Act, Codes and Rules

Law Society functions are governed by:

• The Legal Profession Act, 1990
• The Legal Profession Regulations
• Law Society of Saskatchewan Rules
• Law Society of Saskatchewan Codes of Professional Conduct

In combination, the Act, Rules, and Codes provide the framework within which the Law Society operates to fulfill its mandate to protect the public interest through effective regulation of the legal profession.

The Act authorizes the legal profession in Saskatchewan to self-regulate in the public interest. This function is carried out by the Law Society through Benchers, which is a board of directors composed of members of the Law Society and public representatives as well as by staff and volunteers. Benchers are authorized by the Act to implement and enforce rules governing the practice of law and all aspects of the regulatory process including trust accounting requirements, hearing processes, admissions standards, continuing professional development and much more.

The primary mission of the Law Society is to protect the public by assuring the integrity, knowledge, skill, proficiency and competence of the legal profession. The Law Society discharges this duty by defining and enforcing the standards of professional competency and conduct, including ethical conduct, expected of legal professionals.

The Codes create the standards of conduct and guidance as to their interpretation. This provides a framework for legal professionals to fulfill their core duties of integrity, competency and loyalty. In some respects, the Codes articulate aspirations consistent with the importance of the legal professional’s role serving clients and the administration of justice. The Codes also articulate standards of conduct for which legal professionals are held strictly accountable.

The Benchers of the Law Society of Saskatchewan are responsible for determining what constitutes a violation of the Codes. In the Codes, the Benchers attempt to define and illustrate appropriate standards of conduct expected in a professional relationship with clients, the profession and the justice system. It is impossible for any code to establish all things that might amount to inappropriate behaviour on the part of a legal professional. For matters not specifically addressed in the Codes, the Codes may be used as a guide.