A task force has released its final report on how to improve access to legal services in Saskatchewan, including whether providers other than lawyers should be allowed to deliver legal services.
Among the recommendations made by the Legal Services Task Team is to modernize legislation regulating legal services in the province.
“The legal services landscape is changing and will continue to change in ways that may be difficult to predict or control,” stated the task force in its report.
“The current regulatory framework is rigid, overly proscriptive, and cannot easily adapt to changing circumstances. Changes to the status quo are necessary to address the underserved needs and service gaps.”
The report also recommended changes be made to allow service providers to practice law with a limited license on a case-by-case basis.
“There are context-specific needs that could be serviced by alternative service providers operating within a specific, individualized scope of practice reflecting the knowledge, training, and experience of the service provider or group of service providers.”
Other recommendations include providing greater clarity to service providers about what legal services are regulated, and creating guidelines to help educate the public about legal services.
“The task team concluded that one of the greatest unmet public needs reflected in the consultations was for more ways to obtain legal information about legal frameworks, legal processes, resolution options, and how to navigate the system.”
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“For this reason, the task team recommends that the provision of legal information be deregulated so that anyone is able provide it.”
Saskatchewan Justice Minister Don Morgan said the government will take the recommendations under consideration.
“I look forward to reviewing their recommendations and working with the Law Society on any potential changes they would like to see for their profession,” Morgan said in a statement.
The Legal Services Task Team is made up of 11 members with different background in legal services.
They consulted with a number of stakeholders to come up with a framework for the future of legal services in Saskatchewan.
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