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The provincial government of Prince Edward Island is responsible for healthcare, social services, education, economic development, legislation, and civil law. Governmental matters are overseen in the capital, Charlottetown.
A parliamentary governs Prince Edward Island within a constitutional monarchy. The monarchy in Prince Edward Island is the foundation of its executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen’s representative, the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, carries out most of the royal duties on Prince Edward Island.
The use of executive powers by royal and viceroyal figures is directed by the Executive Council. To ensure government stability, the lieutenant governor appoints as premier the current leader of the political party that can obtain the confidence of a plurality in the Legislative Assembly.
Each of the 27 members of the Legislative Assembly is elected by plurality in their electoral districts. General elections occur on the first Monday in October every four years. Historically, the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties have dominated the politics in the province. The Green Party of Prince Edward Island gained a small representation in the Legislative Assembly in the 2019 election.
Use LegalMatch’s online lawyer directory to look up contact information for practicing lawyers in Prince Edward Island. You can search by name, firm, company, or location. There is never a fee to schedule a consultation, and our services are completely confidential.
All lawyers in Prince Edward Island have the responsibility to ethically and competently represent their clients. If you have concerns that you have not been ethically or competently represented by a Prince Edward Island lawyer, you can file a malpractice complaint about a wide range of professional conduct issues.
Lawyers in Prince Edward Island must maintain a high standard of conduct, provide ethical advice, and provide competent guidance to their clients. Prince Edward Island lawyers who do not meet these standards are subject to discipline. All complaints against Prince Edward Island lawyers are under the jurisdiction of the Prince Edward Island Law Society Code of Professional Conduct and the Legal Profession Act and Regulations.
The nature of your complaint against a Prince Edward Island lawyer will affect the way it is handled. Complaints about lawyer negligence will be handled differently than complaints about your lawyer’s fee. Any information made to your attorney regarding legal advice is protected by attorney-client privilege.
To file a complaint, you must write a letter naming the lawyer and describing your complaint. You cannot file a complaint against a Prince Edward Island lawyer by telephone. The Law Society of Prince Edward Island has regulations detailing that complaints must be filed in writing, and no excuses are permitted.
You may attach copies of any documents you feel are important to express or support your complaint in your complaint clearly. Your original documents may not be returned. The Law Society of Prince Edward Island nor another Prince Edward Island lawyer cannot help you write your complaint or advise you as to what you should write or include. You do not need to quote the provisions or relevant parts of the legislation that you feel the Prince Edward Island lawyer violated.
A complaint against a Prince Edward Island lawyer should answer:
In your complaint, you should include your full name and contact information. Include your full mailing address and telephone number.
Send your complaint along with copies of any relevant documents to the Secretary-Treasurer by regular mail or fax. Make sure to sign your complaint. Once your complaint is received, the Law Society of Prince Edward Island will write to you by mail to acknowledge receipt.
The Prince Edward Island lawyer involved will be sent your complaint and asked to respond within two weeks. Sometimes, longer than two weeks will be given in appropriate circumstances. Once the lawyer’s response is received, a copy will be sent to you. Along with the lawyer’s response, you will be allowed to make additional comments if you are unsatisfied with the lawyer’s response.
If the complaint cannot be resolved, the Secretary-Treasurer will consider all documents and determine if further investigation is necessary before determining if the complaint has merit. Both you and your Prince Edward Island lawyer will receive a copy of the written decision. The Secretary-Treasurer has many options when it comes to deciding complaints, some of which are:
If a complaint is referred to an Investigation Committee, the committee may determine that no disciplinary action is warranted and dismiss the complaint or issue with a warning or reprimand. The file is then closed. If your issue pertains to fees or billing, the Investigation Committee can request a financial audit and impose conditions on the Prince Edward Island lawyer’s practice.
The Investigation Committee can also recommend that the complaint go forward to the Disciple Committee. The Disciple Committee is a panel of six lawyers who hold hearings open to the public and consider charges of professional misconduct. Notices of Hearings are posted on the Law Society’s website at least fourteen days before a hearing. Typically, a lawyer representing the Law Society prosecutes and presents the charges. The Prince Edward Island lawyer who has been charged may also represent themselves with another lawyer. You may be required as a witness at the hearing.
If the Hearing Panel finds the charges against a lawyer to be proven, it can reprimand or disbar the lawyer. Public notice is published every time a Prince Edward Island lawyer is suspended or disbarred.
If you and your Prince Edward Island lawyer have not thoroughly discussed how much your case would cost, you may not know what to expect on your bill. If you feel that your lawyer’s fees are too high or incorrect, and you cannot resolve the issue with your lawyer, you can ask the Charlottetown Courthouse to review it. The court system has the authority to reduce the amount you owe your Prince Edward Island lawyer in appropriate circumstances.