AI for small law firms in Ontario: what's allowed
The short answer: yes, Ontario lawyers and paralegals can use AI. The Law Society of Ontario has not created special AI rules; your existing duties apply. In practice that means:
- Competence: understand what the tool can and cannot do before you rely on it.
- Confidentiality: know where client information goes before you put it into any tool.
- Supervision: you are responsible for what your staff and your tools produce.
- Court filings: verify every authority yourself. Ontario now requires you to certify that cited cases are real.
The lowest-risk, highest-value place to start is the admin around your practice, not the legal analysis.
We help small firms across the Greater Toronto Area automate intake, scheduling and follow up. The question we hear first is not "what can AI do?" but "am I allowed to?" Here is what the rules say as of October 2026, in plain language. This is general information, not legal or ethics advice; check the Law Society's current guidance for your situation.
What the Law Society of Ontario says
In April 2024 the Law Society of Ontario published a white paper on licensee use of generative AI, alongside a practice note and resources in its Technology Resource Centre. Its position is that the rules you already follow cover AI use. It encourages lawyers and paralegals to explore and experiment with AI tools while staying mindful of their professional obligations.
Competence
You need to understand a tool well enough to know its limits. Generative AI can write fluent text that is wrong, including invented cases and quotations. Treat its output like work from a new junior: useful, but checked before it goes anywhere.
Confidentiality
Before client information goes into any AI tool, you should know where it is stored, whether it is used to train the model, and who can see it. Free consumer accounts are the riskiest. Business accounts with training turned off, or tools that run inside software you already trust, are safer. When in doubt, leave names and identifying details out of the prompt.
Supervision
If your clerk or assistant uses AI, you are still responsible for the result. A simple written policy helps: which tools are approved, what can be entered into them, and that every AI draft is reviewed by a licensee.
What Ontario courts now require
Civil factums. Since December 1, 2024, Ontario's Rules of Civil Procedure (Rule 4.06.1(2.1), added by O. Reg. 384/24) require a factum to include a signed statement that the lawyer is satisfied as to the authenticity of every authority cited. Authorities from CanLII, court and government websites, and commercial publishers are presumed authentic unless there is evidence otherwise. A matching certification applies to expert reports.
What happens when it goes wrong. In Ko v. Li (2025 ONSC 2766), a Toronto judge ordered a lawyer to explain a factum citing cases no database could find. The lawyer later said staff had used ChatGPT to prepare it, and the court found the factum did not meet the certification rule. The lesson for a small firm: verifying authorities is now a written, signed obligation, not just good practice.
Federal Court. If you appear in the Federal Court, its practice notice (December 2023, updated May 2024) requires a declaration in the first paragraph of any filed document that contains content generated by AI.
Courts update these directions often. Always check the current practice directions for the court and the matter.
Where AI safely saves a small firm hours
The biggest wins for a two to ten person firm are rarely in legal research. They are in the work around it, where mistakes are easy to catch and confidentiality is easier to control:
| Task | What AI does | Risk level |
|---|---|---|
| Answering intake calls | Answers after hours, collects the caller's name, matter type and contact details, books a consultation | Low, if it is set up never to give legal advice |
| Conflict check prep | Pulls the names from intake into the format your conflict search needs | Low, a person still runs the check |
| Scheduling and reminders | Books consultations, sends confirmations and reminders, chases missing documents | Low |
| Deadline tracking | Flags limitation dates and filing deadlines from your calendar and matter list | Medium, keep a human check on every date |
| First drafts | Drafts routine letters, engagement letters and summaries for lawyer review | Medium, always reviewed before sending |
| Legal research and authorities | Suggests cases and arguments | High, verify every authority yourself |
A simple AI policy for a small Ontario firm
- Approved tools only. List the tools staff may use, and use business accounts with training on your data turned off.
- No identifying client details in general AI tools unless the tool has been approved for client data.
- A licensee reviews everything AI drafts before it reaches a client, the other side or a court.
- Every authority is checked against CanLII or another trusted source before any filing.
- Intake AI never gives legal advice. It collects details and books time with a lawyer.
- Review the policy when the Law Society or the courts update their guidance.
Where BlueprintBeam Inc fits
We set up the admin side for small firms in the GTA: AI intake that answers and books consultations, deadline and document reminders, and draft workflows that keep a lawyer in the loop. Everything is built on the tools you already use, so client data stays in your own accounts. Work starts with a paid audit from $999 that maps how your intake and admin run today; the monthly plan is custom, built from what the audit finds.
See how we work with law firms → · What an AI receptionist costs in Canada →
Frequently asked questions
Are Ontario lawyers allowed to use AI?
Yes. The Law Society of Ontario has not banned generative AI and encourages lawyers and paralegals to explore it. Its April 2024 white paper says the existing rules of professional conduct apply to AI use, including competence, confidentiality and supervision, rather than creating new AI-specific rules.
Do I have to tell the court if I used AI?
It depends on the court. In Ontario civil matters, since December 1, 2024 a factum must include a signed statement that you are satisfied every cited authority is authentic. The Federal Court requires a declaration in the first paragraph of any filed document that contains content generated by AI. Check the current practice directions of the court you are appearing in.
Can I put client information into ChatGPT?
Only if you are satisfied the tool protects it. Your duty of confidentiality still applies, so you need to know where the data is stored, whether it is used to train the model and who can access it. Many firms use business or enterprise accounts with training turned off, or keep client names out of prompts entirely.
What happens if AI makes up a case?
You are responsible for it. In Ko v. Li (2025 ONSC 2766), an Ontario judge ordered a lawyer to explain a factum citing cases that could not be found, after staff had used ChatGPT. The court also found the factum did not meet the rule requiring certification that authorities are authentic.
What is the safest place for a small firm to start with AI?
The office work around the law: answering and booking intake calls, collecting intake details, scheduling, deadline and limitation reminders, and first drafts of routine letters that a lawyer reviews. These save hours without asking AI to give legal advice or produce authorities.