The legal regulator asked members of the public to report the supposed law firm to police
The Law Society of Ontario has called out Rio Law Criminal Lawyers for practising law and offering legal services without a certificate of authorization.
The individuals listed on Rio Law Criminal Lawyers’ website (https://www.riolaws.ca/, https://www.riolawyers.ca or https://www.riolawgroup.ca/) have not been granted Law Society licenses although it presents as a law firm, the LSO said in a notice. Nonetheless, members of the public have been retaining its services. Thus, the LSO has encouraged those who received correspondence from Rio Law Criminal Lawyers to report the firm to local police.
The legal regulator urged members of the public to check the Lawyer and Paralegal Directory on its website to verify the identities and contact information of licensed practitioners. It instructed people to ask for additional information if aspects of a supposed lawyer or paralegal’s details do not match what is listed in the directory.
The LSO also posts a list of illegal practitioners on its website, and it has the power to prosecute such practitioners under the Law Society Act. The legal regulator may send a cease and desist letter requiring the offending party to stop offering unauthorized services; it may also launch an investigation if the party refuses to do so and is endangering the public.
The Law Society may request that the offending party sign an undertaking to terminate the illegal activity – the agreement may be presented in court should the unlicensed party continue with the unlawful behavior. The legal regulator may also seek injunctions in Superior Court and prosecute unlicensed practitioners in provincial court or provincial offences court. The Law Society may apply to have a person found in contempt if parties violate injunctions, resulting in fines, imprisonment, or both.
Nonetheless, it reminded members of the public that if they seek legal advice from unlicensed practitioners, they would not be able to file complaints with the Law Society or receive compensation in the event of financial loss due to a practitioner's actions.
