Course tackles Indigenous legal issues relevant to Ontario legal practice
The Law Society of Ontario has opened the “Shared Pathways: Legal Education About Indigenous Ontario” online course to all licensees.
Convocation greenlit the Indigenous cultural training course as a mandatory requirement earlier this year. It represents a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #27, which urges law societies to ensure that legal professionals undergo such training.
All lawyers and paralegals with CPD requirements to fulfill must finish the free six-hour course in two years’ time beginning January 1, 2027. Licensees are required to tick the relevant checkbox in LSO Connects once they have completed the training.
Current licensees must finish the course by December 31, 2028.
Licensees will earn CPD incentives from the course that can be applied to their annual requirements, such as a two-for-one CPD credit allocation (up to 12 hours) and the option to carry forward course hours for use within three years. They will also be given an electronic credential (badge) for their email signatures, websites, and social media profiles. In addition, they will be awarded an electronic certificate.
The course is tailored to lawyers and paralegals licenced in Ontario. It establishes a baseline competence level on topics such as Indigenous legal issues, histories, and current realities relevant to legal practice in the province.
The course urges participants to reflect on the long-term effects of colonialism and addresses the importance of cultural competency and humility in professional life. It also offers practical insights to boost relationships with Indigenous communities and clients.
No licensee is exempt from the course, although convocation approved extensions for licensees who modified their status or were licensed during the completion period. It also greenlit an accommodation process for individuals who seek support.
According to the LSO, bolstering legal professionals’ cultural understanding will help enhance access to justice for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. It has released the course early to those who already want to begin; the course may also be completed and the CPD hours recorded this year.
The course is being offered in both English and French. It is applicable to all practice areas.
The course’s rollout aligns the LSO with other Canadian jurisdictions having similar requirements.
