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HOW CAN I HELP?
We are aware of the importance of involvement of counsel from all areas of the province. If you may have an interest in facilitating the work of the Society in your geographic region by acting as an A.L.L. liaison, please contact us today.
Donating is also a great way to help us reach our goals.
You should also let your MLA know that legal aid funding should be increased.
Donating is also a great way to help us reach our goals.
You should also let your MLA know that legal aid funding should be increased.
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO right now?
A.L.L. is actively involved in:
- Consultation with the government about legal aid policy in the areas of Criminal, Family, Child Protection and Immigration Law.
- Preparing for the next round of negotiations with the government which will take place in 2022.
- Working with LABC in its various Tariff Committees.
- Recruiting other members province‐wide. The larger our membership, the greater our ability to be effective in accomplishing our goals. It is our hope that all legal aid lawyers in B.C. will become part of A.L.L.’s fight to improve legal aid funding, and that we will be joined by counsel who may not have legal aid practices but are sympathetic to our goals.
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH LEGAL AID FUNDING?
For decades legal aid practitioners have experienced declining income due to legal aid freezes and cutbacks. At the same time, we have watched the incomes of Crown Counsel and Judges increase at above the rate of inflation. The issue of legal aid funding has been the subject of much study. Each report commissioned has reached the same conclusion: legal aid funding in British Columbia needs to be substantially increased. Underfunding affects most critically younger lawyers, may of whom struggle to make a living doing legal aid work. The younger members of the legal aid Bar have also been deprived of critical mentoring and educational
opportunities because of the limited funding available for junior counsel to act as co‐counsel with senior counsel on large cases. Legal aid underfunding also works against retention of women in the legal aid Bar.
In addition, of course, the failure of the government to adequately fund legal aid has enormous social repercussions. Because of inadequate funding, legal aid coverage has shrunk over time, and is far from what it needs to be. As a result, many British Columbians are cast adrift in the justice system without the necessary tools to navigate through it. Underfunding of legal aid targets the most vulnerable sectors of B.C.’s people: children in care and the mentally ill. It also disproportionately affects indigenous people involved in the justice system.
In 2018 A.L.L. was formed to deal with this untenable situation and after a lengthy negotiation in the face of potential job action, in August 2019 a historical agreement was reached between A.L.L.; the Government and the Legal Services Society ( Legal Aid B.C.). This agreement provided for a much needed increase to the legal aid tariff. The tariff increase, essentially the first in decades, amounted to an increase of roughly 25% over two years. In addition, a process was established for the ongoing involvement of A.L.L. in consultation about legal aid policy going forward.
opportunities because of the limited funding available for junior counsel to act as co‐counsel with senior counsel on large cases. Legal aid underfunding also works against retention of women in the legal aid Bar.
In addition, of course, the failure of the government to adequately fund legal aid has enormous social repercussions. Because of inadequate funding, legal aid coverage has shrunk over time, and is far from what it needs to be. As a result, many British Columbians are cast adrift in the justice system without the necessary tools to navigate through it. Underfunding of legal aid targets the most vulnerable sectors of B.C.’s people: children in care and the mentally ill. It also disproportionately affects indigenous people involved in the justice system.
In 2018 A.L.L. was formed to deal with this untenable situation and after a lengthy negotiation in the face of potential job action, in August 2019 a historical agreement was reached between A.L.L.; the Government and the Legal Services Society ( Legal Aid B.C.). This agreement provided for a much needed increase to the legal aid tariff. The tariff increase, essentially the first in decades, amounted to an increase of roughly 25% over two years. In addition, a process was established for the ongoing involvement of A.L.L. in consultation about legal aid policy going forward.