Trust Administration Fee Task Force

The CBABC Executive Committee, in response to concerns raised by members, has struck a new Task Force to address concerns raised about the implementation of the Law Society’s Trust Administration Fee (TAF). Task Force members include Stella Frame, Ian Aikenhead, Ted Strocel and senior staff at the B.C. Branch.

The Task Force put out a call for information and feedback from members, and the response has been immediate and voluminous. The Task Force extends its thanks to all members and law firm administrators who have taken the time to share their thoughts.

As a next step, the Task Force has extended a meeting invitation to Ralston Alexander Q.C., Law Society of B.C. President and former Chair of the Conveyancing Practices Task Force that recommended the TAF to the Benchers of the Law Society.

Any member who wishes to provide input on the work of the TAF Task Force is encouraged to do so, as the CBA explores options for action in response to concerns about the TAF. Please send comments to Task Force Chair Stella Frame at cba@bccba.org.

Articling Survey

There’s nothing like mentioning the search for an articling position to provoke some anxiety in the mind of a law student. Much of the stress flows from a sense of not having sufficient information about the process. With this in mind the Canadian Bar Association, B.C. Branch, wants to help students relax a little by getting the “straight goods” on articling positions. A survey has been e-mailed to a target group of CBA members and is also available online for anyone interested in providing advice at www.cba.org/bc. This survey was designed to obtain some basic information and practical advice about the process from the perspective of current articling students and young lawyers, to be shared with incoming students. A new section for students will soon be created on the CBABC website, and the survey results will be moved to this area once it is complete.

To date, 54 members responded to our Articling Survey and all results are also available online to CBA members.

This is the first survey the CBABC has created. The redesign of our website has enabled the CBABC to use this valuable new survey tool created in-house by the CBA National office. If there are other issues members think we could address in a survey format, please forward your suggestions to webmaster@bccba.org.

Smart Site: Legal Careers

CBA members, this job site is for you. View most job-related inserts before BarTalk is mailed and jobs advertised through the weekly e-mail to CBA members. Click “Practice Resources” and then “Legal Careers” – you will need your CBA ID number to log in. www.cba.org/bc

These articles were published in the June 2005 issue of BarTalk and are subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.