FOLA Submission to the LSO’s Competence Task Force
May 14, 2023 Modified: January 6, 2024NEW COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
In May 2022, Convocation considered the Competency Task Force’s report and approved a new Competency Framework which includes:
- The creation of an online practice essentials course which will be mandatory for lawyers or paralegals within one year of setting up as a sole practitioner for the first time, effective January 2024
- Amending the Rules of Professional Conduct and the Paralegal Professional Conduct Guidelines to adopt the Federation of Law Societies of Canada Model Code of Professional Conduct commentary (Section 3.1-2) regarding technological competence
- The elimination of the six-hour limit on archived or recorded Continuing Professional Development programs that are eligible for credit each year
- The wind-up of the Certified Specialist Program. Licensees who are currently Certified Specialists may use the designation until Dec. 31, 2022. (The Indigenous Legal Issues specialization continues subject to any future recommendation by the Equity and Indigenous Affairs Committee to Convocation.)
Read FOLA’s Statement regarding the LSO’s Report here.
BACKGROUND
In June 2021, the Competence Task Force’s Report: Renewing the Law Society’s Continuing Competence Framework was included as an Information Item to Convocation and the LSO subsequently issued a Call for Comment on it. That Report detailed the Law Society’s mandate to regulate the competence of lawyers and paralegals and provides an overview of how competence regulation has evolved to keep pace with regulatory best practices. That Report also provided an overview of the Task Force’s work plan, a working definition of competence, and proposed themes and principles which may inform new approaches to competence programs and requirements.
Most importantly, that Report included comments on the importance of LiRN and of providing supports to small/soles.