The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Law Society will be held as an entirely virtual meeting via. Zoom webinar on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Call to order at 12:30 pm (PDT).
Advance online voting
Pursuant to Rule 1-13.1(1), the Benchers have authorized the Executive Director to permit advance online voting on the 2025 Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) resolutions, which will be available from September 22 until 4:30 pm PDT on October 6, 2025.
Voter credentials and instructions on how to access the voting site will be sent to all eligible voters on Monday, and will be available in the Member Portal the same day. All resolutions, accompanying statements in support, along with a statement on each resolution by the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director, Gigi Chen-Kuo will continue to be available within the member portal throughout the voting period. Only Law Society of BC members in good standing will be eligible to vote and able to comment (subject to compliance with the terms of use) on the resolutions. Eligible voters are invited to view the instructional video on how to vote in advance.
Virtual meeting
Pursuant to Rule 1-9.1, the Executive Committee has directed that the 2025 AGM will be a virtual meeting. Members and students will be able to attend and speak at the meeting virtually. Members who have not already voted in advance will be able to do so during the live meeting.
If you are planning to attend the virtual meeting, you will need to register prior to the meeting. Registration will open from September 22 until 4:30 pm PDT on October 6, 2025. The RSVP function will be available in the Member Portal when advance voting and registration go live.
Instructions on how to join the meeting will be sent to all those registered in advance of the meeting.
To watch a live stream of the meeting on the day of the meeting, go to the Annual General Meeting page on the Law Society website and click on the link to access.
2024 Audited Financial Statements
The Law Society’s audited financial statements for 2024 are now available on the Law Society website.
Business of the meeting
The business of the 2025 AGM will be as follows:
- Election of Second Vice-President for remainder of 2025
- Election of Second Vice-President for 2026
- Benchers’ report of proceedings since last meeting
- Bencher Resolution 1: the Appointment of Law Society Auditors for 2025
- Member Resolution 2: To Amend the Law Society Rule 3-36(1) to exempt certain former members of the judiciary from meeting the requirement of completing a course under s. 3-36(1)(c) | submitted by Rose-Mary Basham, KC and Leena Yousefi
- Member Resolution 3: Mandatory Minimum Wage for Articling Students | submitted by Timothy J. Lack and Jerry Shi
- Member Resolution 4: Return to Offering In-Person Professional Legal Training Course (“PLTC”) | submitted by Joseph R. Scafe and Lynda M. Stokes
- Member Resolution 5: Resolution on Self-Regulation | submitted by Cameron E. Johnson and Jason F. Ralph
- Member Resolution 6: Resolution to Require Benchers to Table and Consider 2025 AGM Resolutions | submitted by Kevin Walker and Kristjan Karoli Thorsteinson
- Member Resolution 7: Resolution Regarding Benchers Serving on Single Regulator Transition Board | submitted by Gregory A. Petrisor, KC and Jon M. Duncan
Second Vice-President for the remainder of 2025
In accordance with Rule 1-5(6), Michael F. Welsh, KC was elected by the Benchers to the position of Second Vice-President for 2025 until the AGM where a ballot of all members will take place. Pursuant to Rule 1-5(2), the Second Vice-President for 2025 will become the First Vice-President in 2026 and President in 2027.
Michael F. Welsh, KC
Michael Welsh, KC has a mixed ADR and litigation practice based in Penticton. He has extensive litigation experience at all levels of the court system, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
First elected a Bencher in 2018, Michael was elected to the office of Second Vice-President for 2025 earlier in the year, and is the Benchers’ nominee for election as Second Vice-President for the remainder of 2025. Michael is Chair of the Credentials Committee and Vice-Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee. He is also a member of the Complainants' Review Committee #1, the Ethics and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee, and the Executive Committee.
Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2017, Michael is a former President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch and former President of the ADR Institute of BC. He has been a member of both the CBA and the Trial Lawyers Association of BC for several decades, and is a Fellow of the International Institute of Arbitrators and roster member of the Vancouver International Arbitration Centre. He is an experienced mediator and arbitrator, holding the designations C. Med., C.Arb., FCIArb, and C.Fam.Arb.
Michael is author of many legal, ADR and other publications in the Advocate, BarTalk, the Verdict and Canadian Arbitration & Mediation Journal, including the Advocate wine column. He is a presenter at many professional development events by organizations such as the CBABC, CLEBC, TLABC, and Law Seminars International.
