The history of the Legal Profession Act
Last revised July 28, 2025

Pre-Confederation

Colony of Vancouver Island - 1849 to 1866

  • On 2 December 1853, the Legislative Council of Vancouver Island established a Supreme Court of Civil Justice for the colony with An Act to establish a Supreme Court of Civil Justice in the Colony of Vancouver Island and its Dependencies, Vancouver Island Acts, 1853, No. 1 (2 December 1853).
  • However, settlers signed a petition protesting the establishment of the Supreme Court and sent it to England on 20 April 1854.
  • On 4 April 1856, the Privy Council issued an Order in Council constituting the Supreme Court of Civil Justice of Vancouver Island (available at Courthouse Libraries BC).  The OIC admitted Barristers, Advocates, Solicitors or Proctors from England, Scotland and Ireland to practice in the Supreme Court.
  • On 12 February 1957, the Rules and Manner of Proceeding to be observed in the Supreme Court of Civil Justice, for Vancouver’s Island (available at Courthouse Libraries BC) were made as specified in the Order in Council. The sixth Rule allowed Barristers of the Court to act as Solicitors and the Solicitors of the Court to act as Barristers.
  • On 3 April 1860, an Order of the Court was issued and section 12 revoked and annulled the sixth Rule (available at Courthouse Libraries BC), as there “is now a sufficiency of Barristers and Solicitors entered and enrolled and willing to act in these capacities”.
  • On 30 January 1865, the Legal Professions Act, 1865, Vancouver Island Acts 1865, No. 3 (republished in Vancouver Island Acts: 1863-1865 & 1866, c. XXXIV) admitted Barristers, Advocates, Solicitors or Proctors from any of Her Majesty’s Colonies or Foreign Dominions to practice in the Colony of Vancouver Island.

Colony of British Columbia - 1858 to 1866

  • Lawyers are first legislated in the colony of British Columbia in 1858 by an Order of the Court of British Columbia, No. 134 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 27). 
  • The order adopted and modified the Rules and Orders of the Court of the Supreme Court of Civil Justice of Vancouver Island into the Court of British Columbia and admitted Barristers, Advocates, Solicitors or Proctors from England, Scotland and Ireland to practice in the Court.  It also admitted all persons instructed in the Colonies of Vancouver Island or British Columbia in the knowledge and practice of the law by any practicing Solicitor and Attorney of the Courts of England, Ireland and Scotland.
  • In 1863, the Order was repealed and replaced with the Legal Professions Act, 1863, SBC 1863, No. 8 (republished in RLBC 1871, No 47).

United Colony of British Columbia - 1866 to 1871

With the unification of the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, two Ordinances were issued in 1867:

  • Legal Professions Ordinance, 1867 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 73), March 1867
    • This admitted practitioners in the late Colony of Vancouver Island to practice in the Colony of British Columbia
  • Legal Practitioners Ordinance, 1867 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 81), April 1867
    • This repealed and consolidated previous legislation from both former colonies

In 1868, an Ordinance was issued consolidating the two groups of legal practitioners. 

Dominion of Canada

Province of British Columbia - 1871 to present

  • In 1871 the united Colony of British Columbia joined the Dominion of Canada and became the Province of British Columbia.
  • The previous Ordinances remained in force until An Act to Consolidate the Laws relating to the Legal Professions in this Province, SBC 1877, No. 24.
  • The Legal Professions Act continued to be amended and revised under that title until the Revised Statutes of British Columbia 1979.
  • It was renamed as the Barristers and Solicitors Act, RSBC 1979, c. 26, however that act was repealed and replaced by the Legal Profession Act, SBC 1987, c. 25 and continues on under that title to the present.

