LSO - Barrister & Solicitor – Professional Responsibility LSO - Barrister & Solicitor – Professional Responsibility
Table of Contents 1. Regulating the legal professions
1. Regulating the legal professions 2 9 Managing the client relationship 28
1. LSO
2. Professionalism 3 10. Withdrawal from representation 30 1.1 Convocation and management
Convocation: to call together; to summon to meet; to assemble by summons.
3. Who is the client 5 11. Duty to others 33
As a self-governing body, LSO is run by a board of directors (called “benchers”) elected by Ls and
4. Competence 9 12. Advocacy 37 paralegals of LSO. Benchers meet most months in a gathering called “Convocation” to deal w/
matters related to governing the legal professions.
5. Confidentiality 10 13. Practice management 41
The CEO, an employee of LSO, oversees the staff and the daily operations of the org.
6. Conflicts of interest 13 14 Accounting, bank accounts, and 47 1.2 Education, licensing, and professional development
bookkeeping The Professional Development and Competence Division (PD&C) of LSO provides education,
practice resources, and support to Ls and paralegals.
7. Duty to the client 20 15. Indigenous peoples of Canada: history 50
and current legal issues 1.3 Professional regulation
1.4 Support to Ls, paralegals, and the public
8. Fees and disbursements 24 2. Regulating the legal professions in the public interest
2.1 Terminology
Glossary 2.2 The Rules of Professional Conduct
The Law Society of Ontario / Law Society of the Trial Judge: TJ United Nations: UN The Rules cannot cover every situation; they should be interpreted and applied w/ common
Ontario: LSO the Crown: ♕ Youth Criminal Justice Act
Chief Executive Officer: CEO year: yr Canada / Canadian: CA sense and in a manner consistent w/ the public interest and the integrity of the legal professions.
the Rules of Civil Procedure: RCP Witnesses: Wes alternative dispute resolution: ADR If a L’s personal sense of what is right may conflict w/ what is outlined in the Rules; however, a L
Lawyer / Licensee: L Witness: W maximum: max
is obliged to comply w/ the Rules regardless of whether the L agrees w/ them.
Client: C Corporation: corp minimum: min
By-Law / By law: BL the Judge: J' person: 人 2.3 Competence and professional development
Government: gov Plaintiff: P> Common law: CL 2.4 Complaints, investigations, discipline, and appeals
people: ppl Claimant: C>
Organization: org' Defendant: >D
the Federal Court: FC If LSO receives a complaint against a L, that L will be notified and given an opportunity to
the administrative decision maker: ADM
Information: info Ontario: ON administrative law: AL
respond. Failure to respond promptly and completely to any communication from LSO is a
third party: 3P examination: exam' Minister of: M of breach of the Rules and is also grounds for discipline.
business: biz Respondent: >R Beyond a reasonable doubt: BaRD
between: b/w ,000,000 m Most complaints are resolved w/out a formal discipline hearing. If the L is disciplined, the hearing
United States: The U.S.
with: w/ ,000: k Dispute resolution: DR panel’s decision will become part of the L’s record w/ LSO and will be made public.
without: w/o days: d'
Criminal Code / "The Code": CC documentation / documentary / document:
Family Law Act: FLA 2.5 Suspensions — disciplinary and administrative
Divorce Act: DA
the Ontario Court of Justice: OCJ doc Department of Justice: DoJ
Ls and paralegals suspended for failing to meet the required standard of conduct have been
the Superior Court of Justice: SCJ Evidence Act: EA Principle of Natural Justice: PNJ suspended for disciplinary reasons.
the Supreme Court of Canada: SCC preliminary: prelim Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Charter
the Attorney General: AG the Small Claims Court: SmallCC Ls and paralegals may also be suspended by LSO for administrative reasons. Administrative
common law: CL
judicial review: JR juridical review: JR Principles of natural justice : PNJ suspensions are automatic, and there is no hearing. They occur if Ls or paralegals fail to meet
Divisional Court: DC ON: Ontario
the Court of Appeal: CoA
Courts of Justice Act: CJA their administrative obligations to LSO, such as:
British Columbia: BC
Paying annual fees
LSO Licensing Exams Hack Paying necessary professional liability insurance premiums and levies
Complete and report on annual CPD hours
A step-by-step guide on hacking the licensing exams file annual reports to LSO, such as the Annual Report Filing;
report in the Annual Report Filing on each mixed trust account, including interest earned,
1. Read this thoroughly, understand this material fully held at any time during the licensee’s reporting yr.
2. Try practice questions (timed!) with the LSO materials, not this one.: I used this one: Unlike disciplinary suspensions, administrative suspensions are automatically lifted as soon as
https://accessbarprep.com/ pretty good but I'm sure others are fine too; make sure you try a full-length sample the suspended licensees meet their administrative obligations to LSO. However, licensees who
exam, at least one for each exam have been administratively suspended for a period of more than 12 months may have their
3. Go over wrong questions and understand them fully. licence revoked. Once revoked, licensees must apply to have their licence reinstated and may be
4. LSO website also have a couple of sample questions you should try: https://lso.ca/becoming-licensed/lawyer- required to pay an additional fee.
licensing-process/licensing-examinations/sample-examination-questions While under suspension for any reason, Ls are prohibited from practising law, providing legal
5. I didn't create my own TOC and solely relied on Law Society materials for the exam, they are detailed enough services, or representing or holding themselves out as 人 s entitled to practise law or provide
for exam purposes. DO NOT bring this material to the exam site except for illustration purposes. You need
legal services. Suspended Ls also have specific obligations to disclose their suspended status to
proper a DTOC!
prospective, existing, and former Cs and to engage another L to complete certain tasks related to
6. If you do all of the above, I am 100% sure you'll pass.
any existing C’s file.
