Company Profile
The Law Society of Upper Canada
Company Overview
Protecting the public
Created by an act of the Legislative Assembly in 1797, the Law Society of Upper Canada governs Ontario’s lawyers and paralegals in the public interest by ensuring that the people of Ontario are served by lawyers and paralegals who meet high standards of learning, competence and professional conduct.
The Law Society has a duty to protect the public interest, to maintain and advance the cause of justice and the rule of law, to facilitate access to justice for the people of Ontario, and to act in a timely, open and efficient manner.
The Law Society regulates, licenses and disciplines Ontario’s more than 46,000 lawyers and over 5,000 licensed paralegals pursuant to the Law Society Act and the Law Society's rules, regulations and guidelines.
Self-governing professions
Like many professionals in Ontario, lawyers and paralegals in Ontario are self-governing. This means that lawyers and paralegals oversee their own regulation through the Law Society in accordance with the Law Society Act and its regulations, passed by the Ontario government.
The Law Society is funded through lawyer and paralegal licensing fees. To maintain the privilege of self-governance, the public interest must always be of paramount concern to the Law Society.
Serving the public
The Law Society offers public services such as:
• Complaints Services, which receives and responds to complaints about lawyers and paralegals
• a comprehensive online directory with lawyer and paralegal contact information
• the Law Society Referral Service, which provides you with the name of a lawyer or paralegal who will provide a free consultation of up to 30 minutes to help you determine your rights and options
• a directory of lawyers who are certified specialists in specific areas of law
• the Compensation Fund, which helps clients who have lost money because of the dishonesty of a lawyer or paralegal.
To promote access to legal services, the Law Society supports programs such as Pro Bono Law Ontario, Ontario Justice Education Network and the Law Commission of Ontario.
The Law Society's Equity Initiatives Department seeks to ensure that law, the practice of law and the provision of legal services are reflective of all peoples in Ontario by actively participating with Aboriginal, Francophone and equity-seeking groups, through consultations, meetings and public education activities.
Company History
The Oldest and Largest of Canadian Law Societies
The Law Society of Upper Canada, the largest of all Canadian law societies, was founded in 1797, almost 20 years before the earliest such association in any other province or territory. The creation of this self-governing body by an Act of the Legislative Assembly was an innovation in the English-speaking world and it became the model for law societies across Canada.
The reasons for the creation of the Law Society, as set out in the statute of 1797, were to provide the province with a "learned and honourable body, to assist their fellow subjects as occasion may require, and to support and maintain the constitution of the said Province."
In concrete terms, the main function of the Law Society of Upper Canada was to ensure that all persons who practise law in Ontario were competent, followed proper procedures and behaved ethically. Its mandate has been broadened since May 1, 2007 to regulate all providers of legal services, including independent paralegals.
Since 1797, the Law Society has grown and evolved with the province and the country. The contribution of the Law Society has not been limited to its actions as the governing body of the legal profession, nor has its influence been restricted to Ontario. Its members have been vital and active participants in the life of the country, many becoming national figures in politics or business, with others making their mark in such fields as the arts and sports.
The Law Society and legal education
Until 1957, the Law Society controlled entry to the Ontario legal profession through its exclusive jurisdiction over legal education. Osgoode Hall Law School, the second oldest common law school in Canada, was established by the Law Society in 1889. The school was at the centre of the debates over the principles of modern legal education in the 1950s. Osgoode Hall Law School moved to York University in 1968 but the Law Society remains the licensing body for both lawyers and paralegals in Ontario.
Benefits
The Law Society is a dynamic, modern organization with a 200-year history of regulating the legal profession in the public interest.
We take pride in working collaboratively to make the Law Society one of the top regulatory bodies in the world. From our progressive employment policies and high-levels of employee engagement to the impressive architecture and beautiful grounds of historic Osgoode Hall, there are many reasons to work at the Law Society.
We believe in the importance of a thriving workplace that establishes the Law Society as an employer of choice, and ensures that we can provide high quality, professional service to the public, lawyers and paralegals, and other stakeholders.
Between 2003 and 2005, The Law Society of Upper Canada was recognized as a Top Employer in Canada, and since then has consistently been named as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers in the revamped annual competition. Being publicly recognized as an industry leader is an important validation of our efforts to demonstrate best human resources practices.