Back to Navigation

Civil Society Organizations

Purpose

To make lawyer and paralegal services more accessible, the Law Society has approved a registration system that enables lawyers and paralegals to provide their professional services to the public as employees of charities and not-for-profit corporations. Under this initiative, registered charities and not-for-profit corporations can register with the Law Society to employ lawyers and paralegals to deliver legal services through their organizations directly to their clients. Lawyers and paralegals employed by charities and not-for-profit corporations may provide free lawyer and paralegal services to clients of the organization.

Who Can Apply

Applications are to be made by the registered charity or the not-for-profit corporation. A representative from the organization will need to complete and submit the Registration for Registered Charities and Not-For-Profit Corporations form. By registering, the organization does not become regulated by the Law Society, but the organization will be required to comply with the terms of registration as set out in the registration form. The Law Society will continue to regulate the lawyer or paralegal providing services through the charity or not-for-profit corporation. If at any time the Law Society requirements are not met, charities and not-for-profit corporations may be de-registered. This information will be made public.

Guide and Registration Form

A Guide for Registered Charities and Not-For-Profit Corporations Registration Form for Registered Charities and Not-For-Profit Corporations

Ongoing Requirements

Registered charities and not-for-profit corporations will be required to file a short report with the Law Society on an annual basis.

Additional Information

Lawyers employed by a registered charity or not-for-profit corporation providing services to clients of the organization may be eligible for a significantly reduced insurance rate pursuant to LAWPRO’s designated agency program. More information can be found on LAWPRO's website at https://www.lawpro.ca.

Link to By-Law

Part VI of By-Law 7 - Services Delivered by Lawyers and Paralegals through Civil Society Organizations

Questions

Questions about how registered charities and not-for-profit corporations register with the Law Society as Civil Society Organizations should be directed to Compliance Services by contacting the Law Society at 416-947-3315 (toll-free 1-800-668-7390 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.

Registered Civil Society Organizations

The following list of registered charities and not-for-profit organizations are registered as Civil Society Organizations with the Law Society of Ontario:

Ecojustice Canada Society www.ecojustice.ca Registration Date: July 12, 2019	Family Service Toronto www.familyservicetoronto.org Registration Date: July 26, 2019
CCHR Canadian Centre for Housing Rights/ Centre Canadien du Droit au Logement www.housingrightscanada.com Registration Date: August 23, 2019	Housing Help/Aide Logement www.action-logement.ca Registration Date: September 12, 2019
National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) www.nccm.ca Registration Date: October 24, 2019	CCLA Canadian Civil Liberties Association www.ccla.org Registration Date: November 11, 2019
Canadian Centre for Torture Victims www.ccvt.org Registration Date: March 25, 2020	Pathways Employment Help Centre www.pathwaysehc.ca Registration Date: August 28, 2020
Community Justice Collective www.cjclaw.org Registration Date: September 10, 2020	Centre des services communautaires de Vanier/ Vanier Community Service Centre www.cscvanier.com Registration Date: October 12, 2020
TalentLift www.talentlift.ca Registration Date: May 4, 2021	Lakehead University, Newcomer Legal Clinic www.newcomerlegal.ca Registration Date: August 19, 2021
CCM Toronto Centre Legal Clinic www.legalclinic.ccmcanada.org Registration Date: October 7, 2021	The Democracy Fund www.thedemocracyfund.ca Registration Date: October 29, 2021
AEL Advocacy www.aeladvocacy.ca Registration Date: December 13, 2021	First Freedoms Foundation www.firstfreedoms.ca Registration Date: January 10, 2022
Midaynta Community Services www.midaynta.com Registration Date: January 21, 2022	Hope City Church Brampton www.hopecitybrampton.com Registration Date: June 13, 2022
Luke's Place www.lukesplace.ca Registration Date: June 14, 2022	Black Legal Action Centre www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca Registration Date: June 30, 2022
Charter Advocates Canada www.charteradvocates.ca Registration Date: January 6, 2023	Action-Logement/Action Housing www.action-logement.ca Registration Date: February 7, 2023
Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes (AOcVF) www.aocvf.ca Registration Date: February 27, 2023	Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence www.naturesdefence.ca Registration Date: May 3, 2023
The Inclusive Commons Registration Date: October 6, 2023	Canadian Constitution Foundation www.theccf.ca Registration Date: October 20, 2023
Community Counselling & Resource Centre www.ccrc-ptbo.com Registration Date: March 19, 2024	COMPASS Refugee Centre www.compassrefugee.ca Registration Date: April 30, 2024

This list was last updated on April 30, 2024

Disclaimer

In the interest of furthering access to justice, the Law Society of Ontario (“Law Society”) allows its licensees to provide their professional services to the public as employees of registered charities and not-for-profit corporations (“Civil Society Organizations”) provided that those Civil Society Organizations are also registered with the Law Society.

The purposes, values, and opinions of Civil Society Organizations that are registered with the Law Society, as well as their activities and actions, are their own. The registration of a Civil Society Organization with the Law Society in no way represents the Law Society’s endorsement or support of that Civil Society Organization.

The Law Society is not responsible to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly in connection with a Civil Society Organization registered with the Law Society.

Terms or Concepts Explained