Articling reduction
The Law Society Admission Program requires a nine-month articling term, which can be reduced through completion of:
- a clerkship at the Supreme Court of Canada, BC Court of Appeal or Supreme Court, Federal Court of Canada, the Tax Court of Canada or a superior court in another Canadian jurisdiction;
- articles in another Canadian jurisdiction; or
- practice experience in a common law jurisdiction outside Canada.
Upon receipt of the required supporting documentation, the Law Society will notify you in writing as to whether your request for a reduction has been approved and, if so, the amount of the reduction.
Completion of a clerkship
If you have completed a clerkship, you may request a reduction of the nine-month articling term by an amount of time equal to one-half of the time served as a law clerk, to a maximum reduction of five months (Law Society Rule 2-63).
You will still be required to attend the Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC) for 10 weeks.
To apply, submit the following to Registration and Licensee Services at the Law Society:
- Application for Reduction in Articling Term;
- written confirmation that your principal has agreed to the reduction; and
- a report completed by your supervising judge stating:
- the period of your clerkship;
- the nature of your duties as a clerk; and
- the judge's assessment of your performance.
Completion of articles in another Canadian jurisdiction
If you have served a period of articles in another Canadian jurisdiction immediately before or after the period of articles in BC, you may request a reduction in the nine-month articling term by an amount of time equal to the time served in articles in the other jurisdiction, to a maximum reduction of five months.
To apply, submit the following to Registration and Licensee Services:
- written request for a reduction of the articling term, setting out proposed articling period;
- written confirmation that your principal has agreed to the reduction;
- written confirmation from the law society in the other jurisdiction of the period of articles you completed; and
- a letter from your former principal confirming the period of your articles, the nature of your duties and the principal's assessment of your performance.
Practice experience in a common law jurisdiction outside of Canada
If you hold professional legal qualifications in a foreign common law jurisdiction and have been in the active practice of law in that jurisdiction for at least one full year, you may apply for a reduction in the articling term. The articling term may be reduced by up to one month for each full year of active practice experience in another jurisdiction, to a maximum of five months.
To apply, submit the following to Registration and Licensee Services:
- written request for a reduction of the articling term, setting out proposed articling period;
- written confirmation that your principal has agreed to the reduction;
- an original certificate of good standing (issued within the last six months), forwarded directly from your home law society; and
- original letters from employers, colleagues or judges verifying your precise periods of legal employment and detailing in full, with specific examples, the type of practice experience obtained.
Professional Legal Training Course exemption
You may also apply for an exemption from all or portions of PLTC if you have:
- completed a Bar admission course in another Canadian jurisdiction; or
- engaged in the active practice of law in a common law jurisdiction outside of Canada for at least five full years.
Completion of a Bar admission course in another Canadian jurisdiction
Submit the following to Registration and Licensee Services:
- a written request, specifying the portions of PLTC from which you wish to be exempted; and
- confirmation from the Bar admission course of the content of the course you completed and your marks.
Engaged in the active practice of law in a common law jurisdiction outside of Canada
Submit the following to Registration and Licensee Services:
- a written request for exemption from some or all of PLTC, specifying the portions of PLTC you wish to be exempted from;
- written confirmation that your principal agrees to the exemption;
- an original certificate of standing from your home law society or governing body;
- original letters from employers, colleagues or judges verifying your practice periods of legal employment and detailing in full, with specific examples, the type of practice experience obtained; and
- confirmation of whether you completed a Bar admission course in your home jurisdiction and if so, the content of the course you completed and your marks.