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The complaints process

We review and consider every complaint we receive and we will consider whether the lawyer or paralegal you are complaining about is a risk to the public, the public’s confidence in the legal professions and the Law Society, and the administration of justice.

We will investigate when necessary and take regulatory action in appropriate cases.

The complaints process

Our commitment

We are committed to communicating with you in a respectful, professional and civil manner. We expect the same courtesy from you and others.

The Law Society is also committed to protecting its team members from harassing, discriminatory and threatening behaviour.

We understand that the complaints process and the circumstances involved may be stressful. However, we will not accept racist, discriminatory or harassing behaviour, or profane communications.

Behaviour of this kind will result in the Law Society restricting communications or no longer communicating with you beyond advising you of the outcome of your complaint.
Types of complaints we can help you with
The Law Society deals with complaints about lawyers' and paralegals' conduct, including:
- ethics, honesty or breach of confidentiality
- communications (including failure to reply to communications or to provide detailed statements or transaction records)
- concerns that your lawyer or paralegal is not following your instructions
- unreasonable delays in moving your legal matters forward
- misleading, threatening or rude behaviour
- physical, sexual or other assault, harassment and discriminatory behaviour
- misuse of trust funds, failure to account for funds or the improper handling or loss of money
- concerns of potentially criminal conduct.
The Law Society will also respond to information about unlicensed illegal practitioners providing legal services. You may provide this information on the complaint form.
Additional options for making a complaint

In addition to making a complaint to the Law Society, you may also wish to explore the availability of other options, such as the civil and/or criminal justice system. If you believe that the lawyer's or paralegal's conduct may constitute a criminal offence, please consider reporting it to the police. For more information, you may also wish to read the Law Society's process for reporting to law enforcement and other regulators.

If you have lost money because of a lawyer's or paralegal's dishonesty, you may also be eligible to apply to the Compensation Fund.
Complaints we cannot help you with

The Law Society does not set fees for legal services and cannot reduce a lawyer or paralegal bill that you think is too high. Learn about the steps available to you if you have a complaint about legal fees.

Many complaints raise issues that are outside our jurisdiction.

We may refer you to the Assessment Office of the Superior Court of Justice, to the police, to other regulatory authorities, or suggest that you seek advice from another lawyer or paralegal.

You may wish to explore the availability of other options, such as the civil and/or criminal justice system. If you believe that the lawyer's or paralegal's conduct may constitute a criminal offence, please consider reporting it to the police. For more information, you may also wish to read the Law Society's process for reporting to law enforcement and other regulators.
Confidentiality and privacy

The Law Society protects private information as much as possible, however, by making a complaint, any private information that you shared with the lawyer or paralegal may become public.

To properly and fairly deal with your complaint, we must share some or all of the information about it with the lawyer or paralegal and with their legal representative, if they have one. This could include copies of documents or information received from you or any other source.

Please note that we may also need to share personal information identifying the sources of information such as names, addresses and other contact information such as telephone numbers and email addresses.

If you are concerned about this, you can notify us when you submit your online complaint form.

Complaints and investigations are otherwise confidential.

During the investigation, the Law Society Act (s. 49.12) restricts our ability to share information obtained through the investigation with you and with the person you are complaining about.

Confidentiality continues to be required even after the complaint has been addressed unless there are regulatory proceedings – such as a Tribunal hearing which is open to the public and members of the media.

Make a complaint

How to make a complaint
If your complaint is one we can address, complete our online *complaint form through LSO Connects, the Law Society's secure online communications channel. If you do not already have an LSO Connects account, you will need to register first.

You can upload a maximum of 15 supporting documents with your complaint form. You cannot upload Zip, audio, or video files with the complaint form.

Supporting documents may include:
- Proof of retainer, which could be a letter signed when you retained the lawyer or paralegal, or copies of any invoices or statements of account from the lawyer or paralegal;
- Any documents or correspondence referred to in your complaint;
- Letters or emails that you may have received from the lawyer or paralegal;
- Court documents or documents relating to the complaint, such as a Will, Agreement of Purchase and Sale, Reporting Letter, etc.;
- A written narrative, preferably in chronological order, explaining the situation that led you to make a complaint; and
- Any other relevant information that you think may assist in the initial review of your complaint.
*Unless you need accommodation under the Human Rights Code, use the online complaint form to submit your complaint.
- Making a complaint for someone else
  
  You can make a complaint on behalf of another person, although we prefer that the complaint is filed by the person who was directly affected by the lawyer's or paralegal’s conduct.
  
