Future of Legal Services Initiative

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is working to expand access to regulated legal services.

The Law Society is working to expand access to legal services through implementation of the recommendations in the Final Report of the Legal Services Task Team. The Law Society is committed to do this in a responsible and sustainable manner, balancing the need for ensuring public protection with enhancing legal services for underserved Saskatchewan individuals. 

Learn more about implementation of the recommendations in the Final Report of the Legal Services Task Team. 

On  January 1, 2020, The Legal Profession Act, 1990, was amended to include a definition of the practice of law and to modernize the legislation regarding legal services to provide more flexibility for future developments related to alternative (non-lawyer) legal service providers. Related to these amendments, the Law Society: 

• introduced Legal Information Guidelines to support the dissemination and use of credible legal information;  
• modified the direct supervision requirements in the Code of Conduct following consultation
• continues to review and adjust exemptions which identify certain groups and individuals who are exempt from unauthorized practice provisions and, in the public interest, may provide limited legal services without becoming a licensed lawyer; and 
• has initiated a Pilot for limited licensing based on data from a two-year Discovery Period. Learn more about the Pilot through twelve-, eighteen-, and twenty-four-month updates as well as an Update Report on the Future of Legal Services Initiative. 

The Future of Legal Services Initiative is guided by a series of principles:   

Given the importance of this Initiative, the Law Society has a series of articles that outline the progress of this work through the Future of Legal Services Committee: 

• Better connecting consumers of legal services and lawyers  (Aug 2021) 
• Better connecting consumers of legal services and alternative legal service providers  (Nov 2021) 
• Better connecting consumers of legal services to paraprofessionals  (Dec 2021) 
• Consultation Leads to Code of Conduct Amendments to Better Connect Consumers of Legal
  Services to Paraprofessionals (Oct 2022)

The goal of this Initiative is to enhance access to legal services and the Law Society is working with the Ministry of Justice, alternative legal service providers, the public, lawyers, and other legal stakeholders in developing a flexible regulatory structure that strengthens access to justice while minimizing risk for the public.