Peer support initiative and recovery program aim to promote healthy legal culture, regulator says
The Law Society of Manitoba has announced the publication of its 2025 annual report and financial statements, seeking to offer an update on its efforts this past year to achieve its 2022–25 strategic plan.
According to its news release, the law society:
- strove for a healthy legal culture via the “Law(yer) Strong” peer support initiative and the health recovery program, which seeks to provide a constructive alternative to discipline for health-related issues
- advanced access to justice with innovative service models, such as civil society organizations and the sandbox pilot program
- fostered public trust through direct outreach and educational sessions
- imposed mandatory Indigenous intercultural training, with almost 95 percent of surveyed participants who finished it by Apr. 1 claiming improved cultural awareness
The report noted that 99 percent of surveyed participants said attending a live continuing professional development program made them more knowledgeable.
“Worthy of note is the work undertaken to improve the health and well-being of lawyers, with a fully operational diversion stream that encourages lawyers to obtain assistance for mental health and substance abuse issues, rather than be disciplined for the associated conduct issues,” said Leah Kosokowsky, the law society’s chief executive officer, in the report.
In its news release, the law society emphasized its commitment to promoting lawyer wellness, adding access to justice, ensuring equity and diversity, and building public trust in its regulation of legal services in the province.
“All of these efforts will support the competence of lawyers and this work will continue in the years to follow,” Kosokowsky added.
Annual report
The 2025 annual report discussed the law society’s key performance indicators within the relevant period. Regarding professional conduct and discipline, the law society received 368 formal complaints and closed 384 complaint files.
According to the report, among the complaints received:
- 91 percent reached a resolution in under 12 months
- 97 percent were resolved in under 18 months
- 45.5 percent came from lawyers’ clients
- 27.8 percent involved family law matters
- 25 complaints related to excessive fees
The report noted that complaint referrals went down from 31 in 2022 to nine in 2025. The report attributed this decrease to measures such as resolving matters earlier in the process and introducing the health recovery program.
In May 2024, the law society’s practice, ethics, and equity advisor stepped into the role of helping lawyers navigate a broad array of practice and ethics concerns. The advisor fielded inquiries from legal professionals of all career stages, private practitioners, government lawyers, and in-house counsel.
The report noted that the steadily rising uptake showed that the law society’s members have been increasingly recognizing and having faith in this new service.
The report also shared the demographics of the law society’s membership within the relevant period: 124 law students, 127 articling students, and 2,369 practising lawyers.
In a message in the report, Gerri Wiebe, the law society’s past president, lamented how the rule of law has been under assault lately.
“The independence of the judiciary and bar are not only no longer a foregone conclusion, but undermined on a regular basis,” Wiebe said in the law society’s report. “While it may be easier to keep our heads down and focus on the work immediately before us, complacency is a luxury that we cannot afford.”
Succeeding Wiebe in the role of president is Kyle Dear, civil litigation partner at Taylor McCaffrey LLP. The law society also recently announced the election of Ken Mandzuik, trust and estate litigation partner at Tradition Law LLP, as vice president.
“As protectors of the rule of law, it is the responsibility of the legal profession to be on the front lines of the fight to stop the heat,” Wiebe said. “Preserving the rule of law will be a priority of the Law Society in the days to come, and your participation and support in this critical endeavor is appreciated.”
