![](https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/121/2023/02/LegalProfessions1.jpg)
Legal Professions Regulatory Reform
On this page…
- Engagement summary
- Results
- March 2024 update
- LPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Implementation activity
- Litigation activity
Overview
Who: The Ministry of the Attorney General
What: Update how legal service providers are regulated
Where: Province-wide
Why: To increase access to legal services
How: Online
Engagement summary
To improve access to legal services for British Columbians, the Ministry of the Attorney General is planning to streamline how legal service providers are regulated. These include:
- Lawyers
- Notaries
- Licensed paralegals
The ministry drafted an intentions paper that outlines the proposed reforms and sought feedback from the public and key partners. The paper addressed a large number of topics and issues, including:
- Affordability of legal services
- The importance of the independence of lawyers and other legal service providers
- Governance matters
Read the intentions paper: PDF version (201KB) or HTML version.
Read the news release.
Results
The ministry received feedback from individuals and organizations, including members of the public, paralegals, notaries, lawyers, non-profits, regulators, associations, and academics.
Read the What We Heard Report (PDF, 480KB)
The feedback helped expand government’s understanding of the issues and will contribute to the development of new policy and legislative proposals.
March 2024 update
Since 2023, the ministry has been exploring policy options that align with the 2022 Intentions Paper and that reflect the feedback received during the public consultation period.
Read the March 2024 General Public Update (PDF, 200KB)
On April 10, 2024, the Government tabled the proposed Legal Professions Act, which will bring legal professions under a new single regulatory body, and, depending on the legal matter, offers people the choice of hiring a lawyer, a notary public or a new designation called a regulated paralegal to assist them.
LPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
On May 16, 2024, the Legal Professions Act (LPA) received Royal Assent. Since the introduction of the Act, there have been several questions raised regarding the nature of the LPA, and in response the Ministry has prepared a list of the top 17 most frequently asked questions regarding the implementation of the LPA.
The FAQ covers a broad range of topics, including historical background, why the new LPA matters, what it means for the public, how it benefits those in the legal community (lawyers, notaries, and paralegals), and how the new regulator will be structured.
Read the FAQ (PDF, 300KB).
Implementation activity
The transitional board and transitional Indigenous council will work with the Law Society, the Notaries Society, and other partners to transition to Legal Professions British Columbia. It is anticipated that an orderly transition process will take approximately 18-24 months.
Litigation activity
The Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC) and Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia (TLABC) have filed notices of civil claim, alleging the legislation is unconstitutional. On June 7, 2024, the Attorney General of British Columbia filed a response opposing that position. You can read the pleadings filed in this proceeding here:
- Law Society Notice of Civil Claim (PDF, 1MB)
- Response to Law Society Civil Claim (PDF, 200KB)
- TLA Notice of Civil Claim (PDF, 6MB)
- Response to TLA Civil Claim (PDF, 500KB)
- Written Submissions of the Attorney General of British Columbia (PDF, 800KB)
As part of that proceeding, the LSBC and TLABC sought injunctive relief that that would delay the implementation of the LPA. The Court declined that request. See reasons for judgment here: 2024 BCSC 1292 (CanLII) | Law Society of British Columbia v British Columbia | CanLII.