Joint Announcement by the Court Services Branch of the Ministry of Justice and the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission

March 5, 2021

The Court Services Branch of the Ministry of Justice and the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission are pleased to announce a joint initiative regarding the management of court-appointed counsel matters involving adult criminal and child protection proceedings in the province.

As of April 1, 2021, Legal Aid will assume responsibility for the management of counsel assignments after they are ordered by courts in the province.  This will consist of the determination and assignment of counsel after an appointment is made and the financial administration of those assignments. The Ministry of Justice will retain responsibility for responding to applications for court-appointed counsel.

The Legal Aid Commission is pleased to announce that independent management of its portion of the Program will be placed under the direction of Ms. Leslie Sullivan, QC, of Saskatoon, SK. Ms. Sullivan is a respected senior counsel, who has practiced for many years as a litigator; she has vast experience in criminal procedure and substantive criminal law, as well as with the premises on which government-funded lawyers are provided to eligible accused.

The Ministry and Legal Aid wish Ms. Sullivan and the Program well.

More details about the Program will be provided in due course.