The new bill boosts the provincial legal regulator’s oversight of the profession
Saskatchewan’s new Legal Profession Amendment Act, 2026 is set to strengthen the regulation of agents – certain non-lawyers offering legal services.
The provincial government introduced the law on Wednesday November 4. It will tackle a regulatory concern with regard to agents who represent clients regularly before courts and tribunals.
Last year, changes to The Legal Profession Act, 1990 introduced limited licensees, regulated legal service providers permitted by the Law Society of Saskatchewan to offer certain legal services. These licensees are subject to registration, professional liability insurance, and code of conduct compliance, among other requirements.
While the pitched reforms under the Legal Profession Amendment Act, 2026 do not alter the rules that govern limited licensees, they set new requirements to which agents must adhere. The government said that while agents can legally help parties with certain matters, the law allows for occasional representation and is not intended to establish “an unregulated class of legal service providers.”
“These amendments help ensure that individuals who provide legal services to the public are subject to appropriate oversight and accountability. By clarifying who must be licensed and regulated, we are strengthening protections for Saskatchewan residents who access legal services,” said Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan's justice minister and attorney general, in a statement.
The Law Society of Saskatchewan will be authorized to regulate agent activities under the bill. Tim Brown, executive director of the Law Society, welcomed the introduction of the law.
“Regulating the practice of law in the public interest requires regulatory authority across all categories of legal service providers. Prior to these amendments, a gap existed in relation to the regulatory oversight of agents. The Law Society welcomes these amendments, which will provide it with the authority to regulate agent activities and to promote high standards of ethics and competence for the benefit of consumers,” Brown said.
The Legal Profession Amendment Act, 2026 also enhances the Law Society of Saskatchewan's oversight of the profession through new provisions that establish internal processes tackling the concern related to legal service providers with health concerns affecting their ability to practise.
At present, legal professionals experiencing such health problems must go through disciplinary proceedings to shield the public. Under the new bill, health or capacity issues not necessarily linked to professional misconduct would be handled through a process the government described as “more appropriate.”
Moreover, the Legal Profession Amendment Act, 2026 includes housekeeping amendments bolstering the Act’s administration.
In its 2025 annual report released earlier this year, the Law Society of Saskatchewan indicated that it has sought to strengthen regulation by launching the public concerns pathway campaign.
