The recommendations put forward by the Canadian Bar Association in its report, “Futures: Transforming the Delivery of Legal Services in Canada,” cover a lot of ground. Here are some of the highlights:
Alternative Business Structures: Lawyers should be able to practice in business structures that permit fee sharing, multidisciplinary practice and ownership, management and investment by nonlawyers. An ABS should be permitted to offer both legal and nonlegal services to clients, provided that privilege and confidentiality rules apply in the legal matters. The same bar regulations that apply to law firms would also apply to an ABS.
