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FAQs

This page will be updated on an ongoing basis following the launch of the Access to Innovation (A2I) project. If you can’t find the answer to your question below, please contact the A2I team at accesstoinnovation@lso.ca.

General:

  • 1. Why has the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) launched the Access to Innovation (A2I) project?

    The A2I project benefits Ontarians, legal service providers and the LSO. In response to regulatory issues that innovators and users have faced in developing and using innovative technological legal services (ITLS), the A2I project is designed to provide greater certainty about the rules and standards that will apply to ITLS providers and to provide users with increased choice and confidence that the assistance they receive is effective and reliable.

    Read more about the A2I project and its objectives.

  • 2. How long will the Access to Innovation project run for?
    Access to Innovation is a five-year pilot project. It commenced in November 2021.
  • 3. How is the Access to Innovation (A2I) project funded?

    A2I is funded through the Law Society of Ontario’s general operating budget as well as by public interest grant support.

    Part of the funding for the A2I project is generously provided by a grant from The Law Foundation of Ontario. Through granting and collaboration, the Foundation invests in knowledge and services that help people understand the law and use it to improve their lives. The Law Society is grateful for its support.

  • 4. Is the Law Society of Ontario’s Access to Innovation (A2I) project affiliated with innovation sandboxes in other jurisdictions?

    Legal regulators in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta and the state of Utah have all adopted similar regulatory sandboxes.

    The A2I project in Ontario is not formally linked to any of those other sandboxes. Approved participation in the A2I project does not automatically grant operating permission in any of those other jurisdictions. The Law Society of Ontario liaises regularly with these other regulators and will continue to explore any opportunities for collaboration and harmonization.

  • 5. What happens if a user has a complaint about the services they have received from an Access to Innovation (A2I) participant?

    A2I participants are subject to a thorough approval process, active monitoring by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), and regular reporting requirements.

    Each approved participant must maintain and operate its own complaint resolution process. The LSO evaluates each participant’s process to ensure that it can appropriately address issues that may arise.

    The LSO retains the authority to suspend or revoke a participant’s approval, where serious problems arise.

  • 6. How does the Access to Innovation (A2I) program benefit licensees and the legal professions?

    The Access to Innovation (A2I) program benefits licensees and the legal professions by highlighting new and innovative ways of providing legal services to clients.

    The A2I program allows the Law Society and licensees to explore the many opportunities and challenges associated with innovative technological legal services (ITLS) and to adapt to the quickly changing and growing ITLS market in Ontario.

    Through A2I, licensees can observe the public’s interest in existing ITLS tools. This may lead to them use these tools to enhance the way they deliver legal services or, it may inspire them to develop their own.

  • 7. Why should licensees be supportive of this program?

    The Access to Innovation (A2I) program ensures that providers of innovative technological legal services (ITLS) are adhering to public protection requirements.

    Without the supervision of a regulatory body, there is a risk that legal services will be delivered unethically, ineffectively or incorrectly, which may discourage individuals from seeking legal assistance at all.

    The supervision of ITLS providers allows consumers to feel confident in the services they are choosing to use and assures the public that these services are safe, effective and most importantly, reliable.

    The A2I program opens the door for legal professionals to develop and deliver these types of services themselves without fear of reprisal. Direct-to-consumer legal tech services are breaking the rules with respect delivery of legal services in Ontario, though some of the providers may be unaware of this fact. Lawyers and paralegals are aware of the rules and may be hesitant to develop or launch a product or service which could result in reprisals from the Law Society as regulator which may impact their career. The A2I program removes this risk.  

    Many very useful business-to-business (B2B) legal tech tools have been developed by lawyers over the years. By removing the risk of reprisal through the A2I program, it is the Law Society’s hope that lawyers will now be encouraged to turn their attention to the development of innovative direct-to-consumer legal tech applications as well.

  • 8. Will the A2I program approve participants who are not lawyers or paralegals?

