As of Sept. 1, the Law Society of British Columbia’s has a new regulation that allows articling students to serve as commissioners and take affidavits in B.C. The move extends the work the LSBC started in 2011 giving students greater powers to act.
“This rule change was part of ongoing efforts by the Benchers to help make legal services more accessible and affordable for the public,” LSBC spokesman David Jordan said in an e-mail.
“In September 2011, new law society rules took effect that allow articled students to provide all legal services that a lawyer is permitted to provide, with some exceptions, with the supervising lawyer responsible for ensuring the student is competent and properly prepared.”
Jordan said the authority granted to lawyers to act as commissioners for affidavits happened to fall under the Evidence Act, and at the time that act did not extend the authority to act as a commissioner of affidavits to articled students.