Pursuant to Law Society Rule 2-42, a person may apply for enrolment in temporary articles if he or she is:

• a student at a faculty of law who is required to be enrolled as a temporary articled student for the purpose of either summer articles or a clinical program at either the University of British Columbia or the University of Victoria;
  
  
• qualified for enrolment as an articled student and is awaiting an enrolment start date, which will commence in not less than six weeks; or
  
  
• qualified to practise law in a Commonwealth country and has actually practised in that country for two years or more. In this case, the temporary articling period cannot exceed three months. The student may appear in court only on a summary conviction matter and under the direct supervision of a member of the Law Society of BC.

The time spent in temporary articles will not be considered in the calculation of or reduce the nine-month articling period .

A person enrolled in temporary articles is deemed to be enrolled as an articled student.

The Credentials Committee may revoke a person's temporary articles at any time for any reason that the Committee considers sufficient, without giving notice to the student and without holding a hearing.

To apply for temporary articles, you must submit the following to the Law Society:

• Application: Temporary Articles Enrolment (PDF l Word);
• Temporary Articles Agreement (PDF l Word ); and
• application fee of $131.25 ($125 plus GST) or $26.25 ($25 plus GST) only if enrolled in a clinical program at the University of British Columbia or the University of Victoria.

The deadline for submission of all documents and fees is 30 days before your enrolment start date. Applications will NOT be processed in less than 30 days.

The privilege of practising law in British Columbia is exclusive to members of the Law Society of BC. For the protection of the public and the profession, the Legal Profession Act imposes a statutory obligation on the Benchers to be satisfied that each applicant for enrolment as an articled student is of good character and fit to become a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court. The onus is placed on the applicant to satisfy the Benchers in this regard.

You are advised to answer all questions fairly and fully and to disclose to the Society anything that you consider might adversely affect your application so that it can be considered at an early date. You should give the fullest details possible and supporting documentation.

When considering past criminal charges or convictions, the Credentials Committee assesses these factors:

• applicant's age at the time of the conduct in question;
• recentness of the conduct;
• reliability of the information;
• seriousness of the conduct;
• factors underlying the conduct;
• cumulative effect of the conduct or information;
• evidence of rehabilitation;
• applicant's positive social contributions since the conduct;
• applicant's candour in the admissions process; and
• materiality of any omissions or representations.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding disclosures under this section, please contact the Credentials Officer at the Law Society.

If you have questions about temporary articles, please contact:

Member Services Representative
Law Society of British Columbia
8th Floor, 845 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 4Z9

Tel.: 604 605-5311
Toll-free in BC: 1-800-903-5300
Fax: 604 687-0135
Email: memberinfo@lsbc.org