What you tell a lawyer at Law Wise Professional Corporation is confidential. This statement explains the duty, who it covers, where it ends, and how to contact us safely through this website.
The lawyer’s duty of confidentiality
Every lawyer in Ontario must hold in strict confidence all information about a client’s business and affairs that the lawyer learns in the course of the professional relationship. The duty applies whatever the source of the information and whether or not other people know it. It does not end when the file is closed. It continues indefinitely.
Solicitor-client privilege
Privilege is a separate rule of law. It protects communications between a lawyer and a client, made so that the client can get legal advice, from being disclosed in court or to the other side. The duty of confidentiality is wider than privilege: it covers everything the lawyer learns about your affairs while acting for you, not only the advice itself.
Who is covered
- Clients. Every client, whether the matter is large or small and whether the relationship is ongoing or a single piece of work.
- People who consult us but do not hire us. A lawyer owes the duty of confidentiality to anyone who seeks advice or help on a matter that calls on the lawyer’s professional knowledge.
- The fact that you came to us. We do not disclose that a person has consulted or retained the firm, unless the nature of the matter requires it.
Where the duty ends
- with your authority, given expressly or implied by what you have asked us to do
- where disclosure is required by law or by an order of a court or tribunal
- where the Law Society of Ontario requires information from a lawyer
- where the lawyer believes on reasonable grounds that there is an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm and disclosure is necessary to prevent it. In that case the lawyer must not disclose more than is required.
Sources: Law Society of Ontario, Rules of Professional Conduct, rr 3.3-1 (with commentary) and 3.3-3, read on 10 October 2026. The Rules contain a small number of other narrow exceptions.
Conflicts of interest
A lawyer may not act for a client where there is a conflict of interest, except as the Law Society’s rules permit. This is why we ask for the names of the other people involved before the lawyer discusses your matter, and why we ask you not to send details until that check is done. Information received from one person could prevent the firm from acting for another.
Contacting us through this website
- Sending a form or an email does not make you a client. The firm acts for you only after it has checked for conflicts and confirmed in writing that it will act.
- Please do not put confidential or sensitive details, or documents, in the website form. A short description and the names of those involved are enough to begin.
- Email and web forms are not fully secure. If your matter is sensitive or urgent, call 647-948-7819.
- Nothing on this website is legal advice. The pages give general legal information for Ontario.
Personal information
For how personal information collected through this website is handled, see our privacy policy.
Questions
If you have a question about confidentiality, call 647-948-7819 or write to info@lawwise.ca.
Last updated: 10 October 2026.