    Yes. The Access to Innovation (A2I) program is open to working with providers who are focused on the innovative delivery of legal services through technology. Participants do not have to be a lawyer or paralegal to apply. However, as part of the applicant evaluation process, A2I ensures that an applicant has had sound input (almost invariably from a licensee) in the development and testing of the legal knowledge/logic algorithms present in their applications. 

  • 9. Has the A2I program engaged any business-to-business (B2B) technology providers?

    Currently (as of summer 2023), A2I does not have any B2B technology providers as approved participants.
    The B2B legal tech industry — which provides services to licensees to assist in their practice — is well established.  In instances where a licensee uses B2B technology to serve clients, the obligations for consumer protection rest with the licensee and are covered by provisions of the Law Society’s mandate such as having insurance coverage through LAWPRO.  

    The A2I program is open to input from licensees regarding B2B technology providers and whether approval by the A2I program would increase their confidence in using B2B products and services. Please reach out to Art Wilson (awilson@LSO.ca), Manager, Access to Innovation with any suggestions or questions you may have.

  • 10. How does the A2I program fit within the Law Society’s mandate?

    Services provided by approved participants will help “to facilitate access to justice for the people of Ontario,” by closing the gap on unmet legal needs.

    By ensuring that these technologies -- which would exist whether the A2I program was regulating them or not -- operate in a manner that “protect the public interest, to maintain and advance the cause of justice and the rule of law,” the Law Society is keeping to its mandate.

  • 11. How does the A2I program ensure the quality of products/services offered by approved applicants?

    During the application evaluation process a number of factors are considered to help ensure the quality of the services to be offered. 

    These include:
    • source of legal knowledge/logic present in the application (almost invariably a named licensee)
    • robust policies to protect consumer privacy
    • cyber security measures that meet independent international standards
    • robust complaints process.

    Once approved, participants are required to submit data on a quarterly basis — or more frequently, if deemed necessary by the Law Society — regarding the performance of their operations and any complaints received. Complaints and issues that appear in the reported data which raise concerns about operations may lead to further inquiries by the Law Society. Additionally, all participants may be subject to random audits of their operations.

    Should the Law Society find issues with a participant’s operations, they may be required to take immediate steps to remedy the problem or – if serious issues arise – require the participant to suspend operations until the problem has been resolved. 

    In the most serious of circumstances, the Law Society may terminate the approval of a participant, expel them from the program, and make this information public so as to warn consumers of the risks of using these services.

For Potential Applicants:

  • 1. Who can apply to the Access to Innovation (A2I) project?

    The A2I project is open to any type of legal service provider – licensed lawyer or paralegal, non-licensed person, law firm, business or not-for-profit organization. If you are seeking to deliver legal services via innovative technology and currently face regulatory barriers, the A2I project is designed for you.

    A2I participants must have obtained all other applicable permissions, such as business permits, to operate in Ontario.

  • 2. What are the benefits for legal innovators who participate in the Access to Innovation (A2I) project?

    The A2I project allows legal innovators to serve users while complying with risk-based public protection requirements. It can benefit you in several ways:

    • reducing regulatory uncertainty and barriers to entry
    • permitting operation in Ontario for the duration of your approval period
    • tailoring operating requirements to your circumstances
    • supporting user confidence by expressly approving your operations
    • offering a pathway for successful participants to obtain ongoing permits.


    Read more information about the A2I project and its benefits

  • 3. Is the Access to Innovation (A2I) project an incubator/accelerator?

    The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) is responsible for regulating the provision of legal services in Ontario, and the A2I project is first and foremost a regulatory initiative. It is not an incubator or accelerator in the common understanding of those terms. For example, the A2I project is not designed to provide funding support or operational mentorship and resources to participants.

    Nevertheless, the LSO recognizes the important role that incubators and accelerators play in spurring innovation. Many of the features and objectives of the A2I project are compatible with those of incubators and accelerators.

    For example, by reducing regulatory uncertainty and offering routes to approved service provision, the A2I project gives Innovative Technological Legal Services (ITLS) providers confidence that they can grow successful, sustainable operations. By establishing operating criteria and parameters, the A2I project can also help give ITLS providers targets for the features and protections they need to build into their service models – for example, cybersecurity requirements to protect users’ confidential information.

