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April 25, 2024
Edward Choi will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Cathi Mietkiewicz, in accordance with the LSO electoral process for bencher vacancies.
Foundations of Sole Practice (Practice Essentials Course) implementation: Convocation approved policy recommendations for the implementation of the Practice Essentials Course, which has been titled the Foundations of Sole Practice. The course will be mandatory for all licensees who declare as a sole practitioner for the first time, starting on January 1, 2025. Convocation has decided that:
- Licensees who complete the Foundations of Sole Practice will be permitted to use the Continuing Professional Development hours earned while completing the course towards their annual requirement for a total of two calendar years: the year in which they begin the course and the year after.
- December 31, 2026, will be the required completion date for licensees who declare as sole practitioners for the first time in 2025.
- For licensees who declare as sole practitioners for the first time in 2026 and beyond:
- Anyone declaring on or before May 31 of each calendar year will have until December 31 of that same calendar year to complete the course.
- Anyone declaring on or after June 1 of each calendar year will have until December 31 of the following calendar year to complete the course.
- Licensees who fail to complete the Foundations of Sole Practice within the required time period will receive an administrative suspension.
Refer to the full report for more information.
Client Contingency Planning (Succession Planning): Convocation approved amendments to By-law 7.1 which implement a requirement for licensees in private practice to maintain a client contingency plan for their professional business.
The amendments will come into force on January 1, 2025 and will be reported in 2025 Annual Report Filings, which are required to be reported by March 31, 2026.
A full suite of resources, including a client contingency plan template, will be created or updated and individualized guidance and resources will be available. More information will be forthcoming.
For all of the details please refer to the report: Client Contingency Planning.
Futures Committee white paper: The Futures Committee released a white paper titled Licensee use of generative artificial intelligence, intended to help licensees better understand generative artificial intelligence (AI) and use it in an informed, productive manner.
Other decisions:
Agenda
Agenda
Treasurer’s remarks
Reports
Consent Agenda — Motion
- Confirmation of Draft Minutes of Convocation — February 29, 2024
- Motions
- Election of Bencher
- 2024 Annual General Meeting
- Treasurer’s Report — LAWPRO Annual Shareholder’s Resolutions
- Human Rights Monitoring Group Request for Intervention
Professional Development and Competence Committee Report
For Information
- Certified Specialist Board Appointments
Professional Regulation Committee Report
For Information
- 2023 Annual Report of the Complaints Resolution Commissioner
- Professional Regulation Division 2023 End-of-Year Report
Strategic Planning and Advisory Committee Report
- Policy on Bencher Information Requests
For Information
- Law Society Strategic Plan 2023-2027
Audit & Finance Committee Report
- Law Society of Ontario Annual Financial Statements for the year Ended December 31, 2023
- In Camera Matter
For Information
- LAWPRO Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023
- LiRN Inc. Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023
- In Camera Matters
In Camera Report of the Chief Executive Officer
In Camera Treasurer’s Report
Reports for information only
Futures Committee Report
- Law Society White Paper: Licensee’s use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Tribunal Committee Report
- Law Society Tribunal 2023 Annual Statistics for the period January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023
The Law Society's virtual Convocation is on April 25. Watch the webcast.
Licensees, members of the media and the public are welcome to view the public portions of Convocation via the Law Society’s webcast. While audio recording is permissible for note taking purposes only, the webcast or video archive of the proceedings may not be captured, recorded or distributed for any purpose.
Terms or Concepts Explained