SaskatchewanSaskatchewan residents now have more options when seeking legal help after amendments to the Legal Profession Act came into effect this week, which allows non-lawyers to apply for limited licenses to provide certain legal services.New licenses aim to cut costs and expand access to justiceJeffery Tram · CBC News · Posted: Oct 02, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours agoNon-lawyers will now be allowed to provide some legal services, including help with divorce and mediation. (Shutterstock)Saskatchewan residents now have more options when seeking legal help. Amendments to the province’s 1990 Legal Profession Act came into force Wednesday, which allows non-lawyers to apply for limited licenses to provide certain legal services like uncontested divorces, small claims, wills and estates and some corporate services.Pamela Kovacs, senior policy counsel with the Law Society of Saskatchewan, said the model builds on a four-year pilot project and years of consultation.”This will bring a new regulated legal professional into the legal system in Saskatchewan, in addition to lawyers,” Kovacs said. “Each limited licensee will have an individualized scope of practice connected to their education, training and experience.”The idea, Kovacs says, is to make services more affordable and free up lawyers to focus on more complex cases.Pamela Kovacs, a senior policy counsel with the Law Society of Saskatchewan, says the changes are designed to make legal help more accessible and affordable. (Jeffery Tram/CBC)Limited licensees will be regulated by the Law Society. They will either have a degree in a justice-related studies or a certificate from a recognized school in the subject area of their specialization, Kovacs said. There will also be a requirement of an annual six hours of continuing professional development training. “They are subject to the same strict ethical requirements as lawyers and also bound by the rules of the Law Society,” she said.Affordability among touted benefitsFor Michelle Linklater, a family law service provider, affordability is the biggest advantage. She said her fees for consented divorces range from $650 to $850 — which she says is well below what many law firms charge.”I don’t know anyone in a law office that can match my fees,” Linklater said. “The fees that I charge are considerably less than when I was working at a law firm.”Linklater said the change could also reduce pressure on the courts by resolving more cases through mediation and negotiated agreements. But she is reminding people to ask questions before hiring a service provider to make sure agreements will stand up in court.Michelle Linklater runs EZ Divorce Separation Mediation Arbitration Services Ltd. She will be seeking a limited license to provide certain legal services to the public. (Submitted by Michelle Linklater)Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod called the initiative an important step toward equity. “Access to justice is the key to safe communities, strong families and equal opportunities across our province,” he said in a press release.The first limited licenses will be issued in January 2026.ABOUT THE AUTHORJeffery is a reporter with CBC Saskatchewan in Regina. He previously worked at CBC Toronto as an associate producer. You can reach him at jeffery.tram@cbc.ca.With files from Darla Ponace
Think you need a lawyer? Sask. law society allows non-lawyers to provide some services
