Did You Know?

Looking at the legal profession today, the face of the legal community is changing…

With membership of the legal profession growing at a rate of approximately 1,200 annually, the increasing diversity of the profession is evident. More women, persons of colour, Aboriginal persons, gays, lesbians, persons with disabilities and Francophones are entering the profession. For example:

• 53% of students who entered the Bar Admission Course (BAC) in 2002 were women compared to 48.7% in 1998.

• 16.5% of students in the 2002 BAC self-identified themselves as people of colour compared to 14.9% in 1998. In comparison, 17.5% of the population is made up of people of colour, according to the 1996 Canadian Census.

• 1.7% of students in the 2002 BAC were Aboriginal compared to 1.3% in 1998. In comparison, 1.4% of the population is Aboriginal (1996 Canadian Census).

• Among the youngest lawyers, there is greater diversity, with a noticeable increase from all the racialized groups, except for Southeast Asians and Filipinos.

• The trend is similar among women. According to the Census data, women accounted for 45.3% of lawyers between the ages of 25-34 in 1996. In total, 30.1% of lawyers in Ontario were women. This proportion is roughly similar for physicians, medical specialists, professors and middle managers. Representation of women lawyers has increased more rapidly than any of the six other occupations studied.

Excerpted from: Equity and Diversity in the Legal Profession, The Law Society of Upper Canada Fact Sheet

Lawyer Referral Information for the Public

Hundreds of people call the Lawyer Referral Service daily
If the practice areas as noted above do not apply to your legal situation, you are encouraged to contact the Lawyer Referral Service to assist you in obtaining legal counsel. Potential clients phone the Lawyer Referral Service looking to be put in touch with a lawyer to assist them with their legal issue.

Here's how it works:

• Potential client phones a centralized 900 number (1-900-565-4577)

• A trained LRS specialist gives the caller the name and phone number of a local LRS member lawyer who has shown a willingness to take cases in the indicated geographical area and area of law, and a referral number

• Callers are advised that legal work is not covered by the free consultation

• A $6.00 charge is automatically added to the caller's phone bill

• Members on the service are qualified to practice law in Ontario, and have noted their fields of expertise

• A free consultation by phone or in person of up to 30 minutes is then given by the referred lawyer

• A toll-free number is maintained for those who are incarcerated or in domestic abuse situations or minors(under the age of 18).