05/25/2026
Paralegals in Ontario Require Licences
In the Province of Ontario, Lawyers require licences to practice and they are governed by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO). Did you know that Paralegals in Ontario are also required to be licensed by the LSO?
The Province of Ontario is the only province in Canada that requires a Paralegal to be licenced, insured, and provides complete oversight (Saskatchewan has a limited licence with requirements that are not quite as robust as those in Ontario). In Ontario, Paralegals must take an educational program from a school accredited by the LSO and upon successful completion of that program must then write an exam (akin to the Bar Exam for Lawyers). Further, during the licencing process, the Paralegal must show the LSO that they are of “good character”. Once licensed, Paralegals are required to maintain insurance, complete a prescribed number of hours of continuing legal education per year, and file a report every year regarding their practice (including financial information regarding their trust account and any funds held on behalf of a client).
When a client comes to a Paralegal, they are often in a vulnerable state. They are facing a matter in which there are significant consequences. Those consequences may be financial or, in the case of summary conviction criminal offences, may result in a loss of freedom. Whatever the possible consequence, it is important that the client ensure their interests are properly protected by using a fully licensed and insured Paralegal, who is in good standing with the LSO.
Take for example, the recent case of an Alberta woman who hired a Paralegal to assist her with a small claims matter. The woman received a judgement and that judgement was paid to the Paralegal. Unfortunately, the Paralegal didn’t forward those funds to the claimant. https://www.cbc.ca/news/gopublic/paralegal-court-alberta-legal-civil-consumer-protections-regulation-9.7206200?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-ca
Had this happened in Ontario, the woman has a method of recourse in that she could file a complaint with the LSO to recoup any funds she was owed by the Paralegal. Given that Alberta does not regulate Paralegals, the only recourse this woman has is to file a small claims suit against the Paralegal, and hope she can collect on a judgement if one is awarded.
If you are looking to hire a Paralegal to assist you with a matter, it is important to ensure that they are properly licensed. The best way to do that is to check the Paralegal Directory on the LSO website: https://lso.ca/public-resources/finding-a-lawyer-or-paralegal/lawyer-and-paralegal-directory
At M. G. Michaels & Associates, our Paralegal, Shoshannah Wagenberg, is fully licensed. She completed a post graduate certificate at Durham College, passed the LSO licensing exam, was vetted by the LSO and deemed to be of good character, and maintains errors and omissions insurance. She is committed not only to providing the best service to her clients, but to maintaining all of the rules and regulations set by the LSO to ensure that her licence continues in good standing.
You would never go to a doctor who didn’t have a medical license. For the same reason, you should never use a Paralegal or Lawyer who wasn’t also fully licensed.
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