Submit Your Annual Report Filing
Purpose
Under Part II of By-Law 8, all licensees must file an Annual Report Filing with the Law Society by March 31st of each year. Licensees who are lawyers are required to provide details about their practice of law and other related activities during the preceding year in this report, while licensees who are paralegals are required to provide details about their provision of legal services and other related activities during the preceding year.
Part II of By-Law 8 requires the Annual Report Filing to be filed in an electronic format specified by the Law Society.
Who This Applies To
All licensees, regardless of licence type, must submit an Annual Report Filing in order to maintain their licence, unless expressly exempted on application to the Law Society.
Reporting Requirements
- Submit the complete Annual Report Filing through the Law Society Portal at https://portal.lso.ca by March 31st of each year
- Ensure that the Law Society has up to date contact information (including telephone/fax numbers, and mailing/email addresses for business and home) by reporting any changes immediately after they happen in the Change of Information section of the Law Society Portal at https://portal.lso.ca
- If our portal poses a barrier for you because you have a disability, and you require an accommodation under human rights legislation to submit the Annual Report Filing in paper format (such as a Word file or large print) rather than electronically through the Law Society Portal, as required under Part II of By-Law 8, you must make a written request to do so. Please fill out a Communication Access Form and send a request to submit the Annual Report Filing in a different format to bylawadmin@lso.ca. You will need to set out the grounds for your request and the nexus between the ground(s) and your inability to submit the Annual Report Filing through the Portal.
Non-Compliance
Licensees who do not submit their Annual Report Filing by March 31 will be in default as of that date and may have their licence administratively suspended by an Order of the Summary Disposition Bencher any time thereafter. See Administrative Suspension on the Law Society website for more information.
Review Process
The By-Law Administration Services department reviews all paper reports for incomplete and/or blank responses. If a report is incomplete, By-Law Administration Services will contact the licensee to request additional information.
Amendments to the Annual Report Filing must be submitted in writing, along with a signed authorization giving permission to amend the filing.
Filing the Annual Report Filing electronically saves time and ensures that all responses are complete before the form can be submitted.
Links to Law Society Portal and Applicable Documents
Law Society Portal
Paralegal Bookkeeping Guide (PDF)
Reporting Mixed Trust Accounts
Report on Opening or Closing a Trust Account
Link to Applicable By-law
By-Law 8, Part II: Filing Requirements
Questions about the Annual Report Filing