Ben Peterson Licensed Paralegal

Description

Paralegals in Ontario are required to be licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, the same body that regulates Lawyers in this province. This came about on May 1, 2007 as an amendment to the Law Society Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.8 .
Paralegal regulation became necessary as a result of the realization that - yes, the general public needs affordable justice - but there needs to be accountability and protection for that same public. A Licensed Paralegal is required to pay dues, adhere to a strict code of conduct, and maintain insurance for any mistakes that they make. A Licensed Paralegal is required to have a legal education and training prior to joining the Law Society, and is also required to keep up with their education as an on-going concern. This is done by fulfilling a yearly quota of training courses either provided by or approved by the Law Society. They are also subject to discipline by the Law Society should they fail to follow the Rules of Practice for Paralegals, and can be suspended or disbarred for severe infractions. This is done to keep the Law Profession one that can be trusted and fair for everyone.