the interests of its members. On the other, it provides pro bono legal information services to the general public, and offers a number of services to help Quebecers gain access to justice. In August 2021, the JBM was awarded the Lieutenant-Governor's Medal for Exceptional Merit, "in recognition of the remarkable dynamism shown by [its] members in the ongoing pursuit of collective well-being".

Information and interviews:

Adam Alaoui| Communications and Public Relations Manager

514 954-6936 |aalaoui@ajbm.qc.ca | www.ajbm.qc.ca