Making a complaint about a lawyer
The Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society regulates lawyers in Nova Scotia. Part of their role is to enforce the rules of ethical and professional conduct (Code of Professional Conduct) that lawyers must follow. They can take complaints from the public about possible breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct and may discipline a lawyer if they have broken those rules.
The Nova Scotia Barristers' Society does not deal with complaints about a lawyer's fees (see Disputes about a lawyer's bill) and cannot order your lawyer to compensate you financially.
The Barristers’ Society is concerned with protecting the public in general. A complaint to the Barristers’ Society is mainly about protecting the public, not fixing something in your case.
If you are in a dispute with your lawyer, contact the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society directly if you have questions about their complaint process.
If you believe your lawyer was negligent, you will likely need to speak with another lawyer to get a legal opinion. You can also contact the Lawyers' Insurance Association of Nova Scotia, so they know about your possible negligence claim. This not-for-profit company provides mandatory liability insurance for lawyers who are practising, insured members of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society.
Go to the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society website at nsbs.org/concerns-with-a-lawyer/ for details about the complaint process, or contact the Barristers’ Society at:
Telephone: (902) 422-1491
Address: Cogswell Tower, 800-2000 Barrington Street, Halifax NS B3J 3K1.
Disputes about a lawyer's bill
The Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society does not get involved with billing disputes. If you have a complaint about your lawyer's professionalism or competence, you can submit a complaint to the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, but they will not adjust your bill. Only the lawyer, their law firm, or an Adjudicator in Small Claims Court can adjust your bill.
So, if you have a dispute with your lawyer about the lawyer’s bill:
1. Speak with or write to your lawyer.
- Ask for more detailed information about the bill.
- Ask the lawyer to explain any fees or disbursements (out-of-pocket expenses) you do not understand.
2. If the lawyer works at a law firm and you cannot resolve the dispute directly with the lawyer, see if you can speak with the law firm's managing lawyer or executive director (assuming it is not your lawyer). If that does not work, or if that is not possible in your case, you have the option of going to Small Claims Court to have the lawyer’s bill assessed. This assessment of a lawyer's bill is also called a "taxation" of a lawyer's bill.
3. Small Claims Court - Taxation. ‘Taxation’ means a Small Claims Court adjudicator can ‘tax’ or review your lawyer’s bill, including fees and disbursements, to decide whether the bill is reasonable. The taxation process includes determining whether the percentage fee under a contingency agreement is reasonable.
Contact the Small Claims Court for more information. You will find court contact information at www.courts.ns.ca or look under ‘Courts’ in the government pages of the telephone book.
Last reviewed: May 2024