The Compensation Fund helps clients who have suffered a loss because of dishonesty on the part of their lawyer or paralegal. The fund is paid for exclusively by the lawyers and paralegals of Ontario. Over the years it has paid out millions of dollars to help clients.

If you’ve lost money due to a lawyer or paralegal’s dishonesty, the fund can reimburse you for all or part of your loss. Typically, the fund will pay for losses involving money from estates, from trust funds held for real estate closings and from settlements in legal actions.

How do you make a claim?

To make a claim for compensation, contact The Law Society of Ontario. They will ask you to send a letter explaining the loss. The letter should be sent within six-months from the time you first found out about the loss. Once it is received, you will be sent a package with important information.  In most cases, a staff lawyer assigned to the case will make a recommendation to the Compensation Fund’s review committee, which makes the final decision. In certain cases, a referee will hear your claim. The referee will then prepare a written report for the review committee.

For more information about The Compensation Fund, contact The Law Society of Ontario.

								
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