1) Fees

I need to pay my fees ~ what forms of payment does the Law Society accept?

At this time the Law Society can accept cash, personal cheques, cashier cheques, bank drafts, e-transfer, or money orders either by mail or in-person. The Law Society is currently unable to accept credit cards or debit cards.

If paying in-person by cash, exact change is preferred. If you bring more than the required amount, change will be provided at a later date. The Law Library/Law Society reception area is not able to provide change for fees.

After payment is processed a receipt will be emailed to you. For further questions, please contact the Administrative Assistant (Executive).

How do I know what I owe?

Members who are called to the Bar can expect to pay annual fees in the following areas: Practising or Non-Practising Membership Fees (depending on status), mandatory professional liability insurance policy, the excess insurance plan, and the Assurance Fund.

As rates are reviewed annually and subject to change there is no central list of fees. Please contact the Administrative Assistant (Executive) for questions regarding fees. Invoices are provided to members annually via email mid-December of each year. Payment of annual fees are due by 31 January of the year.

There are other fees which are charged on a case by case basis. Please see the relevant section of the website for those fees.

2) Continuing Legal Education Requirements

How many hours of continuing legal education credits am I required to have per year?

You are required to have 15 hours of continuing legal education per year and you are required to complete an Annual CLE Report each year and explain how you meet this requirement.

Do I have to take the Law Society’s CLE courses in order to obtain my CLE hours?

No, you do not have to take the CLE courses, however, these courses are designed to meet the requirements for CLE credits and focus on current developments in Newfoundland and Labrador and Canadian law, and are usually multi-hour sessions. Therefore we recommend these courses.

You can obtain the required number of hours by meeting the mandatory CLE requirements with a mixture of CLEs, other legal courses, a legal reading program, or attending conferences. In order to be considered for credit, CLE activities should include significant substantive, procedural, technical or practical legal content.

I do not live close to St. John’s, can I attend the CLE from a distance?

Yes, the Law Society offers live streaming of CLE’s (requires pre-registration) for those who are unable to attend the live session.

If you are unable to attend a CLE in-person or online when it is offered, you can purchase previously recorded CLE’s from the Law Society. See CLE’s for purchase on our website to see available CLE’s. For further questions and to purchase CLEs, please contact the Administrative Assistant (Education).

3) Out of Province Practising Lawyers

I am coming from out of province to appear in court in Newfoundland ~ what is required for me to appear in court?

A Canadian lawyer who comes from a province which participates in the National Mobility Agreement may provide legal services without a permit for a maximum of 100 days in any calendar year.

See Temporary Mobility for more information.

If I am in Newfoundland as an out-of-province lawyer, do I have access to the resources of the Law Society?

The Law Library at the Law Society is accessible by non-Law Society members Monday to Friday from 9 am-5 pm. Out-of-province lawyers cannot borrow, but they can make use of the library resources during open hours.

The Law Society does not provide meeting rooms or other services.

If you have questions regarding robing rooms, court services for lawyers, etc., please contact the court in which you will be appearing.

What resources do I have at the courts as an out of province lawyer?

The Law Society is an independent body from the courts of Newfoundland so please contact the court in which you will be appearing for further questions.

4) Transfers

I am called to the Bar in another province and would like to practice in Newfoundland and Labrador, how do I become a member of the Law Society?

If you are a member of a Canadian law society who is a signatory of the National Mobility Agreement, you may apply to become a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Transfer applicants (called Transfer students) must complete the following forms and submit to the Education Committee for approval.

• Form 7.11 (A)
• Form 7.11 (B)
• Declaration – Transfer
• Declaration – Reading Requirement
• Transfer fee

Transfer applicants will be required to pay for both the transfer fee and the Call to the Bar fees.

For more information, please see Transfers on our website.

I have a law degree from outside of Canada ~ can I be called to the Bar in Newfoundland?

All law degrees obtained from a non-Canadian university must be assessed by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s National Committee on Accreditation (NCA). The assessment will evaluate your qualifications and determine what you require in order to be called to the bar in one of Canada’s provinces or territories. These requirements are usually a combination of exams and courses. Once you have met the requirements, you will be issued a NCA Certificate of Qualification.
You will then be required to apply as a student-at-law for the province or territory in which you wish to reside and you be required to meet the requirements of a student-at-law, which involves attending the bar course as well articling.

For more information see the Student Admission section of our website.

Please note that while the Law Society provides accommodations for the NCA exams, they do not regulate the program. Questions regarding the NCA should be directed to the National Committee on Accreditation.