BarTalk April 2005
Volume 17, Number 2

News From the Branch

by Frank C Kraemer

II thought it might be of interest to share how the CBA and the B.C. Branch are faring in terms of member retention. As of March 15, there were approximately 5,400 CBABC members or about 54 per cent of the membership that we had last year.

You also might be interested to know some comparative geographical information: the percentage renewals of lawyers by county are shown below.

It is clear from these figures that the renewal rates in Cariboo, Nanaimo and Prince Rupert counties are substantially below other B.C. counties.

In speaking with lawyers, particularly in areas outside of the Lower Mainland, many have said that the CBA is an organization that only serves lawyers in the Lower Mainland. I take issue with that statement, particularly in view of work the Branch has done in relation to the image of lawyers, the WCB rates for law firms and the campaign to remove the Social Services Tax on legal fees. These are but a few of the Branch efforts that benefit lawyers and law firms throughout B.C.

Having said that, however, one cannot ignore that that is the perception of many lawyers outside the Lower Mainland. So, what is CBABC doing in response?

First, the Branch continues to facilitate access to Section meetings by teleconference. For some time now, our Elder Law and Immigration Sections have successfully conducted meetings which members outside of Vancouver have attended by telephone. We will do all that we can to connect groups of lawyers in locations outside Vancouver to meetings in Vancouver or Victoria. All we ask is that someone take the lead to organize the group and let us know; we will make the necessary arrangements.

Second, we have started a group of listservs to meet the needs of our members. As I write this column, the Branch has just rolled out a listserv for our Women Lawyers Forum which is proving to be very successful. We will continue to introduce new listservs over the next number of weeks as time permits. If there is a particular practice group that is anxious to get its listserv up and running sooner, please let us know and we will see what we can do about accommodating you.

Third, the Branch continues to support local and county bar activity as part of the Branch’s Law Week Program. We provide financial support and assistance for local events. In our experience, such events tend to enhance the image of lawyers within their communities. If you would like to organize a Law Week activity in your community, please contact the Branch and we will provide all possible assistance.

We at the Branch are more than willing to make this organization one to which every lawyer in the province wants to belong; however, we cannot do it alone. We want your participation.

This article was published in the April 2005 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.