Legal News Search

The Law Foundation of British Columbia, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC) and People’s Law School are pleased to announce Dial-A-Law is now available through the People’s Law School. In 1983, CBABC identified a need for public access to legal information on a variety of law topics. With funding from the Law Foundation of British Columbia, CBABC initiated Dial-A-Law, featuring over 125 scripts of legal information written and edited by volunteer lawyers in British Columbia.

"I am pleased to announce on March 11, 2019, William Rodgers and Lori Plater were appointed per diem Judicial Justices of the Provincial Court of British Columbia." Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie

Looking to get more involved with CBABC? Nominations are open to fill vacancies in Cariboo (1), Nanaimo (1), Prince Rupert (1) Vancouver (3), Victoria (4), Westminster (2), and Yale (3) Counties.

A review of the B.C. legal aid system says change is needed in order to reverse years of underfunding and make it more effective, but an organization representing legal aid lawyers in the province is saying it does not go far enough because of a lack of focus on financial concerns and is threatening to withdraw its services unless action is taken to put more money into the system.

The Honourable Patrice Abrioux, a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, is appointed a Justice of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Amy D. Francis, a principal at Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers LLP, is appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Karen F. Douglas, a partner at Harper Grey LLP, is appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

The annual IMLA (The International Municipal Lawyers Association) in Canada conference for Canadian local government lawyers will be taking place on April 25-26 in New Westminster, BC. The conference will give local government lawyers the opportunity to connect with and learn from colleagues across the country.  

The B.C. government should radically change the way it delivers legal aid by opening community clinics staffed by lawyers and advocates to serve the needy, says a new review that lawyers immediately discounted.

“We are pleased to welcome the report’s recommendations for meaningful change to legal aid in British Columbia,” said CBABC President Margaret A. Mereigh. “Recommendation 1 endorses the Canadian Bar Association’s proposal for national benchmarks, set in 2016, for integrated public legal assistance services that are sustainably funded, evidence-based and people-centred.”

“[The plan to fund the clinics] sounds really positive and ambitious, but I’m not sure with $2 million being put to that what it can deliver,” Ms. Mereigh said. “I’m not sure this is speaking to the change we want to see in terms of where people need legal advocates.”

The Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, Bill C-86 (Bill), was introduced in the House of Commons on October 29 and received Royal Assent on December 13. Once in force, the Bill will consolidate existing consumer provisions and regulations and strengthen consumer protection provisions that apply to banks and authorized foreign banks under the Bank Act (BA).