News From the Branch

by Frank C Kraemer

Sections
Recently, the Law Society of B.C. instituted a requirement that all members annually report their professional development activities. I am pleased to report that the Law Society of B.C. has confirmed that attendance at Section meetings may be reported as part of the professional development activities requirement. Review of Section minutes and materials, where that review does not relate to a specific case or file, may be included in the self-study activities report. Section participation continues to be a cost-effective means of achieving the professional development and self-study expectations of the Law Society.

The CBABC has made a policy decision that in order to participate in Sections, lawyers and students must be CBA members. There will be a brief grace period from January l to June 30, 2005 for members who enrolled in Sections prior to November 17, 2004. Receipt of meeting notices and minutes and attendance at Section meetings will continue to be available to them; however, access to Section materials on our website, including archived materials, will only be available to members effective January l, 2005.

Directory
I am pleased to report that the CBABC has received its first deliveries of the 2005 CBABC Lawyers Directory. Based on comments we received from our members and their staff, we produced the Directory this year in three formats: coil bound; loose-leaf; and Web-based. If you have not ordered your Directory, you may do so at www.bccba.org.

I know that some members have been concerned about the continued availability of the Directory. I am pleased to report that we have taken the necessary steps to ensure we can continue publishing the B.C. Lawyers Directory in full in future years.

Financial Challenges
As you might expect, with a move to voluntary membership in the CBA after 55 years of universal membership, there is considerable uncertainty as to the CBABC’s future membership revenue. In anticipation of the possible loss of universal membership, Provincial Council passed two budgets at its meeting in June 2004 (prior to the Law Society referendum result). One of those budgets was intended to cover the reality within which we now operate. That budget necessitated some cuts for the CBABC; however, I want to assure you that in making cuts, great care was taken to ensure that programs and services to members were affected as little as possible.

One area I want to mention where cuts were made was in Branch operations. To reduce personnel costs, all staff members experienced a six per cent salary reduction and the Branch was closed on November 12, with all staff on leave without pay.

As you might expect, the Branch is currently in the process of developing strategies beyond January 1, 2005 when some lawyers in B.C. will be CBA members, and some will not. One of the measures we will take is to ensure value for CBA membership by instituting, where appropriate, differential pricing for goods and services provided by the Branch. CBABC members will be given, wherever possible, preferential rates over those lawyers who choose not to be members.

It is a brave new world within which we now operate; however, I am confident that the Branch will move forward ever stronger. We ask for your support and participation in helping shape the “New CBA” in B.C.

This article was published in the December 2004 issue of BarTalk. © 2004 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.