Legal Profession Act

SBC 1998, c. 9
Effective date: December 31, 1998; last revised: October 2018

 

See Highlights of amendments for a summary of changes to the Legal Profession Act.

Contents

  1  Definitions
1.1 Application

PART 1 – ORGANIZATION

Division 1 – Law Society
  2  Incorporation
  3  Object and duty of society 
  4  Benchers
  5  Appointed benchers
  6  Meetings
  7  Elections
  8  Officers and employees

Division 2 – Committees
  9  Law Society committees
10  Executive committee

Division 3 – Rules and Resolutions
11  Law Society rules
12  Rules requiring membership approval
13  Implementing resolutions of general meeting

PART 2 – MEMBERSHIP AND AUTHORITY TO PRACTISE LAW

Division 1 – Practice of Law
14  Members
15  Authority to practise law
15.1  Licensed paralegals (unproclaimed)
16  Interprovincial practice
17  Practitioners of foreign law
18  Association of non-resident lawyers or law firms

Division 2 – Admission and Reinstatement
19  Applications for enrolment, call and admission, or reinstatement
20  Articled students
21  Admission, reinstatement and requalification
21.1  Prohibition on resignation from membership
22  Credentials hearings

Division 3 – Fees and Assessments
23  Annual fees and practising certificate
24  Fees and assessments
25  Failure to pay fee or penalty

PART 3 – PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC

26  Complaints from the public
26.01  Suspension during investigation
26.02  Medical examination
26.1 Written notification to chief judge
27  Practice standards
28  Education
29  Specialization and restricted practice
30  Insurance
30.1  Application of other Acts to society indemnification program (unproclaimed)
30.2  Third person right of action against indemnitor (unproclaimed)
31  [repealed]
32  Financial responsibility
33  Trust accounts
34  Unclaimed trust money
35  Restriction on suspended and disbarred lawyers

PART 4 – DISCIPLINE

36  Discipline rules
37  Search and seizure
37.1  Personal records in investigation or seizure
38  Discipline hearings
39  Suspension
40 [repealed]

PART 5 – HEARINGS AND APPEALS

41  Panels
42  Failure to attend
43  Right to counsel
44  Witnesses
44.1  Application of Administrative Tribunals Act 
45  [repealed]
45.1  Society request for evidence
46  Costs
47  Review on the record
48  Appeal

PART 6 – CUSTODIANSHIPS

49  Definitions
50  Appointment of custodian
50.1  If society appointed as custodian
51  Powers of custodian
52  Society access to property
53  Property in the custody of a custodian
54  Applications to the court
55  Custodianship rules
56  Liability and costs

PART 7 – LAW FOUNDATION

57  Definitions
58  Law Foundation of British Columbia
59  Board of governors
60  Bylaws
61  Application of fund
62  Interest on trust accounts
63  Security and investment of trust funds

PART 8 – LAWYERS' FEES

64  Definitions and interpretation
65  Agreement for legal services
66  Contingent fee agreement
67  Restrictions on contingent fee agreements
68  Examination of an agreement
69  Lawyer's bill
70  Review of a lawyer's bill
71  Matters to be considered by the registrar on a review
72  Costs of a review of a lawyer's bill
73  Remedies that may be ordered by the registrar
74  Refund of fee overpayment
75  Appeal
76  Registrar's certificate
77  Order to deliver bill or property
78  Change of lawyer
79  Lawyer's right to costs out of property recovered

PART 9 – INCORPORATION AND LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIPS

80  Definitions
81  Authorized and prohibited activities of law corporations
82  Law corporation permit
83  Law corporation rules
83.1  Limited liability partnerships
84  Responsibility of lawyers

PART 10 – GENERAL

85  Enforcement
86  Protection against actions
87  Certain matters privileged
88  Non-disclosure of privileged and confidential information
89  [repealed]
90  Service
91  Law society insurance
92  Legal archives

PART 11 – TRANSITIONAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS

93  [repealed]
94  Repeal
95 – 106  Consequential Amendments
107 – 108  Amendments to this Act
109  Commencement

Legal Profession Amendment Act, 2012
SBC 2012 c.16

Transitional Provisions

50  Transition – special compensation fund
51  [spent]