Finding a lawyer can be difficult; especially when you're already confused about the law. In the past, lawyers have been reluctant to advertise; even now, the Law Society restricts what lawyers can say in their ads. Thus, finding information about lawyers can be difficult and time consuming.
At Lawyers-BC.com, we work with lawyers who have practised in BC for many years, who know many lawyers in BC. We have also conducted hundreds hours of research since 1998, to compile a list of lawyers who practice in different areas.
Directory Research Resources
Our research sources include Continuing Legal Education Courses, the Canadian Bar Association, legal websites, law firm websites, news media, and other sources that we believe to be credible. In some cases, we have conducted interviews with lawyers on a "spot check" basis to verify details.
Use of this resource is subject to our sites terms and conditions.
Continuing Legal Education courses: The law is constantly changing; thus, lawyers need to upgrade their legal knowledge all the time. We review Continuing Legal Education courses for lawyers, and look to see which lawyers are teaching those courses. Why hire the disciple when you can hire the Guru?
Canadian Bar Association: The CBA organizes section meetings for lawyers in different areas of practice, who usually meet monthly to discuss new developments in the law. This is usually a good indicator of which lawyers practice in a particular area, and are known by their peers. Birds of a feather, flock together.
Legal websites: There are many legal websites, which list lawyers in different areas of practice. While they may be "objective" if they are not operated by the lawyers that list on the site, the information is probably not subject to the standards or criteria set by the Law Society of BC. Caveat Emptor.
Law firm websites: Because all lawyers in BC are obligated to comply with the Professional Conduct Handbook guidelines on Advertising and Marketing, law firm websites are likely to have fairly credible information (although scant in many cases!).
News and Media: Interesting cases makes news. Major personal injury cases, criminal cases, class action lawsuits, and others often have interviews with the lawyers on both sides. Any former Provincial Premiers need a lawyer?
Preferred Area of Practice
Sometimes you will see that a lawyer's "Preferred Area of Practice" is in a given area. In BC, this is governed by the Professional Conduct Handbook of the BC Law Society, dealing with Marketing of Legal Services, which states that:
A lawyer may state in any marketing activity a preference for practice in any one or more fields of law if the lawyer:
- regularly practises in each field of law in respect of which the lawyer wishes to state a preference, and
- has, during the most recent three-year period that the lawyer has practised, devoted at least 20% of his or her time to practising in each field of law in respect of which the lawyer wishes to state a preference.
It doesn't necessarily mean that the lawyer is better than other lawyers in a given area; however, it mean that the lawyer has experience in that area.
|
