Can I do all of my articles in one area?
No. Articles at the Ministry of Attorney General fulfil the B.C. Law Society's
requirement that students be exposed to several different areas of law during articles. Although there is flexibility in each student's rotation schedule, it is not possible to spend the entire articling term in only one or two rotations.
The Ministry of Attorney General's rotation policy calls for a minimum of five rotations and encourages students to experience a broad range of legal issues during their articling year by working with as many practice groups as possible. Working with their principals, students can create a rotation schedule that balances their particular interests with the B.C. Law Society's requirements and the ministry's needs. A rotation is usually between four and 10 weeks long.
Students articling in Victoria can choose from the full range of practice groups, but Vancouver students are slightly more limited in their choices.
Solicitors at the Vancouver office of the Legal Services Branch provide advice and assistance to government ministries, programs and organizations based in the Lower Mainland.
The Vancouver office also conducts civil and Aboriginal litigation. It has solicitors practicing in the areas of Aboriginal law; human rights; resource, environmental and land law; justice, employment and education law; and constitutional and administrative law.
Additionally, the Vancouver office houses the human rights law team, which provides advice and representation to ministries impacted by human rights issues or subject to complaints before the
B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
Crown counsel is well-represented in Vancouver, but there is no legislative counsel presence in the Lower Mainland and some solicitors' practice groups are unrepresented.
Note: The requirements described above apply only to the Legal Services Branch articling positions. See
What is the B.C.’s Prosecution Service Articling Program? for information on the rotation schedule in the Criminal Justice Branch.
