Legal: The Law Society of Upper Canada

The Law Society Can

Address your complaints about a lawyer by:

- Assisting you with concerns about your lawyer's service.

- Investigating complaints about a lawyer's behaviour or conduct.

- Disciplining lawyers who are found guilty of professional misconduct.

Compensate you for some financial losses resulting from an Ontario lawyer's dishonesty.
You can apply to the Law Society's Lawyers Fund for Client Compensation for reimbursement for money or property lost as a result of a lawyer's dishonesty.
Help you find a lawyer .

- You can contact our Lawyer Referral Service when you need help finding a lawyer.

- The Member Directory is particularly useful if you are looking for a specific lawyer.

- Our Directory of Certified Specialists lists lawyers who have been certified as an expert in certain areas of law.

- Tribunal decisions record details of recent discipline cases resulting from our complaints process.

- The Law Society's Client Service Centre can help if you are looking for information about a member's practising status or discipline history or if you are looking for the location of a certain lawyer's files - for example if you are trying to locate an original will and the lawyer who prepared it has retired.

Support Access to Justice
The Law Society supports a number of services, such as the Public Legal Education Task Force and Pro Bono Law Ontario, that help to make sure the public is well served by the legal system of Ontario. Read the Access to Justice Fact Sheet for more about these and other programs.

The Law Society Cannot

Investigate complaints about lawyers' fees.
The Law Society cannot order your lawyer to reduce the amount billed to you for services provided.

If you have a problem with your bill, there are two things you can do: talk to your lawyer, or contact the Assessment Office of the Superior Court of Justice to make an appointment to have your bill reviewed. See Your Lawyer's Bill - Too High? for more information.
Provide legal advice.
Staff in the Law Society's Client Service Centre cannot provide legal advice, but can give you information about our complaints process, and direct you to other legal resources.
Order your lawyer to compensate you for losses resulting from negligent acts.
All practising lawyers in Ontario are required to have professional liability insurance. They are insured by LAWPRO, the Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company. If you believe your lawyer was negligent, you may obtain the advice of another lawyer to pursue a claim for compensation.

Visit About the Society to learn more about The Law Society of Upper Canada.

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