Across Canada for many years the terms law clerk, legal assistant and paralegal generally meant the same thing. There have been other terms out there as well like Conveyancer and Notary Public.

Most provincial governments began the policy of allowing people to represent themselves in lower courts like small claims, administrative tribunals and traffic court. But they included in the legislation the right that these people could have an ‘agent’ speak for them. In these circumstances people who were not lawyers began offering their services to people. In many provinces the term ‘independent paralegal’ began to be used to describe these people to distinguish them from law clerks or legal assistants who worked for and under lawyers.

In Ontario, after much consultation and debate beginning in the 80’s, it was decided that ‘paralegals’ would be licenced in a manner similar to lawyers with the areas of permissible practice allowed to paralegals carefully defined. Paralegal became a regulated profession in Ontario as of 1 May 2007 with the Law Society of Upper Canada as the regulator. Paralegals are permitted to handle:

•        Small Claims Court matters,
•        landlord/tenant matters,
•        Statutory Accident Benefit claims and
•        insurance files.
•        WSIB hearings,
•        Employment Insurance appeals,
•        Highway Traffic Act offences,
•        disability appeals,
•        appearances before all Boards and Tribunals and
•        Immigration Services as of 30 June 2011 when Bill C-35 came into force

In Ontario, persons who work under the supervision of a Paralegal or a lawyer are referred to as Law Clerks.