Michael was a commercial grape-grower for over a decade and was twice President of the BC Grape Growers’ Association. He has been a BC VQA wine judge since 2003 and is a former President of two Rotary Clubs.
Second Vice-President for 2026
Each year at the AGM, a Bencher is elected to hold the position of Second Vice-President for the following year. Pursuant to Law Society Rule 1-19, if only one candidate is nominated, the President will declare that candidate to be Second-Vice-President-elect. The Benchers are pleased to announce their nomination of Katrina Harry, KC for Second Vice-President for 2026.
Pursuant to Rule 1-5(2), the Second Vice-President-elect will be Second Vice-President in 2026, First Vice-President in 2027 and President in 2028.
Katrina Harry, KC
Katrina Harry, KC is a child protection lawyer and manager, and has been a sole practitioner, in a practice group, a union employee, and a non-union manager.
Katrina’s legal aid work revolves around clients who are impoverished, marginalized, racialized, and struggling with addiction, mental health, homelessness, and family violence. Katrina has accepted clients throughout BC, leaving the lower mainland for circuit court and other contracts. Katrina was raised both on and off reserve in small communities in the interior and northern BC and managed 10 legal aid clinics around the province. She values the issues facing rural lawyers and the public.
Katrina first sat on the Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee (TRAC) in 2019 as a lay lawyer. Once elected as a Bencher, in 2022-2023, she co-chaired TRAC, and currently co-chairs it this year. Katrina was also on the Discipline Committee, and Lawyer Development Task Force during her first term, and currently sits on the Discipline Committee, as well as the new Discipline Process Task Force. Re-elected as a Bencher by the profession in the November 2024 by-election, Katrina was also elected by her fellow Benchers to the Executive Committee for 2025 and the Transitional Board established by the Legal Professions Act.
Benchers’ Report: Proceedings since last meeting
Pursuant to Rule 1-8(4), on behalf of the Benchers, President Brook Greenberg, KC will provide a brief outline of Law Society proceedings since the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
Resolutions
The full text of the member resolutions to be considered at the 2025 AGM, including statements of support from the proponents of the member resolutions, along with a statement on each resolution by the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director, Gigi Chen-Kuo is available to be viewed within the Discussion Database in the Member Portal.
Bencher Resolution 1: the Appointment of Law Society Auditors for 2025
BE IT RESOLVED that PricewaterhouseCoopers be appointed as the Law Society auditors for the year ending December 31, 2025.
Member Resolution 2: to Amend the Law Society Rule 3-36(1) to exempt certain former members of the judiciary from meeting the requirement of completing a course under s. 3-36(1)(c) | submitted by Rose-Mary Basham, KC and Leena Yousefi
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the membership seeks the Law Society to amend Law Society Rule 3-36(1) such that any former member of the judiciary who has acted as a judge in British Columbia for a period of time that extends over 3 years shall be exempt from the requirement under Rule 3-36(1)(c).
Member Resolution 3: Mandatory Minimum Wage for Articling Students | submitted by Timothy J. Lack and Jerry Shi
WHEREAS articling is a mandatory component of the licensing process for lawyers in British Columbia;
AND WHEREAS there is currently no requirement that all articling students be paid at least the provincial minimum wage, or be compensated at all;
AND WHEREAS articling students are expected to work full-time and perform substantive legal tasks;
AND WHEREAS unpaid or underpaid articling positions create significant barriers to entry to the legal profession, particularly for students from equity-seeking groups, those with limited financial resources, and those without existing professional connections;
AND WHEREAS requiring that all articling students receive no lower than the provincial minimum wage will help to promote fairness, equity, and accessibility in the legal profession, while recognizing the significant value of the work performed by articling students;
BE IT RESOLVED the membership seeks the Law Society of British Columbia to amend the Law Society Rules or adopt such other measures as may be necessary to require that all principals pay articling students not less than the applicable provincial minimum wage for the hours worked during their articling term;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the membership seeks the Law Society of British Columbia to provide appropriate oversight and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with this requirement.