Detailed Legislative History, 1853 - 1948

1853 – An Act to establish a Supreme Court of Civil Justice in the Colony of Vancouver Island and its Dependencies, Vancouver Island Acts 1853, No. 1  https://discover.llmc.com/LLMC-09836-1859-001.1.2(link is external)  

1856 – Order in Council constituting the Supreme Court of Civil Justice of Vancouver Island (KN352.A115 G73 1865) 

1857 - Rules and Manner of Proceeding to be observed in the Supreme Court of Civil Justice, for Vancouver’s Island (KN352.A115 G73 1865) 

1858 – Order of Court, No. 134 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 27), KP21.L38 1871 v.1 https://discover.llmc.com/LLMC-90120-1858-001.1.20(link is external)  

1860 – Order of Court (KN352.A115 G73 1865) 

1863 – Legal Professions Act, 1863, SBC 1863, No. 8 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 47) KP21.L38 1871 v.1  https://discover.llmc.com/LLMC-90120-1863-001.1.4(link is external)

1865 – Legal Professions Act, 1865, Vancouver Island Acts 1865, No. 3  (republished in Vancouver Island Acts: 1863-1865 & 1866, c. XXXIV) https://discover.llmc.com/LLMC-09836-1865-001.1.85(link is external)

1867 March – Legal Professions Ordinance, 1867 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 73), KP21.L38 1871 v.1

1867 April – Legal Practitioners Ordinance, 1867 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 81), KP21.L38 1871 v.1

1868 – Legal Professions Ordinance, 1868, SBC 1868, No. 7 (republished in RLBC 1871, No. 102) KP21.L38 1871 v.1 https://discover.llmc.com/LLMC-90120-1868-001.1.17(link is external)

1873 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1873, SBC 1873, No. 37

1874 – Legal Professions Act, 1874, SBC 1874, No. 18

1877 – An Act to Consolidate the Laws relating to the Legal Professions in this Province, SBC 1877, No. 24 

Consolidation 

1877 – An Act to Consolidate the Laws relating to the Legal Professions in this Province, CSBC 1877, c. 136

Amendments 

1878 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, SBC 1878, c.31 

1882 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, SBC 1882, c.10

Repeal and replace

1884 – Legal Professions Act 1884, SBC 1884, c. 18 

Consolidation  

1888 – Legal Professions Act, CA 1888 c. 72

Amendments 

1890 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1890, SBC 1890, c. 26 

1891 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1891, SBC 1891, c. 18 

1893 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1893, SBC 1893, c.25 

1894 – Legal Professions Amendment Act, 1894, SBC 1894, c. 25 

1895 – Legal Professions Act, 1895, SBC 1895, c. 29

Revision 

1897 – Legal Professions Act, RSBC 1897, c. 24.

Revision 

1911 – Legal Professions Act 1911, RSBC 1911, c. 136.

Amendments 

1919 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1919, SBC 1919, c. 47 

1920 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1920, SBC 1920, c. 46 

1923 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1923, SBC 1923, c. 35

Revision 

1924 – Legal Professions Act, RSBC 1924, c. 136

Amendments 

1925 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1925, SBC 1925, c. 25 

1932 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1932, SBC 1932, c. 24 

1934 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1934, SBC 1934, c. 35

Revision 

1936 – Legal Professions Act, RSBC 1936, c. 149

Amendments 

1937 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1937, SBC 1937, c. 39 

1938 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1938, SBC 1938, c. 28 

1948 – Legal Professions Act Amendment Act, 1948, SBC 1948, c. 36

Revision 

1948 – Legal Professions Act, RSBC 1948, c. 180

Repeal and replace 

1955 – Legal Professions Act, 1955, SBC 1955, c.40

Revision 

1960 – Legal Professions Act, RSBC 1960, c.214

Revision 

1979 – Barristers and Solicitors Act, RSBC 1979, c. 26

Repeal and replace 

1987 – Legal Profession Act, SBC 1987, c. 25

Revision 

1996 – Legal Profession Act, RSBC 1996, c. 255

Repeal and replace

1998 – Legal Profession Act, 1998, c. 9.

Content reviewed July 28, 2025 

 

References