The Law Society regulates the lawyers and licensed paralegals of Ontario in the public interest and ensures that they meet appropriate standards of professional competence and conduct. There is information available for clients on how to work with their lawyer as well as how to make a complaint against a legal professional.
Legal System – Working with a lawyer
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This online tool was created to help women learn about their economic rights when entering and leaving common law relationships or marriages. It includes information about different legal definitions of spouse in Ontario, spousal and child support,...
This guide to the youth court process is for young people living in Toronto charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). It describes the rights of young people who have been detained or arrested by police, what may happen leading up to the...
This webinar, designed for community workers and advocates who support women in finding a family law lawyer, discusses where to look for a family law lawyer, how to choose and work with one, and what the options are for clients who aren't satisfied....
LawFacts.ca is a website designed by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) to help people find information about criminal law processes. The site includes a glossary of terms, forms and checklists, and legal information in the following topic areas:
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This is a checklist of personal and financial information and items you should have ready for a lawyer who is dealing with your family law issue, such as a divorce. Although prepared by legal organizations in Eastern Ontario, the...
This booklet is for Aboriginal defendants who want to know more about their Gladue rights and are working with their lawyer or advocate to prepare a Gladue report. It contains information about Gladue rights, the history of Gladue, and how Gladue...
This is a checklist of personal and financial information and items you should have ready for a lawyer who is preparing a draft of your will. Although prepared by legal organizations in Eastern Ontario, the information in this resource applies to all...
People with mental illness come into conflict with the law in disproportionate numbers. If they are not Canadian citizens, this can put them at risk of being removed from Canada. This booklet is a resource for front-line workers...
This resource has information for newcomers who are thinking about using a consultant or lawyer to represent them or to help with an immigration application. It discusses paid and unpaid consultants and what to look for in a consultant.
This section of the Law Society of Upper Canada web site explains the differences between lawyers and paralegals, and describes which kinds of cases a paralegal can help with, and when a lawyer is needed.
This section of the Law Society of Upper Canada web site explains how to make a complaint about a lawyer or a paralegal. Its Frequently Asked Questions section describes how the complaint process works and what types of complaints the society handles...
The Criminal Law section of the Legal Services Society web site has publications on topics such as no-contact orders, self-representation in a criminal trial, and what to do when charged with a crime. There is also a series called "What to Do If You...
This resource advises learning what a lawyer can do for a client and preparing for meetings to make working with a lawyer more effective. It also explains what to do if a client isn't satisfied with their lawyer.
This video looks at how a lawyer can help when a separating or divorcing couple considers questions such as who will need to pay financial support and what will happen to property they own together.
Paralegals can offer legal services in defined areas such as small claims court, traffic court, tribunal work, and minor criminal matters. In this video, legal workers explain how paralegals can help people understand the process in these matters.
An accident that causes injury to a person can cause pain and suffering as well as loss of income. In this video, two Ontario lawyers discuss what steps people should take if they have an accident.
In this video, two Ontario lawyers discuss how using a lawyer in real estate transactions can help people protect their interests.
This guide describes the Amicus program for people who are appealing decisions from the Ontario Review Board (ORB) and who were not represented by counsel. It describes the role of the amicus, how they are appointed, and who pays their fees.
This guide discusses what a person can do if they have a complaint about their lawyer's behaviour or quality of work or their lawyer's bill. Topics include how to decide about which complaint process to pursue, and the time limit to complain about a...
This brochure explains why it is important for First Nation, Métis, and Inuit people to identify themselves as Aboriginal to their lawyers so their lawyers can explore the areas of law that deal with Aboriginal circumstances or rights. It discusses...