Member Resolution 4: Return to Offering In-Person Professional Legal Training Course (“PLTC”) | submitted by Joseph R. Scafe and Lynda M. Stokes
WHEREAS pursuant to Rule 2-52(1)(b), the Credentials Committee is authorized to implement, administer and evaluate a training course and examinations, assignments and assessments for all articled students;
AND WHEREAS in response and subsequent to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic the professional legal training course (PLTC), assessments and examinations have been conducted fully remotely using virtual classrooms and learning software;
AND WHEREAS in-person classes offer a more interactive learning environment, foster stronger connections with instructors and peers and provide opportunities for networking and collaboration that are not possible through remote learning;
BE IT RESOLVED the membership seeks the Credentials Committee to return to offering in-person training courses, examinations, assignments and assessments for articling students.
Member Resolution 5: Resolution on Self-Regulation | submitted by Cameron E. Johnson and Jason F. Ralph
Whereas:
- the members of the Profession passed a resolution at the 2022 annual general meeting of the Profession directing the Benchers to oppose the single regulator legislation being contemplated by the Government of the Province of British Columbia. That motion passed with 1475 members supporting the motion (with 69.48% in favour of the motion to oppose the single regulator);
- AND Whereas the Benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia have effectively implemented that resolution in 2024, by commencing an action seeking a declaration that the new Legal Professions Act is unconstitutional;
- AND Whereas the Trial Lawyers Association of BC (TLABC) and the CBA have intervened in that action, also seeking that the legislation be found unconstitutional by infringing on the independence and the right to self-govern;
- AND Whereas the Benchers ought to consult with the profession about important changes to the legislation as a self-regulating profession.
BE IT RESOLVED the membership directs the Benchers to call for a Referendum on any proposed change to the Legal Professions Act on any substantive change(s) relating to independence and self-regulation.
Member Resolution 6: Resolution to Require Benchers to Table and Consider 2025 AGM Resolutions | submitted by Kevin Walker and Kristjan Karoli Thorsteinson
Whereas:
- The Legal Profession Act ("LPA") requires the Benchers to have an Annual General Meeting of the profession each year (s.12 LPA); and whereas
- The membership has the right to pass resolutions for consideration of the Benchers at an Annual General Meeting (s.13 LPA); and whereas
- The Benchers have the right to implement or not implement the resolution(s) within one year of the Annual General Meeting (s.13 LPA);
Be it resolved that the Membership directs the Benchers to consider, at a Bencher meeting, all resolutions passed at the 2025 Annual General Meeting within six months of this Annual General Meeting.
Member Resolution 7: Resolution Regarding Benchers Serving on Single Regulator Transition Board | submitted by Gregory A. Petrisor, KC and Jon M. Duncan
WHEREAS an independent and self regulating bar is foundational and necessary for Canada's constitutional democracy, the rule of law, the proper administration of justice, and the individual rights and freedoms all Canadians and all British Columbians enjoy, expect, and are entitled to;
AND WHEREAS the Government of British Columbia has enacted the Legal Professions Act, S.B.C. 2024, c. 26 ("Bill 21") which, if implemented, will eliminate the independence and self regulation of the bar in British Columbia, contrary to the public interest;
AND WHEREAS the members of the Law Society of British Columbia, through the Benchers of the Law Society, have commenced proceedings to prevent the implementation of Bill 21, in order to attempt to protect Canada's constitutional democracy, the rule of law, the proper administration of justice, and the individual rights and freedoms of all British Columbians, and to attempt to ensure the independence, integrity, honour, and competence of lawyers, in the public interest;
AND WHEREAS any sitting Bencher, by virtue of his or her office, has the duty to uphold and protect the public interest by, inter alia:
a. preserving and protecting the rights and freedoms of all persons;
b. ensuring the independence, integrity, honour, and competence of lawyers; and,
c. regulating the practice of law;
AND WHEREAS any sitting Bencher who facilitates, promotes, advises on, or participates in the implementation of Bill 21, or accepts a position in any body which facilitates, promotes, advises on, or participates in the implementation of Bill 21, is acting in a clear conflict of interest, contrary to the Law Society's prosecution of proceedings to attempt to prevent the implementation of Bill 21, contrary to the objects of the Law Society, and contrary to the public interest;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia shall:
- not appoint any Bencher to a position on any body which facilitates, promotes, advises on, or participates in the implementation of Bill 21; and,
- forthwith request the resignation of any sitting Bencher who facilitates, promotes, advises on, or participates in the implementation of Bill 21, or accepts a position on any body which facilitates, promotes, advises on, or participates in the implementation of Bill 21.
