Lawyers Who Speak
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Lawyers in Toronto

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. More than half of Toronto residents were born outside Canada, and the city’s population speaks over 180 languages and dialects. For people navigating a legal matter, the size and complexity of Toronto’s legal community is both an advantage and a challenge: there are thousands of lawyers practising every area of law across the city, but finding one who can engage with you in your first language, understand your situation, and explain Ontario law in terms that make sense to you is not always straightforward.

Lawyers Who Speak connects Toronto residents with multilingual lawyers across every major practice area. This page explains what to know about hiring a lawyer in Toronto, the languages most commonly spoken in the local legal community, and how to use this directory to find a lawyer who fits your needs. To browse the full directory, visit our main lawyers directory.

Cansu Aydemir 1

Cansu Aydemir

Turkish 🇹🇷

Immigration Law
Green and Spiegel LLP
  • Toronto,
  • Ontario
Michael Hughes

Michael Hughes

French 🇫🇷

Immigration Law
Green and Spiegel LLP
  • Toronto,
  • Ontario
Valerie Kleinman

Valerie Kleinman

French 🇫🇷

Immigration Law
Green and Spiegel LLP
  • Toronto,
  • Ontario

About Toronto’s Legal Community

Toronto is the legal centre of Ontario and one of the most significant legal markets in North America. The city is home to most of Canada’s largest law firms, often called Bay Street firms after the financial district where many are headquartered, as well as thousands of mid-size firms, boutique practices, and sole practitioners spread across every neighbourhood. Lawyers in Toronto serve clients on matters ranging from neighbourhood real estate closings and family disputes to multi-billion-dollar corporate transactions and international immigration cases.

The city’s legal community reflects the diversity of its population. Lawyers practising in Toronto come from every background, and many practise in their first or heritage language alongside English. For Toronto residents whose first language is Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Hindi, Tagalog, Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, French, or any of dozens of other languages, finding a lawyer who can communicate in that language is realistic and often straightforward in Toronto.

All lawyers practising in Toronto are licensed and regulated by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), which sets the rules of professional conduct, handles complaints, and maintains a public directory of licensees. You can verify any Ontario lawyer’s licence status using the LSO Lawyer and Paralegal Directory. For an explanation of the verification standards we apply to listed lawyers, see our Verification Process page.

Languages Spoken in Toronto’s Legal Community

Toronto’s lawyers reflect the city’s linguistic diversity. Lawyers Who Speak profiles multilingual lawyers practising in Toronto across the following languages and many others.


For deeper guides to finding lawyers in five of Toronto’s largest language communities, see our complete guides to finding a Mandarin-speaking lawyer in Toronto, a Cantonese-speaking lawyer in Toronto and the GTA, a Farsi-speaking lawyer in Toronto, a Punjabi-speaking lawyer in Toronto, and a Hindi-speaking lawyer in Toronto. To browse all languages, visit the main lawyers directory and filter by language and location.

Common Legal Matters in Toronto

Lawyers in Toronto handle the full range of legal matters that arise in a major urban centre. The most common areas in which Toronto residents seek legal advice include the following.

Real estate

Toronto has one of the most active real estate markets in Canada. Real estate lawyers handle residential purchases and sales, condominium transactions, refinancing, title transfers, and commercial real estate matters. The city’s high property values and complex transactions, including pre-construction condo assignments and multi-unit investment properties, make working with an experienced real estate lawyer particularly important. Browse real estate lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Immigration

Toronto is one of the top destinations in Canada for new immigrants and is home to most of the country’s federal immigration infrastructure, including major IRCC offices and the Immigration and Refugee Board. Immigration lawyers handle permanent residence applications, work permits, study permits, citizenship applications, and refugee and humanitarian claims. Browse immigration lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Corporate and commercial

Toronto is the corporate and financial centre of Canada. Corporate lawyers handle business incorporations, shareholder agreements, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, and ongoing corporate governance for clients ranging from startups to mid-market businesses to large public companies. Browse corporate lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Family law

Toronto family lawyers handle divorce, separation, parenting and child support arrangements, spousal support, division of property, and prenuptial and cohabitation agreements. Toronto residents often have additional complexities, including assets in multiple countries or family members living abroad, that benefit from working with a lawyer who can engage in the client’s language. Browse family lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Criminal defence

Criminal lawyers in Toronto defend clients against charges in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. Old City Hall at 60 Queen Street West and the Toronto courthouse at 1000 Finch Avenue West are two of the busiest criminal courthouses in the province. Browse criminal lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Employment

Employment lawyers in Toronto act for both employees and employers on matters including wrongful dismissal, termination packages, severance review, workplace harassment and discrimination claims, employment contract review, and human rights complaints. Browse employment lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Personal injury

Personal injury lawyers represent people injured in motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall incidents, public transit incidents, dog bites, and as a result of medical negligence. Browse personal injury lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Wills and estates

Wills and estates lawyers in Toronto draft wills, powers of attorney, and trust arrangements, and handle estate administration after a death. Toronto residents often have cross-border estate planning needs that benefit from working with a lawyer who understands both the Ontario rules and the cross-border dimension. Browse wills and estates lawyers in Toronto and the GTA.

