Vancouver, B.C.-  – In a move  B.C. Law Society President Art Vertlieb, QC calls a  “watershed moment in the Law Society’s history” Benchers have given unanimous support to three recommendations  that could  bring a major change in how legal services in B.C. are  regulated and  delivered.

It is all about bringing Notaries Public under regulatory umbrella of the Law  Society, which regulates  about 10 thousand lawyers in the Province.

The  recommendations approved in principle are:

•The Law Society and the Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia seek to merge regulatory operations.

•That a program be created by which the legal regulator provide paralegals who have met specific, prescribed education and/or training standards with a certificate that would allow them to be held out as “certified paralegals.”

•That the Law Society develop a regulatory framework by which other providers of legal services could provide credentialed and regulated legal services in the public interest.

The recommendations come from  a year of consultation  and  studying  by a task force  on whether  the various legal service providers  should be brought  under one  regulatory umbrella.  That consultation  included a session in Prince George in September  ( see previous story) .

While details of the proposals still need to be  developed, task force Chair Bruce LeRose, QC, says the  approval in principle was an important first step  “Access to justice is slipping out of reach for many British Columbians.   It is critical that the Law Society look for ways to reverse that trend, and these ideas could be a big part of that.”