In Ontario, what are the duties of a paralegal regarding client confidentiality?

In Ontario, paralegals have a fundamental responsibility to protect client confidentiality, which is essential to maintaining the trust between a paralegal and their client. This duty encompasses all confidential information related to the representation of the client, whether it's verbal, written, or electronic. The obligation stems from both ethical standards and statutory requirements, ensuring that clients can freely share sensitive information without fear of it being disclosed without their consent.

Confidentiality underlines the integrity of the legal profession. By safeguarding this information, paralegals uphold their professional duties and contribute to the effective administration of justice. This commitment to protecting client information also aligns with the principles outlined in the Paralegal Rules of Conduct in Ontario, which emphasize the importance of maintaining confidentiality as central to the paralegal-client relationship.

In contrast, public discussions of case details, sharing information with other clients, or disclosing information to law enforcement agencies without proper legal grounds compromise this confidentiality and can undermine the client’s legal rights and interests. Thus, the correct duty of a paralegal is indeed to protect all confidential information related to the representation of the client.