Efforts to avoid conflicts of interest are required by the Law Society of Ontario and form a fundamental part of legal ethics and professional regulation.
A conflict check ensures that our firm has never represented—or is not currently representing—any party whose interests may be adverse to yours. This process protects both you and our firm by confirming that we can act for you with full independence and loyalty.
The duty to avoid conflicts applies to past, current, and prospective clients and is set out in the Rules of Professional Conduct (the Model Code) as well as by decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada, including R. v. Neil and Canadian National Railway Co. v. McKercher LLP.
In practice, we conduct conflict checks before receiving detailed information about your matter. This step is an essential safeguard to uphold professional integrity and client trust.