E-Brief: April 2017
Law Society addresses colonial symbolism
The Law Society of British Columbia is committed to addressing the challenges arising from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's findings and recommendations. As a step toward reconciliation, the Law Society will remove the statue of Justice Begbie from its lobby and replace it with a more unifying and inclusive symbol in due course. See the news release.
Brexit, Presidential Executive Orders and the Rule of Law: A discussion on the limits of executive power
The Law Society's first annual Rule of Law Lecture Series features speakers Anne Egeler, Deputy Solicitor General of Washington State, and Richard Gordon, QC, lead counsel for Wales in the high-profile Brexit case Miller v. Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. See our website for details on speakers, the location and time. To RSVP, contact policy@lsbc.org.
For more information on the work of the Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee, follow @RuleofLawBC on Twitter and visit our website.
Results of Kootenay county by-election
Barbara Cromarty was elected a Bencher for Kootenay county in the March 15, 2017 by-election. Her term continues until December 31, 2017. See the voting results and her biography.
2016 Report on Performance and audited financial statements available
The Law Society's 2016 Report on Performance and audited financial statements are now available online. Our annual report provides a progress update on strategic initiatives in our 2015-2017 Strategic Plan. For the tenth year, we also review key performance measures for our core regulatory functions to evaluate the overall effectiveness of Law Society programs. These performance measures form a critical part of our regulatory transparency, informing the public, government, the media and the legal community about how we are meeting our regulatory obligations.
The Benchers create a Recruitment and Nominating Advisory Committee
At their April 7 meeting, the Benchers endorsed the creation of a Recruitment and Nominating Advisory Committee to source well-qualified candidates for appointments to both internal and external committees and boards in a more effective and transparent manner.
Amendments to the Law Society Rules
The Benchers have approved amendments to the Law Society Rules to ensure compliance with section 30 of the Legal Profession Act, which requires lawyers to maintain trust protection insurance as well as professional liability insurance. Click here for highlights of amendments.
New property transfer tax exemption
The provincial government has announced the introduction of a new exemption and a refund for the additional property transfer tax for certain individuals purchasing homes in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. For more information, visit the Government of BC's website.
From the courts
The BC Supreme Court has issued Practice Direction 54 Standard Directions for Appeals from Decisions of Masters, Registrars and Special Referees which will take effect on May 1, 2017. It sets out the procedures that must be followed, the documents that must be filed and the time lines that apply to appeals from decisions of masters, registrars or special referees.
The BC Supreme Court announced on March 20 that long chambers matters in Vancouver may be booked on an assize list. Read the announcement.
The BC Provincial Court has issued a Notice to the Profession regarding the use of a support person in civil and family proceedings.
The Court Administration Service is implementing a number of security enhancements, including installing new security screening equipment in all its locations over the coming months and, effective March 27, lawyers and their belongings will be subject to security screening prior to having access to the courts. For more information, visit their website. The Federal Court has issued a Notice to the Parties and the Profession on the security screening. For more information, visit the court's website.
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Send your comments or questions to communications@lsbc.org.