Canada Joins U.S. in Nonlawyer Legal Service Ownership Tests

Two of Canada’s largest provinces are testing new ways to deliver legal services, joining a growing push in the U.S. to experiment with approaches such as letting nonlawyers own law firms.

Ontario and British Columbia are following the template of Utah, which collects data on operations including Rocket Lawyer, which helps people draft wills, leases, and other documents through an online platform. Utah’s test also includes companies that assist with medical debt and offer AI-enabled contract drafting tools.

Canada’s move adds momentum to the notion that a broader range of legal service delivery models will address an access-to-justice crisis in ...