Articling reductions

An articling applicant may apply for a reduction in the nine-month articling period where they:

have completed a judicial clerkship (Rule 2-63);
have served a period of articles in another Canadian jurisdiction immediately before or after their proposed period of articles in BC (Rule 2-64); or
hold professional legal qualifications in a common law jurisdiction outside Canada and have been in the active practice of law in that jurisdiction for at least one full year (Rule 2-65).

Reduction for law clerks

If you decide to pursue articles before or after a judicial clerkship, you may apply for a reduction in the articling term no greater than the time you served as a law clerk: Rule 2-63. Submit the following with your articling enrolment package or your application for call and admission, as applicable:

Application for Reduction in Articling Term; and
a written report on your character and competence from judge to whom you clerked.

Reduction after articling in another Canadian jurisdiction

If you have served a period of articles in another Canadian jurisdiction immediately before or after your proposed period of articles in BC, you may apply to reduce your articling term by the amount of time you articled in the other jurisdiction, up to a maximum reduction of five months (Rule 2-59).

To apply, include the following documents with your articling enrolment package:

Your request for an articling term reduction, including the proposed dates;
Confirmation from your BC principal that they agree to the reduction;
Confirmation from the relevant law society about your previous period of articles; and
A letter from your former principal that includes: (a) the period of your articles; (b) the nature of your duties; and (c) the principal's assessment of your performance.

Reduction after practicing common law outside of Canada

If you hold professional legal qualifications in a common law jurisdiction outside Canada and have been in the active practice of law in that jurisdiction for at least one full year, you may apply to reduce your articling term by up to one month for eah full year of active practice, to a maximum of five months.

To apply, submit the following:

Your request for an articling term reduction, including the proposed dates
Confirmation from your BC principal that they agree to the reduction

Arrange for the following to be sent directly from the issuing jurisdiction to Registration and Licensee Services by email (registration@lsbc.org) or, if necessary, by post (Registration & Licensee Services Department, Law Society of BC, 845 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4Z9):

A Certificate of Standing produced within 30 days of the application date.
A letter from someone in your former jurisdiction who can confirm your legal employment and practice experience in that jurisdiction – for example, a former employer, a judge, or a professional colleague if you were a sole practitioner. Include more than one letter if necessary to cover this history.

More information

Contact Registration & Licensee Services:

Email: registration@lsbc.org

Phone: 604.605.5311

Toll-free: 1.800.903.5300