1 2
Table of Contents 1. Regulating the legal professions
1. Regulating the legal professions 2 9 Managing the client relationship 28
1. LSO
2. Professionalism 3 10. Withdrawal from representation 30 1.1 Convocation and management
Convocation: to call together; to summon to meet; to assemble by summons.
3. Who is the client 5 11. Duty to others 33
As a self-governing body, LSO is run by a board of directors (called “benchers”) elected by Ls and
4. Competence 9 12. Advocacy 37 paralegals of LSO. Benchers meet most months in a gathering called “Convocation” to deal w/
matters related to governing the legal professions.
5. Confidentiality 10 13. Practice management 41
The CEO, an employee of LSO, oversees the staff and the daily operations of the org.
6. Conflicts of interest 13 14 Accounting, bank accounts, and 47 1.2 Education, licensing, and professional development
bookkeeping The Professional Development and Competence Division (PD&C) of LSO provides education,
practice resources, and support to Ls and paralegals.
7. Duty to the client 20 15. Indigenous peoples of Canada: history 50
and current legal issues 1.3 Professional regulation
1.4 Support to Ls, paralegals, and the public
8. Fees and disbursements 24 2. Regulating the legal professions in the public interest
2.1 Terminology
Glossary 2.2 The Rules of Professional Conduct
The Law Society of Ontario / Law Society of the Trial Judge: TJ United Nations: UN The Rules cannot cover every situation; they should be interpreted and applied w/ common
Ontario: LSO the Crown: ♕ Youth Criminal Justice Act
Chief Executive Officer: CEO year: yr Canada / Canadian: CA sense and in a manner consistent w/ the public interest and the integrity of the legal professions.
the Rules of Civil Procedure: RCP Witnesses: Wes alternative dispute resolution: ADR If a L’s personal sense of what is right may conflict w/ what is outlined in the Rules; however, a L
Lawyer / Licensee: L Witness: W maximum: max
is obliged to comply w/ the Rules regardless of whether the L agrees w/ them.
Client: C Corporation: corp minimum: min
By-Law / By law: BL the Judge: J' person: 人 2.3 Competence and professional development
Government: gov Plaintiff: P> Common law: CL 2.4 Complaints, investigations, discipline, and appeals
people: ppl Claimant: C>
Organization: org' Defendant: >D
the Federal Court: FC If LSO receives a complaint against a L, that L will be notified and given an opportunity to
the administrative decision maker: ADM
Information: info Ontario: ON administrative law: AL
respond. Failure to respond promptly and completely to any communication from LSO is a
third party: 3P examination: exam' Minister of: M of breach of the Rules and is also grounds for discipline.
business: biz Respondent: >R Beyond a reasonable doubt: BaRD
between: b/w ,000,000 m Most complaints are resolved w/out a formal discipline hearing. If the L is disciplined, the hearing
United States: The U.S.
with: w/ ,000: k Dispute resolution: DR panel’s decision will become part of the L’s record w/ LSO and will be made public.
without: w/o days: d'
Criminal Code / "The Code": CC documentation / documentary / document:
Family Law Act: FLA 2.5 Suspensions — disciplinary and administrative
Divorce Act: DA
the Ontario Court of Justice: OCJ doc Department of Justice: DoJ
Ls and paralegals suspended for failing to meet the required standard of conduct have been
the Superior Court of Justice: SCJ Evidence Act: EA Principle of Natural Justice: PNJ suspended for disciplinary reasons.
the Supreme Court of Canada: SCC preliminary: prelim Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Charter
the Attorney General: AG the Small Claims Court: SmallCC Ls and paralegals may also be suspended by LSO for administrative reasons. Administrative
common law: CL
judicial review: JR juridical review: JR Principles of natural justice : PNJ suspensions are automatic, and there is no hearing. They occur if Ls or paralegals fail to meet
Divisional Court: DC ON: Ontario
the Court of Appeal: CoA
Courts of Justice Act: CJA their administrative obligations to LSO, such as:
British Columbia: BC
Paying annual fees
LSO Licensing Exams Hack Paying necessary professional liability insurance premiums and levies
Complete and report on annual CPD hours
A step-by-step guide on hacking the licensing exams file annual reports to LSO, such as the Annual Report Filing;
report in the Annual Report Filing on each mixed trust account, including interest earned,
1. Read this thoroughly, understand this material fully held at any time during the licensee’s reporting yr.
2. Try practice questions (timed!) with the LSO materials, not this one.: I used this one: Unlike disciplinary suspensions, administrative suspensions are automatically lifted as soon as
https://accessbarprep.com/ pretty good but I'm sure others are fine too; make sure you try a full-length sample the suspended licensees meet their administrative obligations to LSO. However, licensees who
exam, at least one for each exam have been administratively suspended for a period of more than 12 months may have their
3. Go over wrong questions and understand them fully. licence revoked. Once revoked, licensees must apply to have their licence reinstated and may be
4. LSO website also have a couple of sample questions you should try: https://lso.ca/becoming-licensed/lawyer- required to pay an additional fee.
licensing-process/licensing-examinations/sample-examination-questions While under suspension for any reason, Ls are prohibited from practising law, providing legal
5. I didn't create my own TOC and solely relied on Law Society materials for the exam, they are detailed enough services, or representing or holding themselves out as 人 s entitled to practise law or provide
for exam purposes. DO NOT bring this material to the exam site except for illustration purposes. You need
legal services. Suspended Ls also have specific obligations to disclose their suspended status to
proper a DTOC!
prospective, existing, and former Cs and to engage another L to complete certain tasks related to
6. If you do all of the above, I am 100% sure you'll pass.
any existing C’s file.
1 2
