Law Society committees carry out many regulatory functions under the Legal Profession Act and the Law Society Rules and assist with policy development in those areas. 

Executive Committee

Glen Ridgway, QC (Chair)
Gavin Hume, QC (Vice-Chair)
Carol Hickman
Bruce LeRose, QC
Jan Lindsay, QC
Peter Lloyd
Art Vertlieb, QC

Staff contact: Bill McIntosh

The Executive Committee consists of the President, the First and Second Vice-Presidents, the Second Vice-President-elect, three other Benchers elected from among the Benchers as a whole and one lay Bencher elected from among the lay Benchers. The responsibilities of the Executive Committee include assisting the Benchers and the Executive Director in establishing relative priorities for the assignment of Society financial, staff and volunteer resources and planning Bencher meetings. For more on this committee, see Law Society Rules 1-48 to 1-49. 

Audit Committee

Rita Andreone (Chair)
Peter Lloyd (Vice-Chair)
Paul Albi, non-Bencher
William G. MacLeod, non-Bencher
Phillip Marshall, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Jeanette McPhee

The Audit Committee assists the Benchers in determining that the financial affairs of the Society are properly managed by Law Society staff. This includes reviewing quarterly financial statements of the General, Liability Insurance and Special Compensation Funds prior to submission to the Benchers, providing an annual Audit Committee report to the Benchers and reviewing with the Law Society auditors their approach, the scope of the their audit and the audit issue results.

Complainants' Review Committee

Dr. Maelor Vallance, Life Bencher (Chair)
Satwinder Bains (Vice-Chair)
Lee Ongman
Kenneth Walker
Pinder Cheema, QC, non-Bencher
Peter Gorgopa, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Julie Boyce

The mandate of the Complainants' Review Committee is to review the complaint files of complainants who are dissatisfied with dismissal of their complaints following a review by Law Society staff. For more on this committee, see Law Society Rules 3-8 to 3-9 .

For more on the complaints process, see Conduct and Discipline.

Credentials Committee

Carol Hickman (Chair)
Bruce LeRose, QC (Vice-Chair)
Satwinder Bains
Benjimen Meisner
Thelma O’Grady
Lee Ongman
Gregory Petrisor
David Renwick, QC
Kenneth Walker
Patsy Scheer, non-Bencher
Angela Westmacott, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Lesley Small

The Credentials Committee is responsible for overseeing the enrolment, education, examination and call to the bar of articled students, the transfer of lawyers into B.C. and the reinstatement of former lawyers. When the character or fitness of an applicant for admission, readmission or transfer needs to be addressed, the Committee considers the application directly or orders a formal credentials hearing. The Committee is also responsible for reviewing applications relating to a student's failed standing in PLTC and for considering any matters arising from the articling system. The Committee further assists the Benchers in setting credentials policy and ensuring that this policy is adhered to and assists in credentials program planning, evaluation and budget. For more on this committee, see Law Society Rules 2-24 to 2-69.

For an overview on becoming a lawyer and the admissions process, see Becoming a Lawyer.

Discipline Committee

Art Vertlieb, QC (Chair)
Richard Stewart, QC (Vice-Chair)
Kathryn Berge, QC
Tom Fellhauer
Stacy Kuiack
Jan Lindsay, QC
Suzette Narbonne
Claude Richmond
Herman Van Ommen
Jennifer Duncan, non-Bencher
Craig Ferris, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Deborah Armour

The Discipline Committee reviews complaints concerning lawyers or articled students that are referred by Law Society staff, the Complainants' Review Committee or any other committee. The Discipline Committee may dismiss a complaint, instruct staff to make further investigation, order a conduct review of a lawyer or recommend that a citation for a formal hearing be issued against a lawyer. The Committee also considers conditional admissions of discipline violations. For more on this committee, see Law Society Rules 4-1 to 4-43.

For an overview of the discipline process, see Conduct and Discipline.

Ethics Committee

Gavin Hume, QC (Chair)
Joost Blom, QC (Vice-Chair)
Patricia Bond
David Crossin, QC
Leon Getz, QC
David Mossop, QC
Terence La Liberté, QC, Life Bencher
Christine Elliott, non-Bencher
Peter Ramsay, QC, non-Bencher
Anne Stewart, QC, non-Bencher
Bruce Woolley, QC, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Jack Olsen

The Ethics Committee identifies current professional responsibility issues and makes recommendations on changes to the Professional Conduct Handbook, for consideration by the Benchers. The Committee also interprets existing Handbook rules, gives advice to individual lawyers and publishes opinions to the profession at large on matters of professional responsibility.

