Saskatchewan moves to regulate non-lawyer legal agents

The Saskatchewan government tabled a bill on Nov. 4 that would regulate non-lawyers who act as agents for clients in legal matters. The Legal Profession Amendment Act, 2026 has been introduced but has not become law.

The bill targets agents who regularly appear in courts and tribunals for clients. The province says some legislation lets an individual agent assist a party in a specific matter, but that was meant for occasional representation. It was not meant to create a class of legal service providers with no regulator, according to the release.

Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod, K.C., said the changes are meant to ensure people providing legal services face “appropriate oversight and accountability.”

The Law Society of Saskatchewan sets standards for education, licensing, conduct and competency to protect the public. The bill would also strengthen its oversight of the profession. Executive director Tim Brown, K.C., said the society welcomes the bill because it fills a gap in its authority over agents.

Limited licensees, a category of regulated providers, were created by a 2025 amendment to The Legal Profession Act, 1990. The new bill leaves those rules unchanged. It would make clear that agents who routinely provide legal services must meet the requirements in the Act.

The bill would let the Law Society deal with providers whose health or capacity affects their ability to practise. At present, discipline is the only tool for those cases. The bill contains housekeeping amendments to the Act.