As many lawyer licensing candidates have become aware, the LSO has officially cancelled the Call to the Bar ceremonies that were scheduled to take place at the end of June 2020 due to the unprecedented impact of COVID-19.

The LSO has also announced that an administrative call to the bar process will be made available to candidates who have fulfilled licensing requirements to facilitate licensure in a timely manner. While this is ultimately the right solution for the time being, every candidate has worked extremely hard to finally reach their goal of becoming a licensed lawyer in Ontario and every candidate has looked forward to the ceremony to celebrate their achievements. 

We respectfully request that the June 2020 Call to the Bar ceremonies be postponed instead of cancelled indefinitely. We understand that an administrative call to the bar is necessary so that candidates may continue their legal careers without delay and we agree that this is the best course of action. However,  many candidates are very disappointed that there will no longer be a ceremony to celebrate the culmination of all their hard work and achievements. The LSO is exploring additional dates for licensing examinations in late Summer and early Fall when larger gatherings may potentially be permitted again. We request that the June 2020 ceremonies be postponed and eventually rescheduled as a symbolic celebration when social gatherings are permitted again. 

Please share with fellow candidates that were eligible to attend June 2020 Call to the Bar Ceremony.

Please share what attending the ceremony or what finally becoming a lawyer means to you! A PDF version of all signatures AND comments will be shared with the LSO. The LSO should see why this is important to us.