The Benchers have taken steps to destigmatize mental health challenges and help current and future lawyers struggling with those challenges by adopting recommendations from the Law Society’s Mental Health Task Force, including:
- collaborating with BC law schools to ensure continuity and awareness of resources for students as they transition from law school to practising law;
- hosting a forum on mental health and substance use issues for lawyers and law firms;
- developing a style guide for non-stigmatizing language in Law Society communications;
- conducting a voluntary, confidential survey on mental health and substance use among BC lawyers; and
- revising the Law Society Admission Program application form to remove questions about applicants’ medical fitness.
In reaching their decision to revise the application form, the Benchers determined that although the questions were well-intentioned, in 2020 there are better ways to address the question of fitness to practise law.
The task force’s second interim report is available on the Law Society’s website.
For further information, contact:
Jason Kuzminski
Director of Communications and Engagement
604.697.5845
JKuzminski@lsbc.org