Membership

The Law Society maintains a database record of all Manitoba lawyers that includes current contact information, status, nature and location of practice.  This record assists to ensure that members receive up-to-date information from the Law Society and for members of the public to locate lawyers.  It also assists members to comply with their Law Society obligations that are triggered by a change in status.

Members are required to promptly advise if there has been a change in their location of practice, employment or contact information, per rule 2-75(2) .  Personal contact information is strictly for Law Society use and is not shared with the public.  To update employment and contact information, complete the Member Update Form.

Members in good standing may submit an Application to Withdraw from Practice including an Undertaking to the Law Society to not practise law in Manitoba following their withdrawal.  Completion of this form assists with the transition out of practice, the closing and storage of client files and closure of the trust account.

When leaving active practice, members can choose to become:

A Non-Practising member, which requires the payment of an annual fee and permits the member to receive communications from the Law Society, access to the members portal and an option to apply for a Fast Track ID card.

An Inactive Member, where there is no fee and the member receives no services.

A non-practising member can change his/her status to inactive by ceasing to pay the annual non-practising fee.

Non-practising, inactive or suspended members wishing to return to practice, must submit, at least 30 days prior to their intended return date, the following:

1. 1. • Application to Resume Active Practice with the applicable fee; and
      • A Certificate of Standing from all governing bodies in which the member holds membership, dated no more than 30 days prior to the date of the application.

The Law Society may impose conditions or restrictions on a member’s practice as are considered appropriate.

A member who is approved to resume active practice, must pay the practising fee and professional liability insurance contribution within 30 days of being approved and prior to commencing practice.

The Law Society will prepare a Certificate of Standing at the request of a member.  To obtain a certificate, a member must submit a completed Certificate of Standing Request, to Debra Rossol, Assistant to Director | Regulation at drossol@lawsociety.mb.ca along with the applicable fee.

All practising and non-practising members will receive access to the member portal where members can access information such as invoices and on-line voting polls for Bencher Elections.

On occasion, the Law Society may provide basic contact information about practising members (name, business address, email address, fax and phone numbers) to professional legal associations, organizations and institutions without charge, in order to enhance communications with the profession and to facilitate the maintenance of mailing lists.  Contact information will be provided only when the requested information will be used for a purpose that will assist in fulfilling the mandate of the Law Society and will be secured in a manner that is satisfactory to the Law Society.

Members of the public are able to access basic contact information about practising members by accessing the “Lawyer Lookup” function on our website or by contacting us.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Privacy Information, please contact Darcia Senft, Director of Policy and Ethics at dsenft@lawsociety.mb.ca.