很多人在遵循报纸上的广告联系法律服务社时，很可能自然认定法律服务的提供者具有律师执照而忽略核实他是否执有有效的律师执照这一简单程序。但你可能会因此而付出高昂的代价。
When you contact a legal service advertised in the newspaper, you may naturally assume that the service provider is a licensed lawyer and forgo the simple procedure of verifying his license. But you might end up paying hefty price for that.
在加国，包括律师和法律专业人士，律师帮办等在内的法律专业人士必须持有有效的法律执照，并于律师公会注册。只有获得律师公会颁发执照的人士可向公众提供法律服务。
In Canada, legal professionals – including lawyers and paralegals must hold a valid license and be registered with the Law Society of Upper Canada. Only lawyers and paralegals licensed by the Law Society can provide legal services to the public.
但有些自称为法律专业人士并通过广告而推广其法律服务的人士却从未通过律师专业考试，并获得律师公会颁发的执照。根据律师公会法，律师公会有权对那些未获执照而提供法律服务或开业的人士提起法律诉讼。
But a few individuals who hold themselves out as legal professionals through advertising, have in fact, never passed a bar exam, or obtained a legal license. Under the Law Society Act, the Law Society has the authority to prosecute such individuals
据律师公会提供的信息，当律师公会获悉某人士可能在非法执业，律师公会会向此人发出“停止终止信”，往往此信会有效地阻止非法营业人士立即停业。但如果对方对律师公会的要求置之不理，公会则要开展调查，调查结果可能会导致法庭颁布停止令，有时会导致罚款甚至更为严重的后果。
According to LSUC’s information, a “cease and desist” letter sent from the Law Society is often successful at stopping an illegal practice. However, if the letter is ignored, the LSUC will conduct a thorough investigation, which may lead to a court injunction, sometimes fine or more severe penalty
据律师公会信息，从2010 年至今，律师公会将共17人诉之安省高等法庭。经法庭聆讯，他们每人均被处以$1万元以上的罚款，并被法律勒令停止提供法律服务。
According information from the LSUC, between 2010 and 2013, a total of 17 individuals were sued by LSUC in Ontario Superior Court, where they were individually fined over $10,000, and ordered by the court to stop practising legal services.
而这类事件可能会发生于移民社区。
The illegal practice might have happened in the immigrant communities.
华裔社区成员（Y先生）在报纸上曾刊登广告称提供法服务。周夫妇（化名）曾计划购买一项生意，而Y为该生意购买交易提供了法律服务。而在周夫妇损失了$3万元定金后，他们发现Y有可能无照执业。
A Chinese community member (Mr. Y) who advertised his services in the newspapers was suspected to be an illegal provider, after Zhou couple (assumed name) lost $30,000 deposit in a proposed business purchase deal. Mr.Y provided legal assistance to Zhou couple in the transaction.
周夫妇曾预计购买一方便店，他们将$3万元定金存入Y公司的信托帐户。但该生意 交易被取消，而根据合同，定金应退还给周夫妇。
The Zhou couple had paid a $30,000 deposit to a trust account held by Mr. Y’s company to purchase a convenience store. But the transaction didn’t go through, and under the contract, the deposit money should be returned to Zhou.
但Y拒绝退换定金。这一做法引起了周夫妇的警觉。他们开始对Y 的生意合法性产生质疑。经过初步调查，他们发现Y和其公司从未与律师公会注册。
When Mr. Y refused to return the deposit, it raised flags to the Zhou couple, who began to doubt whether Mr. Y was a licensed lawyer. Their initial investigation seemed to indicate that neither Y nor his firm had ever registered with the LSUC.
当《大中报》致电Y询问其是否执有合法律师执照时，Y未对此做出回答，并要求《大中报》将问题以书面形式提出。
When Chinese News called Mr. Y asking if he has a legal license, he avoided the question and requested Chinese News to send any questions in writing.
《大中报》通过传真向Y先生提出问题，即他是否与律师公会注册，以及他是否拒绝向周夫妇退还其公司信托帐户上$3万元的定金。
Chinese News presented questions to Mr. Y through a fax, asking if he has ever registered with the law society, and whether he refused to return the $30,000 deposit held in his company’s trust account to Zhou couple.
Y先生在回答《大中报》提问时表示，他公司的信托帐户上没有周夫妇的$3万元定金，且周夫妇的生意购买交易双方都由律师处理。Y再次直接回避了他是否具有合法律师执照的询问。
Mr. Y denied to have held Zhou’s money in his company’s trust account, indicating that both sides of Zhou’s purchase transaction have lawyers to handle the matter. He again, directly avoided the question on whether he has a legal license.
Y写道：“（周）夫妇用尽办法毁坏我公司以及我个人的声誉……我保持向他们寻找损失补偿的权利。”他并建议《大中报》：“在这种情况下，不要卷入其中。”
“(Zhou) couple are doing all kind of things to damage my company’s reputation and my reputation as well… I reserve my rights to seek damage from them,” Y wrote in a responding fax. “At this stage, do not get involve with this matter,” he advised.
周夫妇已向警方报案，该案件目前正处于被调查之中。
The Zhou couple said that they have reported the case to the local police and the case is being investigated.
但在联系法律服务之前进行简单的了解就会使情况出现完全不同的结局。据律师公会，如果是由于合法律师或律师帮办的不诚实而造成的经济损失，你可通过律师公会的补偿基金或律师及律师帮办的保险赔偿而使你的损失得到补偿。
But a little homework before seeking legal service can lead to an entirely different outcome. According to LSUC, if you lose money due to a licensed lawyer’s or paralegal’s dishonesty, your lost money may get recovered through the Law Society’s Compensation Fund, or through insurance coverage carried by the licensed lawyers and paralegals.
但寻求非法执照者之服务者则无法通过这些途径而获得这类可能的补偿，因为无照律师不须拥有失误保险，也与补偿基金无缘。
However, those who hire illegal practitioners are not eligible to access these potential compensations, because unlicensed individuals are not required to carry insurance for negligence and are not backed by any compensation fund.
周夫妇要找回损失则非易事。显然，周夫妇从中吸取了教训而在他们再次寻找法律服务时，首先要做的就是了解法律服务提供者是否有合法的律师执照。
The Zhou couple is now facing an uphill battle to get their money back. Apparently, they have learned a painful lesson. Next time they seek legal services, the first thing they would do is to check out whether the service provider is legally licensed.
据律师公会信息，你可以通过律师公会网站http://www2.lsuc.on.ca/LawyerParalegalDirectory/，或通过致电律师公会电话416-947-3315 or toll free at 1-800-668-7380, ext. 3315证实律师或律师帮办获得合法执照。
According to the LSUC, you can check the Law Society of Upper Canada’s online lawyer and paralegal directory ( http://www2.lsuc.on.ca/LawyerParalegalDirectory/), or call the Law Society (416-947-3315 or toll free at 1-800-668-7380, ext. 3315) to confirm the legal licence.
注：为满足周夫妇的要求，该文未披露Y先生的真实身份。
To accommodate Zhou’s request, the article did not reveal the identity of either Zhou or Mr. Y.
本文发布于： 2013-8-16 23:51