For more information, see Ethics.

Finance Committee

Gavin Hume, QC (Chair)
Bruce LeRose, QC (Vice-Chair)
Rita Andreone
Kathryn Berge, QC
Stacy Kuiack
David Renwick, QC

Staff contact: Jeanette McPhee

The Finance Committee:

• reviews the preliminary budget prepared by staff in March and April of each year,
• provides a due diligence and oversight report to the Benchers to prepare the Benchers for the July fee setting meeting,
• develops a financial oversight report for the Benchers that correlates the strategic plan and the monitoring indicators, and suggests Bencher priorities for the budget,
• reviews the preliminary budget used for setting the fee in July and gives staff feedback to enable a final budget to be prepared by November,
• periodically reviews the financial results, and
• acts as a watchdog on the costs of any new programs or proposals to ensure that Benchers consider “what good for what people at what cost.”

Practice Standards Committee

Rita Andreone (Chair)
Robert Brun, QC (Vice-Chair)
Haydn Acheson
Peter Lloyd
Alan Ross
Catherine Sas, QC
Jennifer Johnston, non-Bencher
Christopher McEwan, non-Bencher
Mark Skwarok, non-Bencher
Janet Winteringham, QC, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Kensi Gounden

The Practice Standards Committee reviews information about lawyers who may have competency-related problems and, when appropriate, orders investigations. The Committee recommends ways for lawyers with competency problems to become competent, such as through remedial programs, or restricts them from some areas of practice when necessary to protect the public. The Committee also helps plan programs to assist lawyers to practise more competently and maintain their own competence, and assists the Benchers in setting competency-related policy. For more on the Committee, see Law Society Rules 3-10 to 3-18.

For more on the program, see Practice Standards.

Special Compensation Fund Committee

David Renwick, QC (Chair)
Richard Stewart, QC (Vice-Chair)
Bruce LeRose, QC
Benjimen Meisner
Patricia Schmit, QC, Life Bencher
Azim Datoo, QC, non-Bencher
Peter Ramsay, QC, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Graeme Keirstead

The Special Compensation Fund Committee considers claims for compensation arising from the alleged misappropriation or wrongful conversion of trust funds by a BC lawyer acting in that capacity. See Law Society Rules 3-28 to 3-42.

(Please note that claims made on or after May 1, 2004 are now be covered by Trust Protection Coverage and managed by the Lawyers Insurance Fund. The Special Compensation Fund continues to exist and is responsible for resolving claims made or discovered prior to adoption of the Trust Protection Coverage).

Unauthorized Practice Committee

Stacy Kuiack (Chair)
Robert Brun, QC (Vice-Chair)
Lee Ongman
Gregory Petrisor
Alan Ross
Roderick Henderson, non-Bencher
Ken Kramer, non-Bencher
Joseph Zak, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Stuart Cameron

The Unauthorized Practice Committee enforces the Legal Profession Act with respect to all aspects of the practice of law by non-lawyers and develops policy recommendations for the Benchers in unauthorized practice matters.

For more information, see Unauthorized Practice.

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Act and Rules Subcommittee

Leon Getz, QC (Chair)
Rita Andreone
Kathryn Berge, QC
Kenneth Walker

Staff contact: Jeff Hoskins, QC

Appointments Subcommittee

Glen Ridgway, QC (Chair)
Gavin Hume, QC
Bruce LeRose, QC

Staff contact: Bill McIntosh

Litigation Subcommittee

Glen Ridgway, QC (Chair)
Gavin Hume, QC
Bruce LeRose, QC

Staff contact: Stuart Cameron

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Access to Legal Services Advisory Committee

David Mossop, QC (Chair)
Jane Milton, QC, non-Bencher (Vice-Chair)
Patricia Bond
David Crossin, QC
Thomas Fellhauer
Suzette Narbonne
William Jackson, QC, Life Bencher
Brenda Edwards, non-Bencher
Stan Lanyon, QC, non-Bencher
Carol Matusicky, non-Bencher
Marina Pratchett, QC, non-Bencher
Wayne Robertson, QC, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Doug Munro

The Access to Legal Services Advisory Committee monitors developments on issues affecting access to legal services, and reports those developments to the Benchers on a semi-annual basis. The committee advises the Benchers annually on priority planning with respect to access to legal services.

Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee

Robert Brun, QC (Chair)
Barbara Levesque, non-Bencher (Vice-Chair)
Thelma O'Grady
Catherine Sas, QC
Patrick Kelly, Life Bencher
June Preston, Life Bencher
Jennifer Chow, non-Bencher
Elizabeth Hunt, non-Bencher
Lila Quastel, non-Bencher
Karen Whonnock, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Susanna Tam

The Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee monitors developments on issues affecting equity and diversity in the legal profession and the justice system in BC, and reports those developments to the Benchers on a semi-annual basis. The committee advises the Benchers annually on priority planning with respect to equity and diversity.

Independence and Self-Governance Advisory Committee

Jan Lindsay, QC (Chair)
Gordon Turriff, QC, Life Bencher (Vice-Chair)
Haydn Acheson
Claude Richmond
Herman Van Ommen
Craig Dennis, non-Bencher
Hamar Foster, non-Bencher
Cam Mowatt, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Michael Lucas

The Independence and Self-Governance Advisory Committee monitors developments on issues affecting access to the independence and self-governance of the legal profession and the justice system in BC, and reports those developments to the Benchers on a semi-annual basis. The committee advises the Benchers annually on priority planning with respect to independence and self-governance.

Lawyer Education Advisory Committee

Thelma O’Grady (Chair)
Joost Blom, QC (Vice-Chair)
Tom Fellhauer
Benjimen Meisner
Catherine Sas, QC
Richard Stewart, QC
Patricia Schmit, QC, Life Bencher
James Vilvang, QC, Life Bencher
Johanne Blenkin, non-Bencher
Jim Herperger, non-Bencher
Linda Robertson, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Alan Treleaven

The Lawyer Education Advisory Committee monitors developments on issues affecting lawyer education in BC, and reports to the Benchers about those developments on a semi-annual basis. The committee advises the Benchers annually on priority planning with respect to the education of lawyers in BC.

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Adjudication / Prosecution Task Force

Kenneth Walker, (Chair)
Haydn Acheson
David Crossin, QC
Ralston Alexander, QC, Life Bencher

Staff contact: Michael Lucas

Alternative Dispute Resolution Task Force

Ralston Alexander, QC, Life Bencher (Chair)
John Hunter, QC, Life Bencher
Stan Lanyon, QC, non-Bencher
Jerry McHale, QC, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Jeff Hoskins, QC

The Alternative Dispute Resolution Task Force will report to the Benchers with specific recommendations for action to be considered by the Benchers based on the findings in the report and any decisions of the Benchers arising from it, including in particular proposals for changes to the Professional Conduct Handbook and possibly the Law Society Rules to ensure that they are up to date regarding ADR practices, and inclusive of members of the profession largely or wholly engaged in ADR practice.

Delivery of Legal Services Task Force

Art Vertlieb, QC (Chair)
Haydn Acheson
Carol Hickman
Gavin Hume, QC
Bruce LeRose, QC
David Mossop, QC
Gregory Petrisor
William Jackson, QC, Life Bencher
James Vilvang, QC, Life Bencher
Stan Lanyon, QC, non-Bencher

Staff contact: Michael Lucas

The Delivery of Legal Services Task Force (formerly called the Scope of Practice Task Force) will identify the existing knowledge base and gaps in information that would be required for the Benchers to discuss the substantive policy issues around the scope of practice, develop a plan for acquiring the information that is missing (through consultations, economic studies, etc.) and develop a timeline for reporting to the Benchers.  

Discipline Guidelines Task Force

Herman Van Ommen (Chair)
Stacy Kuiack
Anna Fung, QC, Life Bencher
John Hunter, QC, Life Bencher

Staff contact: Lance Cooke

Family Law Task Force

Carol Hickman (Chair)
Kathryn Berge, QC
Patricia Bond
Richard Stewart, QC
Patricia Schmit, QC, Life Bencher
Dr. Maelor Vallance, Life Bencher

Staff contact: Doug Munro

The Family Law Task Force will analyze the Concept Draft BC Supreme Court Family Rules and create a draft response to those rules for approval by the Benchers. The Task Force will also explore opportunities to work with the Canadian Bar Association to draft best practice guidelines for family law lawyers.