At the February 2021 Convocation of the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), two motions brought by the Law Student's Society of Ontario (LSSO), asking that the LSO consider providing Bencher election voting rights to articling students and that law students receive a permanent representative at the Professional Development & Competence Committee were rejected by most Benchers. That same day, the LSO sent invoices of $3,164.00 to every articling and LPP candidate for Ontario, right after denying us any representation at the table where these fiscal decisions are made.

Webcast of the Convocation, debate on LSSO motions beginning at 2:42:54: https://lso.freestonelms.com/viewer/wEJrVbzp84Q4e2zdxX5FUWH9Fe1UTemoavPm5b3tCaAvQSUoE 

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the industry. Our friends and colleagues entering the legal field are in a more precarious financial situation than ever. Many were unable to secure articling or paid articling, while others are paying additional fees to take part in the LPP. The position of the LSO is both to deny law students representation and simultaneously to provide no substantial financial relief in a global pandemic.

In context, the LSO recently announced it has a $15M gain in its finances from 2020, instead of the expected shortfall:(https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/24853/lso-in-good-financial-shape-for-2021-but-covid-19-brings-uncertainty-finance-chair)

Since tuition deregulation in 1998, law school tuition in Ontario has skyrocketed more than 500% across the board. Most elected LSO Benchers were called either prior to tuition deregulation or shortly afterward and have no connection to or understanding of the burden law school debt has on the industry today. For the LSO to determine that roughly $5,000.00 is an appropriate amount to charge for licensing exams and articling/LPP support is disappointing.

Those of us looking to serve the most underprivileged members of our communities in positions in legal aid, criminal defense, family law, etc. as well as those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds are disproportionately impacted by excessive licensing fees piled on top of significant debt from law school alone.

The LSO has already extended fee relief to practitioners and those of us entering the industry deserve similar consideration (https://lso.ca/news-events/news/latest-news-2020/law-society-board-approves-2021-budget-reduces-f).

In response to these issues, please consider joining our call for the following actions from the LSO:

1. The LSO will reduce the Articling/LPP licensing fees for this year’s class of 2021, by a minimum of 50%;

2. The LSO will commit to reducing the Bar Exams licensing fees for this year’s class of 2021, given it is realizing savings in not requiring rental of any physical spaces to conduct the exam this year and the following years the exam will remain online;

3. The LSO will commit to a substantive dialogue, soliciting input from all law students in the 2021-22 academic year on licensing fees, with the intention of discussing how to make licensing fees more affordable long-term, including licensing fee relief for those in financial need;

4. The LSO will commit to a reconsideration of providing Bencher voting rights to articling students, including consultation with articling students and law students at each campus in Ontario in 2021-22;

5. The LSO will move the deadline for payment of licensing candidate fees to July 15, 2021.

The LSO begins regulating us the moment we enter law school and makes decisions every year that have significant repercussions for law students. We deserve a voice at the table where these decisions are made and the right to vote for Bencher candidates who will represent us as constituents.

Please consider joining this petition and writing to an LSO Bencher expressing your concern over the anti-democratic lack of representation law students have with our regulator.