Committees and Task Forces

After it reviews the file and pursuant to Law Society Rule 3-14, the committee can adjourn the review and to make enquiries of the complainant, the lawyer or any other person, confirm the decision to take no further action, refer the complaint to the Practice Standards Committee or the Discipline Committee or direct the Executive Director to conduct further investigation of the complaint to determine its validity.

Terms of reference

Committee #1

James A.S. Legh (Chair)
Dr. Jan Lindsay
Jay Michi
Mark Rushton
Michael F. Welsh, KC

Committee #2

Timothy J. Delaney (Chair)
Paul Barnett
Nikki Charlton, KC
Ravi R. Hira, KC
Daniele D. Poulin

Staff contact

Carolyn Anderson

Admin support

Ashleigh Fasken

The Credentials Committee is responsible for overseeing the enrolment, education, examination and call to the bar of articled students, the transfer of lawyers to BC 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 2-50 to 2-104.

Terms of reference 

Michael F. Welsh, KC (Chair)
Gurminder S. Sandhu, KC (Vice-Chair)
Simran Bains
Maureen E. Baird, KC
Christina J. Cook, KC
Jaspreet S. Malik
Jay Michi
Georges Rivard, KC
Elisabeth A. Sadowski
Jonathan Yuen

Staff contacts

Geoff Howes
Lesley Small

Admin support

Bonnie Bernal
Ayesha Dilhara Goonesekere

Publications

May 2017: Program Review of the National Committee on Acreditation for the Federation of Law Societies

The Discipline Committee reviews complaints about lawyers, former lawyers, visiting lawyers, articled students and practitioners of foreign law and determines whether a disciplinary response is warranted. The committee is composed of lawyer Benchers, Appointed Benchers, and one or more non-Bencher lawyers. When considering the appropriate disposition of a complaint, the Discipline Committee is guided by the Conduct Assessment and Disposition Guidelines. The committee may refer the matter back for further investigation, take no further action on the complaint, send the subject lawyer a conduct letter, require the subject lawyer to attend a conduct meeting or a conduct review, or authorize the issuance of a citation. The Discipline Committee may also refer a matter to the Practice Standards Committee. In addition, the committee determines various applications made under the Rules or referred by the President.

Terms of reference 

Michèle Ross (Chair)
Barbara Stanley, KC (Vice-Chair)
David Arthur Allard
Thomas E. Barnett
Paul Barnett
Tanya Chamberlain
Nikki Charlton, KC
Katrina M.L. Harry, KC
Nicole E. Smith
Thomas L. Spraggs, KC
Kevin Westell
Craig M. Yamashiro

Staff contact

Tara McPhail

Admin support

Leah Ensing

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 Appointed Bencher elected from among the Appointed 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.

Terms of reference 

Brook J. Greenberg, KC (Chair)
Katrina M.L. Harry, KC
Michèle Ross
Thomas L. Spraggs, KC
Barbara Stanley, KC
Michael F. Welsh, KC
Kevin Westell

Staff contact

Avalon Bourne
Kerryn Holt

Admin support

Volodymyr Burlachenko

The Finance and Audit Committee provides oversight over the financial affairs of the Law Society. The committee provides recommendations on the annual fees, reviews the annual budgets, and periodically reviews the financial and investment results as needed. In addition, the committee oversees the external audit process, recommends the approval of the audited financial statements to the Benchers, and provides oversight over the internal controls and enterprise risk management of the Law Society.

Terms of reference 

Thomas L. Spraggs, KC (Chair)
Michael F. Welsh, KC (Vice-Chair)
Timothy J. Delaney
Hardeep S. Gill
Brook J. Greenberg, KC
James A.S. Legh
Dr. Jan Lindsay
Clifford Proudfoot, KC
James Struthers
Kevin Westell

Staff contact

Jeanette McPhee

Admin Support

Teo Wong

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 approves 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 3-15 to 3-25.

Terms of reference 

Gaynor C.C. Yeung, KC (Chair)
Jennifer Chow, KC (Vice Chair)
Michael J. Kleisinger
Benjamin D. Levine
Marcia McNeil
James Struthers
Natasha Tony
Sarah M. Westwood, KC

Staff contact

Carolyn Anderson

Admin support

Sally Canosa