[79] In Price, at para. 19, Sharpe J.A. further elucidated the court’s role:
Public confidence in the administration of justice requires the court to intervene where necessary to protect the client’s right to a fair procedure for the assessment of a solicitor’s bill. As a general matter, if a client objects to a solicitor’s account, the solicitor should facilitate the assessment process, rather than frustrating the process…. In my view, the courts should interpret legislation and procedural rules relating to the assessment of solicitors’ accounts in a similar spirit. As Orkin argues, “if the courts permit lawyers to avoid the scrutiny of their accounts for fairness and reasonableness, the administration of justice will be brought into disrepute.” The court has an inherent jurisdiction to control the conduct of solicitors and its own procedures. This inherent jurisdiction may be applied to ensure that a client’s request for an assessment is dealt with fairly and equitably despite procedural gaps or irregularities. [Citations omitted.]