SBC 1998, c. 9
Effective date: December 31, 1998; last revised: October 2018
Under unproclaimed legislation, the title of Legal Profession Act will change to Legal Professions Act. [2018-49-25]
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31 [repealed]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40 [repealed]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45 [repealed]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]