Anonymous has left a new comment on your post, "See the resemblance ..... Canada's new Louis XIV?"

Legal Aid Tariffs are available on the Legal Aid website under "Resources for Lawyers"/"2008 Tariffs". They are based on the rate of $80 per hour.

These rates reflect the usual fees paid in criminal, family and administrative law matters.

Lawyers can request an increase above the tariff in complex cases, or in serious matters (e.g. homicides), either in writing at the conclusion of a case, or by what is called a Big Case Management (BCM). A BCM meeting will take place with the management, where the lawyer can request additional preparation time at the rate of $80 per hour.

The "BCM Opinion Form" is for applying for such a meeting.
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Dear Anonymous:

Thank you for contacting CyberSmokeBlog with the information and sorry for the delay in responding. We've had to re-contact a Senior Legal Aid Manitoba Official and will continue to do so until our questions are addressed. Here they are:

(1) The tariff schedule currently in place dates to 2008. Are there any plans to adjust it in the foreseeable future?

(2) What is the highest hourly rate Legal Aid will pay a lawyer for a service rendered? Alternatively stated, how does it distinguish between a solicitor with 2 years experience versus one with 25?

(3) With passage of The Ombibus Crime Bill caseloads for Legal Aid orginizations can reasonably be expected to increase. Has LAM projected how its operations will likely be impacted?

(4) Will the federal government reimburse Legal Aid for all, some or part of higher operating costs resulting from passage of The OCB or will everything be offloaded onto the provinces?

The answers to these questions will be posted as soon as they are received.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk