Difference between revisions of "The Law Society, Bar Associations, and Law Foundation"
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==The Law Society of BC== | ==The Law Society of BC== | ||
The Law Society is the governing body for the legal profession in BC. Located in Vancouver, its main duty, under the ''Legal Profession Act'', is to regulate the legal profession in the public interest. A Board of 31 directors, called Benchers, governs the Law Society. The Board consists of 25 elected lawyers and 6 appointed non-lawyers (called lay-Benchers). The lawyer Benchers are elected by other lawyers and serve 2-year terms. They represent districts across BC. The 6 lay-Benchers are appointed by the BC provincial government to represent the public interest in all Law Society decisions. The senior Bencher is the President of the Law Society. | The [http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/ Law Society] is the governing body for the legal profession in BC. Located in Vancouver, its main duty, under the ''[http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/98009_01 Legal Profession Act]'', is to regulate the legal profession in the public interest. A Board of 31 directors, called Benchers, governs the Law Society. The Board consists of 25 elected lawyers and 6 appointed non-lawyers (called lay-Benchers). The lawyer Benchers are elected by other lawyers and serve 2-year terms. They represent districts across BC. The 6 lay-Benchers are appointed by the BC provincial government to represent the public interest in all Law Society decisions. The senior Bencher is the President of the Law Society. | ||
==What does the Law Society do?== | ==What does the Law Society do?== | ||
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===To contact the Law Society=== | ===To contact the Law Society=== | ||
Call 604.669.2533 in the lower mainland, 1.800.903.5300 elsewhere in BC | Call 604.669.2533 in the lower mainland, 1.800.903.5300 elsewhere in BC. | ||
==The Canadian Bar Association== | ==The Canadian Bar Association== | ||
The Canadian Bar Association, or CBA, is a voluntary national organization that promotes the interests of the legal profession and promotes law reform. The BC Branch of the CBA helps its lawyer members in BC stay current in their areas of practice. Lawyers with similar professional interests meet | The [https://www.cba.org/Home Canadian Bar Association], or CBA, is a voluntary national organization that promotes the interests of the legal profession and promotes law reform. The [https://www.cbabc.org/Home BC Branch] of the CBA helps its lawyer members in BC stay current in their areas of practice. Lawyers with similar professional interests meet regularly and exchange ideas and information. Unlike the Law Society, the CBA does not license or regulate lawyers. | ||
There are also local bar associations in most BC cities and towns. They are voluntary organizations concerned with local matters affecting their lawyer members. | There are also local bar associations in most BC cities and towns. They are voluntary organizations concerned with local matters affecting their lawyer members. | ||
With funding from the Law Foundation (described below), which collects the interest from lawyers’ trust accounts, the BC Branch of the CBA provides two public service programs: | With funding from the Law Foundation (described below), which collects the interest from lawyers’ trust accounts, the BC Branch of the CBA provides two public service programs: | ||
*'''Dial-A-Law''' provides free legal information on more than 130 topics. Scripts are available in English, Chinese and Punjabi and accessible by internet and the telephone (English and Chinese only). Call 604.687.4680 in the lower mainland or 1.800.565.5297 elsewhere in BC | *'''[http://www.dialalaw.org/ Dial-A-Law]''' provides free legal information on more than 130 topics. Scripts are available in English, Chinese and Punjabi and accessible by internet and the telephone (English and Chinese only). Call 604.687.4680 in the lower mainland or 1.800.565.5297 elsewhere in BC. | ||
*the '''Lawyer Referral Service''' provides the names and telephone numbers of lawyers in your area who will give you up to a half-hour consultation for $25 plus tax. Call 604.687.3221 in the lower mainland or 1.800.663.1919 elsewhere in BC. | *the '''[https://www.cbabc.org/For-the-Public/Lawyer-Referral-Service Lawyer Referral Service]''' provides the names and telephone numbers of lawyers in your area who will give you up to a half-hour consultation for $25 plus tax. Call 604.687.3221 in the lower mainland or 1.800.663.1919 elsewhere in BC. | ||
====To contact the CBA BC Branch==== | ====To contact the CBA BC Branch==== | ||
Call 604.687.3404 in the lower mainland or 1.888.687.3404 elsewhere in BC | Call 604.687.3404 in the lower mainland or 1.888.687.3404 elsewhere in BC. | ||
==The Law Foundation of British Columbia== | ==The Law Foundation of British Columbia== | ||
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====To contact the Law Foundation==== | ====To contact the Law Foundation==== | ||
Call 604.688.2337 | Call 604.688.2337. | ||
[updated | [updated March 2018] | ||
'''The above was last reviewed for accuracy by Steven Gjukich and edited by John Blois.''' | |||
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