Since 2009, the Law Foundation of British Columbia (“Law Foundation”) has supported the Rural Education and Access to Lawyers (“REAL”) initiative of the CBABC. REAL was established to address the current and projected shortage of legal services available in rural and small communities by connecting second-year law students with legal employers in those areas for summer employment. The shortage of legal services was brought about by a combination of factors, primarily the aging of the profession, and the developing preference, or perhaps necessity, of new lawyers to practice in urban regions.

The Law Foundation funding is distributed to employers to reduce the financial risk to these small firms and sole practitioners. To qualify for funding, employers must contribute their own funding to the student’s salary during the term and be prepared to offer articles to the student upon successful completion of the summer. Similarly, students in the program must demonstrate that they are likely to establish their future practice in a rural or small community.

Initially REAL placed students in a wide range of small and rural communities, but in the past six years, placements are to high needs areas where retirements are imminent and there are few lawyers compared to the size of the population. The east coast of Vancouver Island, Prince Rupert, Castlegar, Fort St. John, Hazelton, and Osoyoos/Oliver are examples of high needs areas.

One region that REAL targeted is the Cariboo. This large geographic area has three main centres, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Quesnel. REAL funded three students in each of 100 Mile House and Williams Lake. In 100 Mile House, the student in 2010 left and is practising in Fort McMurray. The two REAL placements in 2012 and 2014 went on to article, set up their practices and become partners of firms in 100 Mile House. Similarly, in Williams Lake, two of the REAL students still practice with the same firm, and one is now a partner. One third of experienced lawyers in the Cariboo region will start to wind down their practices. The addition of these new lawyers helps alleviate an access to justice crisis in the region.

During the first nine years, REAL placed 111 students. Years later, 71 of those are lawyers practising law in rural and small communities. These lawyers point to REAL as the opportunity that enabled them to experience practice in a small community, become good lawyers, rapidly develop client engagement skills, gain business knowledge, and help people with their everyday legal problems.

The communities that have REAL students return to article and practice also experience benefits. Young lawyers may bring their families and friends (including other professionals) to the community. They bring economic growth, buy homes and hire staff. They attract people from neighbouring communities who need lawyers. And they provide long-term access to justice for the community.

In the summer of 2019, students worked in Hazelton, Masset, Fort St. John, Smithers, Revelstoke and Nelson. Not only did firms contribute funding, but also the Columbia Basin Trust matched funding for two positions. Interestingly, 75 students sought placements through REAL. With more employers and additional funding sources, imagine what change we might see. Want to know more? Contact realbc@cbabc.org.

REAL is highlighted across Canada as a successful method to address the shortage of lawyers in rural and small communities and the initiative would not exist without our Law Foundation. The careful stewardship by its governors and staff of the funding and programs is one of the standouts in Canada. We are lucky in British Columbia to have this strength enabling ideas, programs and services that directly benefit British Columbians. CBABC members, particularly in these communities, are deeply appreciative of the Law Foundation’s understanding and belief in REAL and its sustained funding commitment to it.