Toronto’s Major Courthouses

Legal proceedings in Toronto take place at several courthouses across the city, including the following.

  • Superior Court of Justice at 361 University Avenue handles civil claims over $35,000, family law matters, and serious criminal trials.
  • Old City Hall at 60 Queen Street West is one of the main Ontario Court of Justice locations for criminal matters in downtown Toronto.
  • Toronto North Court at 1000 Finch Avenue West handles criminal matters in the North York area.
  • Toronto Small Claims Court at 47 Sheppard Avenue East handles civil claims up to $35,000.
  • Federal Court at 180 Queen Street West handles immigration appeals, federal regulatory matters, and intellectual property cases.
  • Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada at 74 Victoria Street hears refugee claims and immigration appeals.

How to Find a Lawyer in Toronto Who Speaks Your Language

The most effective way to find a multilingual lawyer in Toronto on this directory is to combine the language filter with the practice area filter, then narrow by location.

  • Visit the main lawyers directory.
  • Select the language you prefer.
  • Select the practice area that matches your matter.
  • Filter by Toronto, or browse the lawyer profiles that come up.
  • Contact lawyers directly through their profiles. There are no referral fees or hidden charges.


For a step-by-step guide to choosing the right lawyer, read our guide on how to find a multilingual lawyer in Toronto and questions to ask before hiring a lawyer.

What to Expect from a Toronto Lawyer Consultation

A first consultation in Toronto can take place in person at a downtown or neighbourhood office, by phone, or by video call. Many Toronto lawyers offer flexible consultation formats to make legal advice more accessible across the city. For practical guidance on first consultations, including what to bring and what to ask, see our guide to what to expect at your first legal consultation.

For information on legal fees in Ontario, see our guide on how much a lawyer costs in Ontario and our explainer on retainer agreements in Canada. If your income is limited, you may qualify for assistance through Legal Aid Ontario.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use the Lawyers Who Speak directory and filter by language. The directory features lawyers across Toronto in over 25 languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Hindi, Farsi, Arabic, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Tagalog, Russian, and more. You can combine the language filter with a practice area filter to narrow your search. For Toronto’s largest language communities, see our complete guides to finding a Mandarin-speaking lawyer in Toronto, a Cantonese-speaking lawyer in Toronto and the GTA, a Farsi-speaking lawyer in Toronto, a Punjabi-speaking lawyer in Toronto, and a Hindi-speaking lawyer in Toronto.

Yes. Every lawyer practising law in Toronto must be licensed by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO). The LSO sets professional conduct rules, handles complaints, and maintains a public licensee directory. You can verify any lawyer’s licence status using the LSO Lawyer and Paralegal Directory.

Legal fees in Toronto vary widely depending on the matter, the lawyer’s experience, and the complexity of the work. Some matters such as basic real estate closings, simple wills, and uncontested small claims are typically billed at flat fees. Other matters such as litigation, family disputes, and corporate transactions are usually billed hourly. For a general overview, see our guide on how much a lawyer costs in Ontario.

Yes. Many Toronto lawyers act for clients across the GTA. Most documents can be reviewed and signed remotely, and most consultations can be conducted by phone or video. If you need in-person attendance at court or at a closing, your lawyer will let you know and arrange the logistics.

The main courthouses in Toronto are the Superior Court of Justice at 361 University Avenue (civil and family), Old City Hall at 60 Queen Street West (criminal), Toronto North Court at 1000 Finch Avenue West (criminal), Toronto Small Claims Court at 47 Sheppard Avenue East, and Federal Court at 180 Queen Street West.

Lawyers in Toronto commonly speak the languages of the city’s largest immigrant communities, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Polish, Korean, French, and many others. For deeper guides, see our complete guides to finding a Mandarin-speaking lawyer in Toronto, a Cantonese-speaking lawyer in Toronto and the GTA, a Farsi-speaking lawyer in Toronto, a Punjabi-speaking lawyer in Toronto, and a Hindi-speaking lawyer in Toronto.

Find a Lawyer in Toronto on Lawyers Who Speak

Lawyers Who Speak is Canada’s multilingual legal directory. Browse the lawyer profiles available in Toronto, or visit the main directory to filter by language, practice area, and location. Each profile lists the lawyer’s practice areas, office location, and the languages they work in. Contact any lawyer directly through their profile with no referral fees.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Lawyers Who Speak is a legal directory, not a law firm. If you have a legal matter, consult a qualified lawyer licensed to practise in Ontario before making decisions.