Foreign Legal Consultant Permit
Purpose
By-Law 14 requires lawyers licensed outside of Canada to apply for and obtain a Foreign Legal Consultant (FLC) permit to give legal advice in Ontario about the law of a non-Canadian foreign jurisdiction. Law Society licensees who are licensed outside of Canada must also apply for an FLC permit to give non-Canadian legal advice in Ontario.
No person shall give legal advice in Ontario about the law of a non-Canadian foreign jurisdiction except as permitted under By-Law 14.
You must meet the conditions outlined in By-Law 14 to qualify for an FLC permit. An FLC permit is valid for 12 months or less and may be renewed annually.
Who Can Apply
You can apply if you meet all of the following:
- You are authorized to practise law in a non-Canadian jurisdiction
- You are not the subject of any order made against you by a tribunal of any governing body of the legal profession in the non-Canadian jurisdiction where you are authorized to practise law
- You have no terms, conditions, limitations, or restrictions imposed on your authorization to practise law in the non-Canadian jurisdiction
- You are of good character
In some cases, a supervisor may be required depending on your experience. Once approved, an FLC may provide legal advice in Ontario about the law of the foreign jurisdiction where they are authorized to practise law in accordance with their FLC permit.
NOTE: An FLC permit does not entitle you to provide legal advice or services about the law of Ontario or Canada.
Ongoing Requirements Following FLC Approval
- An FLC permit is valid for up to one year after the day on which it comes into effect
- You may apply to renew your FLC permit before it expires
- Renewal applications should be submitted to the Law Society no later than 30 days before the expiry date of the permit to ensure that you remain authorized as an FLC
- Proof of professional liability insurance details must be submitted with the renewal application. You must ensure that your insurance is valid for the duration of your FLC permit and that it meets the minimum requirements. Under section 8 of By-Law 14, a permit is automatically revoked if the permit holder fails to comply with certain conditions, including the requirement to maintain appropriate insurance.
- NOTE: LAWPRO does not provide professional liability insurance for FLCs. FLC insurance must be obtained from a private insurance carrier or broker.
- You must notify the Law Society immediately of any change to the information provided to the Law Society, including any change in employment
- You are no longer required to submit proof of reciprocity
NOTE: If you cease to be authorized to practise law at any time in the non-Canadian foreign jurisdiction for which your permit was issued, your FLC permit is automatically revoked.
Working with FLCs
Ontario lawyers and licensed paralegals may employ, partner, or associate with FLCs provided this is done in compliance with the Law Society Act, the Law Society's by-laws, the Rules of Professional Conduct or the Paralegal Rules of Conduct, and any other applicable legislation.
When an FLC and a licensee enter into a partnership, the conditions in subsection Part III of By-Law 7 must be satisfied. Refer to Multi-Discipline Partnerships for more information.
Application Process
1. Review the application process and timing
You must submit the most recent version of the application form (see below). Previous versions will not be accepted.
It may take Complaints & Compliance up to 30 business days from receipt of all documents to process your application. We will notify you if we have any questions.
2. Provide supporting documents as set out in the application form
The application form and supporting documents must be dated within 30 days of the day you submit them.
Certificate(s) of Standing must be sent to the Law Society directly from the regulatory body. Your Certificate of Standing must not be older than 60 days when the application is ready to be approved by Complaints & Compliance.
We will contact you if documents are missing or need to be updated.
NOTE: Any documents that are not in English or French must be translated by an Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) Certified Translator. You may wish to refer to ATIO's Directory of Certified Translators.
3. Pay the application fee and any other outstanding fees, where applicable
The Law Society must receive your non-refundable application fee before we will start processing the permit application.
New Foreign Legal Consultant Permit Fee
| Item |
Amount |
| Application fee |
$500.00 |
| HST (#121712863) |
$65.00 |
| Total |
$565.00 |
Foreign Legal Consultant Permit Renewal Fee
| Item |
Amount |
| Application fee |
$250.00 |
| HST (#121712863) |
$32.50 |
| Total |
$282.50 |
You can pay the application fee online through the Law Society Store at https://store.lso.ca/flc.
Law Society licensees can pay through the Law Society Store by logging into their Law Society Portal account at https://portal.lso.ca/.
If you cannot pay online, you may pay by enclosing a certified cheque or money order made payable to the “Law Society of Ontario” with your application materials.
You must submit payment or proof of payment with your permit application.
4. Send us your complete application by email or mail
Send by email to: compliance@lso.ca
Send by mail to:
Compliance Services
Law Society of Ontario
Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St W
Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N6
Be sure to include:
- Completed application form
- Required supporting documents as set out in the application form
- Proof of payment (or certified cheque or money order if you cannot pay online)
We will contact you if anything is missing or if we have any questions.
Application Forms and Additional Documents
Questions
All questions about the Foreign Legal Consultant Permit should be directed to Compliance Services by contacting the Law Society at (416) 947-3315 (toll-free 1-800-668-7380 ext. 3315) and asking to be transferred, or by email at compliance@lso.ca.
Accessibility
The Law Society of Ontario is committed to ensuring that our websites and web applications are accessible for people with disabilities. We have also made efforts to make Law Society documents accessible to everyone. If you need any of our documents or forms in an alternate format that is accessible to you, please contact the department listed on our website as responsible for the document/form or email lawsociety@lso.ca with details about what document/form you need.