How do I find a lawyer or paralegal to help me with my landlord?
You don't have to hire a lawyer or paralegal to help you deal with your landlord but they can be very helpful.
Lawyers can give legal advice. This means that they can explain what the law means for your specific problem. For example, a lawyer can explain how to get your landlord to respect your rights, or tell you if your landlord has a good enough reason to have you evicted.
A lawyer can represent you at the and in other tribunals and courts. Lawyers can also help you resolve your issues without going to a board, tribunal, or court.
A lawyer is also called an attorney, barrister, or solicitor.
If you can't afford to hire a lawyer for your whole case, some lawyers offer “unbundled” or “limited scope” services. This means you can pay them to help you with some parts of your case. You can also speak to a lawyer for advice on steps you might be able to do yourself.
A paralegal is another type of legal professional but they cannot do everything a lawyer can do.
Paralegals can represent you at the Landlord and Tenant Board, the Human Rights of Ontario, or Small Claims Court. But a paralegal cannot represent you in other courts. For example, they can't represent you in appealing a decision of the Landlord and Tenant Board.
A paralegal can work for and be supervised by a lawyer, or they can work for themselves.
If you can't afford to hire a lawyer or paralegal at all, you may be able to find other legal help.
Rules for lawyers and paralegals
In Ontario, the Law Society of Ontario regulates lawyers and paralegals. This means they:
- have rules about who can become a lawyer or paralegal
- have rules about how lawyers and paralegals must behave professionally
- deal with complaints about lawyers and paralegals
