The history of the Legal Profession Act

Last revised September 06, 2022

The Legal Professions Act was enacted in 1863 by Governor James Douglas. This proclamation repealed and replaced an existing 1858 Order of Court from Judge Begbie. This 1858 Order is the first time Barristers are legislated in the colony of British Columbia, but the 1863 Act is the first time it is named the Legal Professions Act.

From there, the Act undergoes several amendments until 1877 when An Act to Consolidate the Laws relating to the Legal Professions in this Province, 1877, c. 24 repealed and replaced: 

• Legal Professions Act,1863
• Legal Practitioners Ordinance, 1867
• Legal Professions Ordinance, 1868
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1873
• Legal Professions Act, 1874

The Legal Professions Act 1884, c. 18 repealed and replaced: 

• An Act to Consolidate the Laws relating to the Legal Professions in this Province, 1877, c. 24
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1878, c. 31
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1882 c. 10

The Legal Professions Act (Con. Acts, 1888 c. 72) replaced Legal Professions Act, 1884, c. 18.

In 1895, the Legal Professions Act 1895, c. 29 Act repealed and replaced: 

• Legal Professions Act (Con. Acts, 1888 c. 72)
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1890, c. 26
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1891, c. 18
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1893, c.25
• Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1894, c. 25

The Legal Professions Act, 1895, c. 29 became Legal Professions Act RS 1897, c. 24.

Then, the Legal Professions Act, R.S. 1897, c. 24 became the  Legal Professions Act 1911, c. 136.  

The Legal Professions Act 1911, c. 136 stayed c. 136 in the 1924 revision reprint but added sections from:

• Sup. 1919, c.47
• Sup. 1920, c.46
• Sup. 1923, c.35

The Legal Professions Act, 1924, c. 136 became c. 149 in 1936 and added or removed sections in:

• Sup. 1934, c.35
• Sup. 1932, c.24
• with a section repealed in 1925, c. 25

The Legal Professions Act , 1936, c. 149 became c. 180 in 1948 but included several new additions to the Act from amendments in:

• sup. 1948 , c. 36
• Sup. 1937, c. 39
• Sup. 1938, c.28

In 1955, the Legal Profession Act, 1948, c. 180 was repealed and replaced by the Legal Professions Act, 1955, c.40.

This act became the Legal Professions Act, RSBC 1960, c.214.

In 1979, the act was renamed to the Barristers and Solicitors Act which was repealed and replaced by the Legal Profession Act 1987, c. 25, reverting the name back to the Legal Profession Act from the  Barristers and Solicitors Act.

This act was replaced by the Legal Profession Act, RSBC 1996, c. 255, which in turn was repealed by replaced by the current Legal Profession Act, 1998, c. 9.