  If you are filing a complaint for another person, we request a signed authorization form from this other person be provided with the complaint form in order to proceed. You will be able to upload this in LSO Connects.
- Making a complaint about physical, sexual or other assault, harassment and discriminatory behaviour
  Learn about making a complaint about sexual misconduct or supports available through the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel.
- If you are First Nation, Inuit or Métis
  
  We have staff who respond to complaints from First Nation, Inuit and Métis people who may be able to provide some assistance.
  
  Please refer to the Complaints information for First Nations, Inuit or Métis (FNIM) Peoples page.
  
  Read more about supports available to First Nation, Inuit and Métis people during an investigation.

What happens next

1. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint.
After you have submitted your online complaint, we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint by emailing you at the email address you provided on the form. You will generally receive an acknowledgement within 48 hours of submitting your complaint but this may be delayed due to volume.
2. We will assess your complaint.
If you wish to make a complaint, you must set up an LSO Connects Account where you will have access to our online complaint form. LSO Connects is the Law Society’s secure online communications channel where all correspondence regarding your complaint will be available.

If your complaint is outside of our regulatory scope and we are unable to assist you further, you will be notified that your complaint has been closed via email.

If we can’t resolve your complaint, we will try to give you information about other sources of help.
3. You may be asked to provide additional information or documentation.
If you are making a complaint for another person, we may need a signed authorization form from them in order to proceed with the complaint. We may ask you to download and complete the form and submit it via your LSO Connects account.

If you hold a Power of Attorney for the other person, you can upload a copy when you have an LSO Connects account.
4. We will keep you informed.
If your complaint is one that we can assist you with and you have been asked to set up an LSO Connects account, we will keep you informed throughout the process via your LSO Connects account.

You can expect to receive information such as:
- updates about the status of your complaint, major steps in the process and important timelines
- the outcome of your complaint and the reasons for that outcome.

How complaints are resolved

There are a number of different actions the Law Society may take in response to a complaint.

Working with you and the lawyer or paralegal
Where appropriate, we will contact you and the licensee to try and resolve the problem. Many complaints are due to poor communication or a misunderstanding. These cases can often be resolved at an early stage.
Closing the complaint without taking action
Sometimes, we may close your complaint without taking any action, if:
- we don’t have jurisdiction over the conduct complained about
- the conduct complained about occurred more than three years ago or it’s been more than three years since you learned about the conduct
- there is not enough information to support your complaint
- we are already taking regulatory action against the lawyer or paralegal you complained about.
If we can’t take action on your complaint, we will tell you why. We will also try to refer you to other places or services that may be able to help you resolve your complaint.
Investigations and hearings
The Law Society may conduct an investigation under the Law Society Act (s.49.3) if we receive information suggesting that a lawyer or paralegal:
- may have engaged in professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming a lawyer or paralegal
- lacks the capacity to meet any of their obligations as a lawyer or paralegal.
You may be asked to provide specific information about the allegations in your complaint.
Following an investigation, a complaint may be closed, if:
- the evidence provided does not raise a reasonable suspicion of one of the situations detailed above
- your complaint is not of regulatory concern to the Law Society
- further investigation won't help resolve the issues raised
- you fail to provide documents or information to support the allegations
- the allegations are the subject of concurrent criminal, civil or other regulatory proceedings.
Find out more about investigations and hearings.
Complaint is closed

Following an investigation, once a complaint is closed, you and the lawyer or paralegal will receive a notice from the Law Society through your LSO Connects account to tell you that the file is closed. The notice will explain our reasons for closing it.

We will not consider additional documents, information or allegations, unless the information is new or was unknown or unavailable to you during the investigation and it is in the public interest to consider it.
Review of closed complaints

In some circumstances, if your complaint has been closed by the Law Society and you disagree with the decision, you may be eligible to ask the Complaints Resolution Commissioner to provide an independent review of the decision to ensure that the inquiry into the complaint and the decision were reasonable.

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