Forms & Precedents Learn with LiRN session
Lee Holstead’s (DRLA) session on LwL Youtube and Handout for finding Forms and Precedents includes helpful information about:
- Lexis+ Practical Guidance – all modules including the new Real Estate module.
- Westlaw – Solicitor’s Core as well as the Source products
- Ontario Court Forms
- LSO CPD – Annotated Forms and older Practice Notes
What are forms and precedents?
Forms and Precedents are samples of common legal documents that need to completed, often for court. Sometimes the forms are legislated by statute or regulation. They can be short or quite lengthy.
Where to find forms and precedents?
- Lexis+ has Canadian Forms and Precedents as well as Williston and Rolls Court Forms.
- You have access to all modules of Lexis+ Practical Guidance’s forms and precedents.
- Westlaw’s O’Brien’s is a very expensive duplication of many (though not all) of these forms.
For more information: Great Library Research Guide on Forms
Lexis+ Practical Guidance (formerly Practice Advisor)
This database not only contains precedents and forms, but also practice notes, sample clauses, checklists, as well as tables, flowcharts, and diagrams. Updated regularly.
| Capital Markets and M&A / Finance | Family Law | Litigation & Dispute Resolution |
| Commercial | Insolvency & Restructuring | Personal Injury |
| Corporate | Intellectual Property | Real Estate |
| Employment | Information Technology | Will, Trusts & Estates |
Ontario Court Forms
A free resource for forms. The main ones are Family Law Rules, Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rules of the Small Claims Court. https://ontariocourtforms.on.ca/en/
Law Society of Ontario, Annotated Document Series
Each title in the LSO Annotated Document Series contains a sample document annotated with clause by clause commentary and drafting tips written by specialists in the field. To date over 20 topics have been covered. Available online on Great Library/Courthouse Libraries CPD catalogue
O’Brien’s Forms
O’Brien’s is divided into Divisions, and so has a wide variety of precedents and forms from across many areas of law. The Great Library has access to them in print form and some via O’Brien’s Forms on Westlaw. Most of these forms are available on LN Practical Guidance which is a part of e-LiRN.
| § Division I. Commercial and general | § Division VI. Ontario: Family law |
| § Division II. Corporations | § Division VII. Labour relations and employment |
| § Division III. Conveyancing and mortgages | § Division VIII. Ontario: Court forms |
| § Division IV. Leases | § Division IX. Municipal Corporations |
| § Division V. Wills and trusts | § Division X. Computers and information technology |