By-Law 6 of the Law Society Act requires that all Ontario LAWYERS who practise in private practice in Ontario pay the insurance premium annually, to ensure they have malpractice coverage in place.

• If you are going into private practice
• If you are practising as in-house counsel, as a government LAWYER, in education or in a legal aid clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario
• If you are not practising law

If you are going into private practice

Maximum of $1 million per claim/$2 miliion in the aggregate coverage for claims brought against you, as defined in the LAWPRO Policy.

For more see private practice.

If you are joining a law firm
Talk to your office manager/administrator before completing your liability insurance application to assist you in completing Section C- Coverage Options and Section D- Premium Options of the Application for New Applicants.

If you are establishing a new law firm
As a SOLE PRACTITIONER you can file as an individual. LAWPRO will assign a firm account number to your new firm after receiving your Application.

If you are establishing a new law firm with other LAWYERS
Please be sure to indicate the name of your law firm in your application, to identify the other LAWYERS with whom you will be associated. A firm account number will be assigned for you.

If you are practising as in-house counsel, as a government LAWYER, or in a legal aid clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario

If you are an employed LAWYER who is not providing PROFESSIONAL SERVICES to parties other than your EMPLOYER, you are eligible to claim an exemption from paying the insurance premium. To apply to claim an exemption, please complete and return an Application for Exemption to LAWPRO.

• Insurance for in-house corporate counsel
• Insurance for government LAWYERS, educators and LAWYERS in legal aid clinics funded by Legal Aid Ontario, and other LAWYERS not in active private practice.

Please note that there is no coverage for PROFESSIONAL SERVICES provided during any period of exemption. The only exception to this is with respect to PRO BONO SERVICES provided through an approved pro bono PROFESSIONAL SERVICES program associated with Pro Bono Law Ontario, and certain services as estate trustee, trustee for inter vivos trust, or attorney for property, where coverage has been separately applied for and granted.

If you provide PRO BONO SERVICES through an approved program associated with Pro Bono Law Ontario, you would continue to be eligible for exemption. You may also have Run-Off Coverage for your approved pro bono PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. For details, see pro bono .

If you provide pro bono work for not-for-profit organizations (not associated with Pro Bono Law Ontario), you may continue to qualify for exemption, please see pro bono.

If you are not practising law

Ontario LAWYERS who are not practising law can apply to exempt themselves from paying the insurance premium.

To apply to claim exemption, you must file the Application for Exemption:

• Online Exemption form
• PDF Exemption form