B.C. law society approves action on paralegals, fee reductions at September bencher meeting
The Law Society of British Columbia endorsed a targeted practice fee reduction for lawyers most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at its Sept. 25 bencher meeting, with president Craig Ferris saying the best way to prevent people from being pushed out of the profession was not to do an overall cut but ‘really look at people who have been disadvantaged.’
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 @ 9:29 AM
The Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC) faced a full table of issues at its most recent bencher meeting, endorsing a proposal on the role of paralegals and moving to reduce fees for individuals most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting, which was held via videoconferencing service Zoom Sept. 25 as the COVID-19 crisis has restricted in-person gatherings, saw an endorsement of steps towards possibly developing a licensing system for paralegals which was slightly different than the pathway initially envisioned. ... [read more]
British Columbia extends state of emergency
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 @ 9:35 AM
The B.C. government announced that it has once again extended the provincial state of emergency it imposed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of emergency, which allows health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act to deal with the pandemic response, has been extended through the end of the day on Oct 13. ... [read more]
Appeal Court case shows uneven playing field for unrepresented appellants, say lawyers
Tuesday, September 29, 2020 @ 2:18 PM
Faced with a relentless rise in self-represented litigants, two criminal defence lawyers are questioning why the process of obtaining state-funded legal representation for impoverished clients seeking to appeal their convictions remains so difficult — and is often further complicated by the Crown. ... [read more]
Lawyer feels ‘vindicated’ by Court of Appeal win over Legal Aid Saskatchewan 
Tuesday, September 29, 2020 @ 9:33 AM
A criminal defence lawyer who was removed from Legal Aid Saskatchewan’s (LAS) panel of approved practitioners amidst a public row with the agency’s CEO has hailed a Court of Appeal ruling restoring her name to the list. ... [read more]
U.S. appeals WTO panel report on softwood lumber
Monday, September 28, 2020 @ 3:40 PM
The federal government is expressing its disappointment at a decision by the United States to appeal a recent World Trade Organization (WTO) decision declaring Washington failed to provide adequate explanations for its measures against Canadian softwood lumber. ... [read more]
