Temporary Practice Permit Under the NMA
Purpose
Lawyers who wish to practise law in Ontario on a temporary basis who are licensed and entitled to practise law in a Canadian province that has signed and/or implemented the National Mobility Agreement (NMA) may do so without prior permission for up to 100 days in a calendar year, providing they meet the requirements set out in Part VII of By-Law 4.
Lawyers who do not meet these requirements need permission to practise law on a temporary basis and must apply for a Temporary Practice Permit.
Lawyers from all Canadian provinces may apply under the mobility rules, except for certain Quebec lawyers (see Who Must Apply).
Who Must Apply
- Lawyers licensed in a Canadian province who do not meet the requirements of Part VII of By-Law 4 to practise law in Ontario without permission
- Lawyers who anticipate their temporary practice will be more than the 100 days permitted. NOTE: any part of a day spent working on an Ontario-related file, whether or not you are physically in Ontario counts as one whole day towards the 100 days permitted.
- Lawyers who establish an economic nexus with Ontario and are applying for Permanent Transfer under the NMA and intend to work in Ontario before they are licensed
Quebec lawyers may apply for a Temporary Practice Permit, other than lawyers who qualified for membership in the Barreau du Québec under the Entente entre le Québec et la France en matière de reconnaissance mutuelle des qualifications professionnelles.
Applicants must remain entitled to practise law in their home jurisdiction and have appropriate insurance, as applicable, to practise law in Ontario.
There is no application fee for the Temporary Practice Permit.
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 Compliance Services up to 15 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 Compliance Services.
We will contact you if documents are missing or need to be updated.
3. 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
We will contact you if anything is missing or if we have any questions.
Application Forms and Additional Documents
Questions
All questions about the Temporary Practice Permit should be directed to Compliance Services by contacting the Law Society at (416) 947-3315 (toll-free within Ontario 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.