Manitoba law society’s strategic plan aims for competence, access, confidence, EDI, well-being

The Law Society of Manitoba has shared its strategic activity plan 2025–28, seeking to guide its efforts to safeguard the public through regulating the delivery of legal services by competent, ethical, and independent legal professionals and promoting access to justice. 

The provincial legal regulator’s five primary goals are competence; access; public and stakeholder confidence; equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI); and well-being. 

The law society listed the following as its values: 

• integrity
• competence
• access
• independence
• collaboration
• accountability
• EDI
• well-being

Competence

The law society noted that it develops and offers resources and guidance covering emerging issues pertinent to lawyers. 

According to the strategic plan, the regulator aims to: 

• Apprise all lawyers of the law society’s resources 
• Prepare sole practitioners and small firm lawyers to run their legal practices 
• Help late-career lawyers wind down their practices 
• Allow internationally trained lawyers to access education and support 
• Ensure that articling students receive consistent and quality training 

Access

The strategic plan provides that the law society seeks to ensure that all Manitobans, including those with limited income and from northern and rural communities, can access the legal support and services they need, ideally available in both official languages and from a broad range of legal service providers. 

The regulator noted that its access objective encompasses creating a full-service physical and virtual justice centre. 

Confidence

The strategic plan states that the law society intends to: 

• Promote the confidence of lawyers, members of the public, the provincial government, and stakeholders in the regulator through transparency and accountability 
• Help these key players understand the ways the regulator protects the public and the value of independent regulation in affirming the rule of law 
• Connect with and extend its resources to Manitobans in vulnerable and historically disadvantaged communities and from northern and rural communities 

EDI

According to the strategic plan, the law society aims to promote EDI in the legal profession, its regulation, and legal service delivery and increase the number of Indigenous and racialized lawyers in Manitoba to reflect the province’s diversity. 

The regulator added that it will work to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, improve cultural competence, and incorporate a perspective that considers EDI in all processes, policies, and initiatives. 

Well-being

The strategic plan provides that the law society seeks to: 

• Promote a culture of well-being within the legal profession 
• Equip lawyers and articling students with the education, resources, and support they need to manage stress effectively 
• Encourage those taking advantage of these resources to inspire their colleagues to do the same 
• Ensure that those with mental health issues and addictions suffer from no stigma and feel safe when seeking support 
• Urge leaders of legal workplaces to model and support well-being