Ontario is one of the few places where paralegals are licensed and regulated in their own right. A Licensed Paralegal may give legal advice and appear as an advocate, within a scope of practice set by the Law Society of Ontario.
Syed Javed Hussain holds paralegal licence #P12776 and takes paralegal work from the Scarborough office, principally at the Landlord and Tenant Board, in the Small Claims Court, and on provincial offence charges. This side of the practice is separate from its immigration work and is regulated by a different body.
What a licensed paralegal may do in Ontario
The scope is set out in By-Law 4 made under the Law Society Act. A paralegal holding a P1 licence may advise a party on their legal interests, rights or responsibilities in a proceeding, represent them, draft the documents used in it, and negotiate on their behalf. The proceedings covered are:
- matters in the Small Claims Court;
- matters in the Ontario Court of Justice under the Provincial Offences Act;
- proceedings before a tribunal established under an Act of the Ontario Legislature or an Act of Parliament, which is what brings in the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Immigration and Refugee Board;
The by-law also permits certain narrowly defined matters that this practice does not take, and those are not offered here. The current text is published by the Law Society at By-Law 4.
What falls outside it
Some matters must be handled by a lawyer. That includes proceedings in the Superior Court of Justice other than the Small Claims Court, family law matters such as divorce, custody and division of property, real estate transactions, wills and estates, indictable criminal charges, and proceedings in the Federal Court.
If your matter falls into one of those, you will be told at the first conversation rather than after a retainer is signed.
The paralegal work this practice takes
Landlord and Tenant Board
Applications and hearings for landlords and for tenants: notices of termination, arrears, maintenance, tenant rights applications and orders.
Small Claims Court
Claims and defences for unpaid invoices, deposits, loans between individuals, damage to property and services not delivered, through settlement conferences and trial.
Traffic and provincial offences
Charges under the Highway Traffic Act and other provincial statutes, including disclosure, early resolution and trial in the Ontario Court of Justice.
Each of those three areas has its own page setting out what the work involves and what to expect.
How a paralegal matter usually proceeds
The first step is nearly always a deadline. Provincial offence charges, Landlord and Tenant Board applications and claims in the Small Claims Court all run on time limits, and some of them are short. Bring the paperwork you have received, including the envelope where the date of service matters.
From there the work is ordinary advocacy: assessing whether there is a case or a defence, obtaining disclosure or documents from the other side, preparing the evidence, attempting a resolution where one is available on sensible terms, and appearing at the hearing or trial if it is not. Most matters settle. The ones that do not are decided on the record that was prepared for them.
Common questions
Is a paralegal a lawyer?
No. Both are licensed by the Law Society of Ontario and both are bound by rules of conduct, but a paralegal’s licence covers a defined set of courts and tribunals rather than the whole of legal practice. JAVED Legal and Immigration Services provides legal services through Syed Javed Hussain, a Licensed Paralegal regulated by the Law Society of Ontario. A paralegal’s authorized scope differs from that of a lawyer, and this practice accepts only matters that fall within the applicable professional scope.
Can a paralegal represent me at a hearing?
Yes, in the proceedings within the licensed scope described above. At the Landlord and Tenant Board, for example, a licensed paralegal may appear as your representative.
Do I have to attend the hearing myself?
Usually yes, particularly where you are the one giving evidence about what happened. A representative argues the case; they cannot testify for you. Whether your attendance is strictly required depends on the forum and the type of hearing.
How do I check a paralegal’s licence?
The Law Society of Ontario publishes a directory of licensees. Search the name or the licence number in the Law Society of Ontario directory.
Discuss your matter
If you have received a notice, a claim or a charge, the sooner it is looked at the more can usually be done about it.
Related pages: Landlord and Tenant Board · notary and commissioning · fees and retainers · about the practice
Last reviewed: 19 September 2026 against By-Law 4 made under the Law Society Act, as published by the Law Society of Ontario. This page is general information, not legal advice.