The LSO's 2023 annual report, released earlier this month, noted that the regulator was “heavily focused” on an organization-wide business and technology transformation that is the most significant operational change that the law society has ever undertaken.
Diana Miles, Law Society of Ontario CEO
The first phase of the initiative was launched in July 2023 and the second and final phase is expected to be launched in the second half of 2024. With these launches, the law society has also introduced a new portal called LSO Connects, which allows licensees and licensing candidates to complete their administrative requirements and business transactions with the law society.
“Members of the public will use LSO Connects to make queries regarding unclaimed trust funds, ask for assistance in locating a will, make a complaint and more,” said Miles. “We have already seen significant improvements in operational services and the administration of regulatory work. As our experience with the system grows, it will set the organization up to address increasing volumes of regulatory interactions and complexity of issues and permit continued operational improvements well into the future.”
The law society said work in 2023 was also directed at the development of the family legal services provider (FLSP), which would allow specially trained paralegals to provide certain services in family law matters. Last year, London’s Fanshawe College was chosen as the single provider, and the program will be offered on both a full-time, four-month basis and a part-time option of one to two years. The first intake of students for the FLSP program will begin in January 2025, with the first group of graduates potentially seeking authorization to provide legal services as an FLSP by June 2025.
In addition, the report emphasizes the work spent on the development of the mandatory practice essentials course for newly designated sole practitioners, which was approved in May 2022. The practical course will focus on client service and communication, the business of running a law practice, and financial and practice management best practices. It will be available in January 2025.
“My goal as a bencher and as treasurer was to help foster increased and ongoing competence within the professions,” said Jacqueline Horvat, the law society’s former treasurer. “I am pleased that the foundations of sole practice course requirement will become a reality in 2025 to ensure that all new sole practitioners have the supports they require to be successful, and to serve the public effectively and competently.”
As the law society’s experience with the system grows, Miles said it will set the organization up to address increasing volumes of regulatory interactions and complexity of issues and will permit continued operational improvements well into the future.
“I am extremely proud of our team,” she said. “Those who are active in the project, and those who are being supportive behind the scenes. This is an organization-wide achievement that continues to meet its milestones, thanks to herculean effort by our people, who are very committed to this organization and the important work that we do in support of the public interest.”
The report also noted that the law society continued in 2023 to prioritize the improvement of its frameworks for the handling of certain regulatory issues where there is a risk of harm to portions of the public. A new framework for the receipt and investigation of sexual misconduct and harassment complaints was implemented in the fall of last year and draws on the approaches taken by other regulators that deal with sexual misconduct complaints. The framework purports to eliminate barriers to complainants coming forward, in hopes of increasing the fairness of the process for complainants and licensees.
The law society also lists mandatory minimum compensation for experiential training placements, its access to innovation (A2I) program and developments in professional regulation as among its successes in 2023. But the annual report generally stays away from areas where it thinks improvement is needed or was less successful than the year’s highlights.
In response to questions from Law360 Canada, LSO senior communications advisor Jennifer Wing said, “as always,” the work of the law society is continuous to ensure it meets our regulatory mandates to protect the public interest and to facilitate access to justice.
And Wing said work during the upcoming bencher term, which runs from fall 2024 to spring 2025, will include consideration of feedback received through its consultations on increasing transparency and recommendations will be made to convocation.
“Additionally, we plan to launch consultations on new initiatives, including governance reform, measures to provide additional tools to address trust account mismanagement and fraud and Indigenous cultural training,” she said. “These will help strengthen our ability to respond to professional conduct matters and provide resources, which will help licensees meet their regulatory requirements and enhance their competence.”
In terms of the financial bottom line, the report shows the law society was in good shape — the LSO ended the year with total revenues exceeding expenses by $9.0 million. This is an improvement over 2022, when expenses exceeded revenues by $13.9 million. This success was credited to strong performance by the law society’s portfolio investments and greater use of hybrid and virtual modalities to hold meetings and functions.
And Wing noted the law society entered 2024 on a strong footing and continues to be in a financially sound position.
“The 2025 budget will go to convocation for approval on Oct. 31, which will provide further financial analysis and insights into the law society’s new and ongoing priorities,” she said.
The law society will also host its ninth annual Access to Justice Week from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1. Virtual programming on the theme of “Redefining Access to Justice Week” will examine access to justice in broader contexts, such as technology, accessibility or inclusiveness.
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