Flex Legal Network
  • About
    • Flex
    • Flex Clients
    • Fees
    • FAQs
    • Founder & President: Erin Cowling
  • Services
    • Examples of Projects
  • Freelance Lawyers
    • Freelance Law Clerks
  • Hire Us
  • Join Us
  • Blog
    • Resources & Publications
    • Speaking Engagements & Presentations

What's Happening at the Law Society?

12/8/2017

0 Comments

 
​There have been some changes happening at the Law Society in the last few months. Below is a quick run-down of some of the new developments:

1.LSUC No More
On September 28, 2017 the Benchers voted 38 to 11 to stop using the name Law Society of Upper Canada. On November 2, 2017 the Benchers voted to change the name to Law Society of Ontario, effective January 1, 2018. While a survey was sent to licensees with options for the new name, some lawyers expressed displeasure for not being consulted on the name change in the first place. More on this update can be found here.

2.Statement of Principles
In December 2016, after a four year consultation process, Convocation adopted 13 recommendations contained in the “Challenges Faced by Racialized Licensees Working Group Final Report”. One of those recommendations was for a requirement that all licensees create and abide by an individual statement of principles that acknowledges their obligation to promote equality, diversity and inclusion generally and in their behaviour toward colleagues, employees, clients and the public.

Some lawyers opposed the implementation of this new requirement. Opponents argued that the requirement imposed beliefs on lawyers and is contrary to the Charter. On December 1, 2017, Bencher Joe Groia filed a motion before Convocation requesting conscientious objectors be exempt from the requirement. The motion failed by a vote of 16 to 38.  More on the Statement of Principles can be found here.

3.Paralegal Update
Also on December 1, the Law Society approved, in principle, an action plan to help improve access to justice, which includes establishing a special licence for paralegals and others with appropriate training, to offer some family law legal services.

The action plan was developed in partnership with the Ministry of the Attorney General, in response to the 21 recommendations outlined in the Family Legal Services Review, which considered whether a broader range of service providers could deliver certain family law legal services. More on this initiative can be found here.

4.Contingency Fees
The Law Society also approved a report and recommendations developed by the Advertising and Fee Arrangements Issues Working Group dealing with the regulation of contingency fees “to facilitate legal representation at a fair and reasonable cost”. The recommendations include:
  • The introduction of a mandatory standard contingency fee agreement;
  • A 'Know Your Rights' guide for the public;
  • Disclosure requirements on completion of an agreement;
  • Requirement for legal professionals to publicly disclose the maximum contingency fee percentage they charge by practice area; and
  • New reporting information required on licensees' (lawyers and paralegals) annual reports to the Law Society.
More about the Report and Recommendations can be found here.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

    Categories

    All
    Flex In Print (News/Publications)
    Freelance Lawyering
    Law (General)
    Law Society
    Legal Innovation
    Networking
    Personal Management
    Wellbeing

    RSS Feed

      Sign up for our newsletter to keep in touch!

    Subscribe
Picture

DISCLAIMER

Flex Legal Network Inc. ("Flex Legal") is not a law firm. We are a legal staffing company. Flex Legal is a network of freelance lawyers who practice independently and not in an association or other relationship for the joint practice of law.  Flex lawyers do not provide legal services to the general public. Each lawyer is solely responsible for her or his own work product and general business activities to the exclusion of any other lawyer and Flex Legal. The information provided in this website should not be construed as legal advice. Transmission of information from this website is not intended to create, and its receipt does not constitute a solicitor-client relationship with Flex Legal or any of its individual network lawyers or personnel. Use of Flex Legal services does not establish a solicitor-client relationship. Flex Legal will protect the confidentiality of information, but information you provide to Flex Legal may not be afforded legal protection as solicitor-client communications. Flex Legal expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this website. See also our Privacy Policy.
CONTACT:
info@flexlegalnetwork.com
416.509.3655 
3080 Yonge Street, Suite 6060
Toronto, ON
​M4N 3N1  (by appointment only)

Flex                           Services                   Hire Us       FAQs
Flex Clients              Our Lawyers           Join Us       
Fees / Pricing          Blog                          Founder & President: Erin Cowling  
Resources & Publications

(C) 2015-2019  - Flex Legal Network Inc. - All rights reserved.
"Flex Legal Network", "Flex Legal", & "Flex" are all registered trademarks of Flex Legal Network Inc.