New initiatives to help you

by Frank Kraemer, QC

Shared Articles
In recent years, we have heard from representatives from both of our law schools that law students are increasingly having difficulty finding articling positions. We have also heard from sole practitioners and lawyers in small firms as well as lawyers with specialized practices that they often find it impossible to take on an articled student. Some of the impediments to taking a student for these lawyers and firms include the costs associated with the salary and overhead of the student, the reluctance of articled students to accept positions with firms outside the Lower Mainland, and the specialized practice of some firms which does not permit them to provide the requisite training required by the Law Society of British Columbia during the articling period.

In response to these concerns, the Branch has recently pulled together a small working group of representatives of both of our law schools, the Law Society of British Columbia, the CBABC Young Lawyers Sections, as well as lawyers practising in a variety of practices and locations around the province. I am pleased to report that group has met on two occasions and is making progress towards the development of a Web-based self-matching system. Stay tuned for more details, as the plans unfold.

Law Society of British Columbia Disciplinary Proceedings
Many of us have experienced that moment of panic when an embossed envelope bearing the logo and return address of the Law Society of British Columbia is delivered to our desk. When it involves a disciplinary matter, who do you turn to for advice?

As a result of feedback from members around the province, the Branch is investigating ways in which it might be able to provide assistance to lawyers facing Law Society of British Columbia disciplinary proceedings. The Executive Committee of the Branch has discussed the need for this kind of coordinated assistance with the current President of the Law Society, Robert McDiarmid, QC, and meetings have also been arranged with counsel who routinely act for members facing disciplinary proceedings before the Law Society.

Everyone is acutely aware that any plan to provide assistance must be carefully devised and executed because of the potential professional and personal ramifications of these kinds of disciplinary proceedings. As these plans develop, we will provide more detailed information.

Articled Students Listserv
The Branch recently developed a ListServ for the exchange of information and ideas strictly for the benefit of Articled Student Members. This ListServ came about as a result of information we obtained from a survey of Articled Students recently conducted by the Branch. The results of the survey can be found at www.cba.org/BC/CBA_Publications/surveys/default.aspx.

We have had very positive feedback from those Articled Students who have used the ListServ because of the speed and quantity of information that can be obtained in a very short period of time.

If you have any thoughts or comments on any of these initiatives I would welcome them. Feel free to write to me here at the Branch.

This article was published in the April 2006 issue of BarTalk. © 2006 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.