September, 2009
2009 Bencher election - Call for nominations
Election date
An election will be held on Monday, November 16, 2009 for Benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia in all districts, to serve two-year terms beginning January 1, 2010 and ending December 31, 2011.
Nomination form
Click here to download and print a PDF of the Nomination Form. |
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Nominations
To be valid, nominations of candidates for election must be received by the Law Society by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2009. Each nomination must be signed by two nominators (who are members in good standing and eligible to vote in the relevant district) and must contain the nominee's consent to the nomination.
Law Society Rules
For information on the election of Benchers, see Rules 1-18 through 1-42. If you have questions about the election process, please contact Bill McIntosh, Manager of Executive Support, at 604-443-5706 (toll-free 1-800-903-5300) or bmcintosh@lsbc.org.
Rules 1-21 and 1-22 address the qualifications required of a candidate for Bencher and the nomination process. Rule 1-20(1) describes the Bencher electoral districts into which the province is divided.
Pursuant to Rule 1-20(2), the number of Benchers to be elected from the County of Nanaimo (District No. 3) has been reduced from one to none, and the number of Benchers to be elected from the County of Vancouver (District No. 1) has been reduced from 13 to 12, because G. Glen Ridgway, QC and Gavin H.G. Hume, QC now hold the offices of First Vice-President and Second Vice-President, respectively. Similarly, the number of Benchers to be elected from the County of Kootenay (District No. 5) will be reduced from one to none if Bruce A. LeRose, QC (the Benchers' nominee for the office of Second Vice-President in 2010) is elected at the 2009 Annual General Meeting. Under Rule 1-3(4), these three individuals automatically continue as Benchers until they complete their terms as President.
Role and duties of the Benchers
The Benchers are the Law Society's board of directors. They govern the work of the Society in accordance with the Legal Profession Act, set and enforce standards of professional responsibility for lawyers and preside at discipline and credentials hearings. Benchers can expect their duties to consume four or five full days a month. Click here for more information on the role and duties of the Benchers.
Election voting package
The election voting package will be mailed in mid-October, after the close of nominations. The package will include a basic listing and photograph of each candidate along with a ballot.
Candidates' biographies and election statements on Law Society website
Candidates' biographical summaries and election statements will be posted on the Law Society website (any lawyer who does not have web access can request a print copy of the webpage biographical information at that time).
Benchers encourage more women and solicitors to seek office
The Benchers have noted that women and solicitors continue to be under-represented among elected Benchers. All lawyers who meet the qualifications for Bencher and want to contribute to the profession are encouraged to stand for election, but women lawyers and lawyers practising predominantly in solicitors’ fields are particularly encouraged to do so. The Benchers believe that the profession will be best served by representatives of diverse backgrounds and experience. |
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