Trustee Services
If you are looking for information or documentation from the files of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who is no longer practising, Trustee Services may be able to help you.
When lawyers and paralegals stop practising, they are responsible for providing the Law Society with information regarding the location of their client files. Where they have done so, Trustee Services may be able to direct you to the successor paralegal or lawyer.
Before contacting Trustee Services to see if they are able to assist you, please note the following information:
- Lawyers and paralegals do not provide the Law Society with specific client file information. Rather, they are required to provide general information, such as the names of the successor paralegals or lawyers who took custody of client files or Wills.
Accordingly, Trustee Services can assist you only in so far as providing you with the name of the successor paralegal or lawyer (where known). You would then need to contact that person to inquire if they came into possession of your particular file.
- Lawyers and paralegals are not obligated too keep their files forever. The length of time lawyers and paralegals are required to maintain client files varies depending on the nature of the records.
- Some lawyers will retain original Wills and Powers of Attorney as a service for their clients, but they are not obligated to do so. Most commonly, lawyers and paralegals return original client documents to clients when they close a file.
For these reasons, we encourage clients to search all safe-keeping locations in their homes and offices before undertaking an external search for legal documents.
In very limited circumstances, Trustee Services will take possession of the practice of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who has ceased to practise in order to ensure an orderly transition of the practice for clients.
If you are looking for a file, document or Will from a licensee's practice, click here for more information.