BC Law Society’s decision not to approve Trinity Western University’s law school unreasonable

20. December 2016 0
BC Court of Appeal found the Law Society’s decision not to approve Trinity Western University’s law school was unreasonable because it limited the right to freedom of religion in a disproportionate way. Administrative law – Admission to profession – Barristers and solicitors – Charter of Rights and Freedoms – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Freedom ...

The Charter and Nova Scotia Human Rights Act do not apply to Trinity Western University, a private university operating in British Columbia.

27. September 2016 0
An application for judicial review of the Barristers’ Society’s decisions to (1) conditionally approve law school graduates from Trinity Western University (TWU) for articles, so long as TWU changed its Covenant or exempted law students from it, and (2) deny graduates articles in Nova Scotia if their law degrees came from a university that discriminated ...

BC Supreme Court found Benchers improperly delegated their authority to the Law Society members the refusal to approve Trinity Western’s faculty of law program

25. January 2016 0
The Petitioners, a student and a University, successfully sought judicial review of a decision made by the Respondent (Law Society of British Columbia) to refuse approval for the University’s faculty of law program. Administrative law – Admission to profession – Approval process – Barristers and solicitors – Charter of Rights and Freedoms – Correctness – Decisions ...

An applicant for admission to the Law Society (“DeMaria”) was unsuccessful on judicial review of a decision by the Admissions and Education Committee of the Law Society refusing to grant his admission.

22. December 2015 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Law Societies – In-house counsel – Barristers and solicitors – Admission to profession – Competence – Public interest – Judicial review – Procedural requirements and fairness – Bias – Standard of review – Reasonableness simpliciter – Remedies – Mandamus DeMaria v. Law Society of Saskatchewan, [2015] S.J. ...

The BC Court of Appeal dismissed the complainant’s appeal from virtually every aspect of the Human Rights Tribunal’s decision regarding his complaint against the Law Society, including the Tribunal’s award of costs to the Law Society after the complainant made serious and unfounded accusations against it throughout the proceedings, the Tribunal’s award for past wage loss and failure to make an award for future wage loss, and the Tribunal’s reliance on two cases regarding causation that were not cited by either party during submissions, one of which was not available at the time of the hearing

25. November 2014 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Human Rights Tribunal – Human Rights – Discrimination – Law Societies – Barristers and solicitors – Professional governance and discipline –  Admission to profession – Competence – Judicial review – Natural justice – Remedies – Damages Gichuru v. Law Society of British Columbia, [2014] B.C.J. No. 2552, ...

After eight years, an articled student is given the right to be enrolled by the Law Society of British Columbia (“LawSoc”) with conditions

28. January 2014 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Law Societies – Barristers and solicitors – Admission to profession – Hearings – Judicial review – Evidence – Credibility – Compliance with legislation – Failure to provide adequate reasons Mohan v. Law Society of British Columbia, [2013] B.C.J. No. 2487, 2013 BCCA 489, British Columbia Court of Appeal, ...

The Saskatechewan Court of Queen’s Bench dismissed an application for judicial review by an applicant seeking to quash the Law Society’s decision refusing him admission to membership. The court held that as gatekeeper of admissions, the Law Society’s participatory role in judicial review was appropriate and necessary. The Admissions and Education Committee of the Law Society (the “Committee”) and Benchers’ decisions were reviewable on a reasonableness standard on questions of fact and credibility. The standard of correctness applied to questions of law and mixed fact and law. The Committee’s decision, affirmed by the Benchers, denying the applicant’s application for membership on the basis he had not satisfied the Committee of good character, fell within the range of reasonable outcomes having regard to evidence and credibility of witnesses. The Committee did not err in concluding the applicant had not met the onus of proving good character.

25. June 2013 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Law Societies – Standing – Barristers and solicitors – Admission to profession – Judicial review – Disclosure – Jurisdiction – Natural justice – Bias – Standard of review – Reasonableness simpliciter – Correctness DeMaria v. Law Society of Saskatchewan, [2013] S.J. No. 292, 2013 SKQB 178, Saskatchewan ...

The Court of Appeal denied Kalo’s application for an order that the Respondent Law Society immediately accept him, on a without prejudice basis, into its admissions program pending the outcome of his avenues of appeal wherein he was disputing the Law Society’s decision to reject him for admission

24. November 2009 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Law Societies – Barristers and solicitors – Admission to profession – Training requirements – Competence – Judicial review – Appeals – Jurisdiction of court – Remedies – Injunctions – Availability Kalo v. Law Society of Manitoba, [2009] M.J. No. 342, Manitoba Court of Appeal, September 29, 2009, ...