Notices to Counsel | Creation of Legal Changes Unit at the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat (IRSAS)

The Indian Residential School Adjudication Secretariat (IRSAS) has created a new Legal Changes Unit (LCU). It will be responsible for tracking all legal counsel changes and updates. This includes law firm separations (when counsel leaves a firm) and counsel conflicts (such as situations where a claimant appears to be dealing with more than one lawyer).

Please ensure that you notify us of any changes promptly, otherwise the processing of your claim may be delayed.

By having one unit deal with all legal counsel changes, we will create efficiencies by eliminating duplication and provide consistency in the way we handle changes. The new unit should also ensure that no changes slip through the cracks.

Please forward information about all legal counsel changes to the Legal Changes Unit through the email account listed below.

Please contact the Legal Changes Unit to ensure your files are updated when:

• There is a change in contact information for a lawyer
• A lawyer leave a firm
• A lawyer leaves the IAP
• A lawyer is terminally ill or deceased

The Legal Changes Unit will then notify all internal units of the change in counsel. You will no longer have to send the information to multiple units or staff within the Secretariat.

If you take over representation of a claimant with previous legal counsel and an active IAP claim, you must notify the Secretariat as soon as possible. Please send your notification and all relevant documentation to the Legal Changes Unit at the email address listed below.

Immediate notification of any changes will ensure that the claimant’s file will not be placed on hold. This will prevent delays in the resolution of the claim and avoid any undue stress and hardship to the claimant.

The following documents are required to initiate a change of counsel, to resolve conflicts or to authorize the disclosure of file information. All documents must be signed by the claimant and dated within the previous 30 days:

• Contingency Fee Agreement or Retainer Agreement
• Confirmation of Legal Representation
• Consent for Disclosure of Information (for potential Review of Decision requests)

Please note: For Review requests please forward the confirmation of legal Representation signed by the claimant to the Legal Changes Unit and we will update our system once a formal request for a review has been received.

The Legal Changes Unit will also be responsible for processing requests to withdraw from representing an IAP claimant, as described under the Chief Adjudicator’s Directive 10 (CAD-10: Procedures for Withdrawal of Counsel in the IAP). The directive outlines the process for withdrawing from a claimant file and describes the Secretariat's requirements. When choosing to withdraw representation from a file, you are required to complete this process.

Please complete the required form according to the directive and send it to the Legal Changes Unit.

Legal Changes Unit e-mail address:

LegalChanges.ChangementsJuridiques@irsad-sapi.gc.ca