Who can help me with my civil case? How can I get a lawyer? When am I required to have a lawyer?

Court staff cannot provide you with any legal advice. They also cannot fill out forms for you. A lawyer is in the best position to advise you about your legal rights and responsibilities. If you retain a lawyer, consultations with your lawyer are private and confidential.

If you wish to retain a lawyer, you may contact the Lawyer Referral Service operated by the Law Society of Upper Canada. Please note that there is a fixed charge of six dollars for each telephone call to use this service. The Lawyer Referral Service will provide a name of a lawyer who practices in the relevant area of law and will provide a half-hour free consultation. If you are calling from Ontario, the telephone number for the service is 1-900-565-4577. If you are calling from outside the province, you may reach the Lawyer Referral Service by dialling 416-947-3330. Advise the operator that you are calling from outside the province. A half-hour consultation is not guaranteed if you do not have an Ontario phone number.

If you are not in a financial position to retain the services of a lawyer, you may wish to contact the Legal Aid Ontario office closest to you to see if you qualify for legal aid. For more information you may visit Legal Aid Ontario's website.

Parties under a disability and parties acting in a representative capacity must be represented by a lawyer. A party under a disability is defined in the Rules of Civil Procedures as a minor, or a person who is mentally incapable within the meaning of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, whether he or she has a guardian or not, or an absentee within the meaning of the Absentee Act.

Corporations must be represented by a lawyer, except if the court allows otherwise. Any other party to a proceeding can either represent themselves or be represented by a lawyer.

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