Respectful Conduct Policy (Clients and Visitors)

Purpose

Legal problems are stressful, and feelings can run high. Our team at NEO, a licensed paralegal firm, treats everyone with respect, and we ask the same of clients, callers and visitors, in person, by phone, in the client portal and online, so we can do our best work.

What is not acceptable

• threats, violence or intimidation;
• abusive or discriminatory language, including about any ground protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code;
• sexual comments, advances or other sexual harassment;
• repeated hostile or threatening calls or messages;
• recording or posting about a team member to intimidate them (see our Recording Calls and Meetings Policy);
• coming to our office to confront a team member.

What is always welcome

Disagreeing with us, asking hard questions, complaining under our Client Complaints Policy, posting an honest review (even a negative one) and raising a concern with the Law Society of Ontario are never misconduct. We will never use this policy to discourage them, and a complaint never affects how we treat you or your matter.

Accommodation comes first

If conduct may be linked to a disability, stress or a language barrier, we first talk with you about supports that could help, such as a support person, an interpreter, shorter or written exchanges, or more time, under our Accessibility Policy, Interpreters and Translation Policy and Clients with Diminished Capacity Policy. The only exception is when someone's safety is at immediate risk. Accommodation does not mean our team must face threats, but it shapes how we respond.

What we may do

In proportion to what happened, we may:

1. calmly name the concern and ask that it stop;
2. end a call or meeting, and offer another way to continue;
3. ask that contact be in writing or through the client portal only;
4. name one person at the firm for you to deal with;
5. meet by phone or video only, or ask that you not come to our office;
6. limit the use of a client portal account that is used to send abusive messages.

We tell you in writing about any limit and why, review it, and lift it when it is no longer needed. A limit never stops you from giving instructions, receiving notices and documents, or getting your file, and if a limit affects the portal, we send these to you another way.

Serious or repeated conduct

Serious or repeated conduct can cause a serious loss of confidence between you and the firm. We may then end the retainer under our Withdrawal of Services Policy: for good cause, with reasonable notice, not at a time or in a way that would harm your matter, with the permission of a court or tribunal where its rules require it, and telling you every deadline we know of. We don't end a retainer automatically: we look at what happened and decide case by case. If you are not yet a client, we may decline the matter under our Engagement and Non-Engagement Policy. This policy does not limit any other right NEO or our team has under the law.

Threats of violence

If anyone is in immediate danger, we call 911. We may also report threats or violence to the police. We share only what our Confidentiality Policy and the rules permit, and no more than is needed: what was said or done to our team and, where there is an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm, the information needed to prevent it. We don't share the details of your legal matter beyond that.

Our team

Anyone at NEO may end an abusive call or meeting. Our team reports incidents to the principal under the workplace violence and harassment program in our Workplace Safety and WSIB Policy and Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy. Our team stays professional and courteous throughout, under our Civility and Professional Conduct Policy.

Review

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and whenever the Law Society's By-Laws or rules change. The principal approves every change.

Questions

Email info@neolegalservices.com, call 647-200-3526 or toll-free 888-519-2435, or write to us at Unit 236, 1099 Kingston Road, Pickering, Ontario L1V 1B5.