News Release
October 07, 2015

Vancouver, October 7, 2015 – In its ongoing commitment to serving the public interest in the administration of justice, the Law Society of British Columbia has approved the creation of a task force aimed at promoting and improving access to justice with a focus on legal aid.

The Law Society approved the formation of the Legal Aid Task Force at the September 25 meeting of Law Society Benchers, or directors. The task force has been asked to develop a principled vision concerning publicly funded legal aid, to identify ways lawyers can be more actively involved in legal aid programs and to investigate ways to engage with other organizations to coordinate resources.

One of the most significant challenges in the justice system is ensuring that the public has adequate access to legal advice and services and legal aid is part of the solution to this challenge. The public interest in the administration of justice requires adequate funding for legal aid and the Law Society recognizes its continuing responsibility to take a major role in discussions on the subject. The task force will report back with specific recommendations on how it can do that.

The Law Society of British Columbia regulates the more than 11,000 practising lawyers in the province, setting and enforcing standards of professional conduct that ensure the public is well-served by a competent, honourable legal profession.

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For further information or to arrange an interview contact:

David Jordan
Communications Officer
604.443.5708
djordan@lsbc.org

Tim Travis
Communications Officer
604.697.5836
ttravis@lsbc.org