Additional Reading Materials

The Practice Review Committee is created under section 51 of the Legal Profession Act. It is populated by Benchers of the LSA, along with lawyers who volunteer their time to serve on the Committee.

The LSA’s “Practice Review Panel Guideline for Statutory Referrals” is available on this training website. While Hearing Committee adjudicators may not have the opportunity to participate in the work of the Practice Review Committee, the guideline is available for you to better understand the work and processes of that Committee.

Within the LSA, we have a group of staff that make up our Practice Review Department.  The Practice Review Department of the LSA provides support to the Practice Review Committee in these areas:

• Conducting general reviews and assessments of lawyers who are referred through the complaint process or through the conduct hearing process. The work of the Committee is directed toward making recommendations and imposing conditions on members that will improve the delivery of legal services.
• Deciding whether an application by a lawyer for reinstatement should be granted, declined or granted with conditions, and to determine what those conditions should be, when an application is referred to Practice Review from Membership.

In 2015, the Practice Review team transitioned from Regulation to the Professionalism and Policy department. This was in recognition of the evolution of the work of Practice Review to include more proactive early intervention with lawyers.

The Practice Review team develops effective ways to assist lawyers in learning good practice and client management skills. The department works with others across the organization to determine which lawyers are at risk for complaints and is active in the development of preventative programs and resources, such as the Responsible Lawyer Initiatives, Office Consultations and Mentor Connect programs.

LSA Practice Review Panel Guidelines for Statutory Referrals (pdf)