    Read more about how the A2I project works.

  • 4. How can I apply to the Access to Innovation project?

    See a full description of how to apply.

  • 5. Is there a deadline to apply, or any cap on the number of applicants or participants?

    There is no deadline to apply to the A2I project. You may apply at any point during the five-year pilot period, rather than at certain fixed intake periods.

    There is no cap on the number of applicants or participants in the A2I project.

  • 6. How are applications reviewed?

    Applications are first processed by the Access to Innovation (A2I) team, who may follow up to discuss gaps or concerns. When an application is considered complete, it is advanced for review by the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is composed of independent experts with a wide range of professional backgrounds and perspectives.

    Applications are reviewed based on approval criteria tied to the A2I project’s objectives. The Advisory Council prepares a recommendation for the A2I manager to either approve, reject, or return the application for further information.

    After reviewing the Advisory Council’s recommendation, the A2I manager decides to approve, reject, or return the application for further information. Each application decision will be communicated in a written report from the A2I manager that explains the basis for the decision. Decisions to approve applicants will be published online.

  • 7. What happens if my application is not approved?

    Each application decision will be communicated in a written report that explains the basis for the decision. Applicants may request a review of a decision to reject an application or of conditions imposed in a decision to approve an application. Review decisions are made by an Executive Director of the Law Society of Ontario. Application approval decisions will be made with reference to the approval criteria.

  • 8. If my application is approved, how long will my operating period be in the Access to Innovation (A2I) project?

    The A2I project offers flexibility regarding the length of approved operating periods. A typical operating period would last for two years, but each approved participant will be given an individualized operating period that best meets the needs of both the Law Society and the participant. There will be options to modify or extend the operating period on mutual consent.

  • 9. What operating requirements will apply to approved Access to Innovation participants?

    Operating requirements will be tailored to the individual circumstances of each A2I participant and any identified risks involved in their delivery of legal services.

    Participants will commonly be required to:

    • Communicate certain information to users, including, for example:
      • disclosure that the provider is an approved participant in the A2I project
      • informed consent disclosures (where applicable), for example, that the provider has certain limitations in terms of the tasks or functions that it is permitted to perform
      • information about how to make a complaint or provide feedback.
    • collect and report data to the Law Society
    • maintain a system for addressing user complaints
    • carry appropriate insurance
    • submit to ongoing monitoring and auditing protocols.
  • 10. What kind of information will I need to report to the Law Society during my approved operating period?

    Data reporting is an important component of the Access to Innovation (A2I) project. It allows for effective monitoring and evaluation of participants (including to support decisions to issue permits upon completion of the A2I operating period) and also provides detailed evidence to support the Law Society’s regulatory policy-making.

    Reporting requirements will be tailored to the individual circumstances of each A2I participant, and any identified risks involved in their delivery of legal services. Reported data will be required to be aggregated, de-identified, and/or anonymized, as appropriate in the circumstances to best protect confidential and personally-identifiable information.

    Examples of information that participants may be required to report include:

    • user interest and uptake
    • user demographics
    • performance outcomes and quality of service
    • legal process outcomes
    • complaint resolution outcomes and service feedback
    • pricing information
    • financial and other business outcomes
    • marketing models.


    The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) will securely store all application materials and participation data and will grant access only to the A2I team and the Advisory Council members who will review those materials. LSO staff and Advisory Council members work under strict obligations to protect data security and confidentiality and to avoid conflicts of interest.

  • 11. What happens if I decide to change how I deliver services during my approved operating period?

    If proposed changes to your service delivery model will impact the conditions of your approval or any terms of your participation agreement, contact the A2I team promptly to discuss options. The A2I project aims to be flexible and cognizant of business realities in the legal innovation space.

  • 12. What happens after I have completed my operating period?

    At the conclusion of your operating period in the Access to Innovation (A2I) project, the A2I team evaluates your performance. Participants that meet expectations during their operating period can receive a permit to continue providing legal services in Ontario on an ongoing basis.

For the Public:

Terms or Concepts Explained