Committees, Task Forces & Working Groups

The Complainants' Review Committees reviews the case files of complainants who are dissatisfied with dismissal of their complaints following a review by Law Society staff, see Law Society Rules 3-13 to 3-14.

Terms of Reference | Mandate letter (committee #1) | Mandate letter (committee #2)

Committee #1

Paul Barnett (Chair)
Jennifer Chow, QC
Paul Pearson
Daniele D. Poulin
Mark Rushton

Committee #2

Geoffrey G.R. McDonald (Chair)
Dr. Jan Lindsay
Georges Rivard
Puneet Sandhar
Gurminder S. Sandhu

Staff liaison

Sarah M.R. Conroy

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 | Mandate letter

Steven R. McKoen, QC (Chair)
Kim Carter (Vice-chair)
Nicole Danjai Freeborn Bresser
Cheryl D'Sa
Lisa H. Dumbrell
Geoffrey G.R. McDonald
Paul E. Pearson
Kelly H. Russ
Sarah M. Westwood

Staff contacts

Geoff Howes
Lesley Small

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 | Mandate letter

Brook J. Greenberg, QC (Chair)
Barbara Stanley, QC (Vice-chair)
Tanya Chamberlain
Jeevyn Dhaliwal, QC
Katrina M.L. Harry
Dr. Jan Lindsay
Michèle Ross
Marnie Westbury
Kevin Westell

Staff contact

Natasha Dookie

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 | Mandate letter

Lisa J. Hamilton, QC (Chair)
Christopher A. McPherson, QC (Vice-chair)
Jeevyn Dhaliwal, QC
Brook J. Greenberg, QC
Sasha Hobbs
Jacqueline G. McQueen, QC
Michael F. Welsh, QC

Staff contact

Avalon Bourne
Kerryn Holt

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 | Mandate letter

Jeevyn Dhaliwal, QC (Chair)
Christopher A. McPherson, QC (Vice-chair)
Paul Barnett
Lisa J. Hamilton, QC (ex-officio)
Clifford Proudfoot, QC
Thomas L. Spraggs
Guangbin Yan

Staff contact

Andrea Langille
Jeanette McPhee

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 | Mandate letter

Jacqueline G. McQueen, QC (Chair)
Todd C. Harvey
Michael James Kleisinger
Lindsay R. LeBlanc
Natasha Tony
Sarah M. Westwood
Gaynor C.C. Yeung

Staff contact

Carolyn Anderson
Natasha Dookie