The Law Society of British Columbia's (LSBC) board of governors voted to allow graduates from Trinity Western University's (TWU) planned law school to practice law, the LSBC announced April 11.
The B.C. government approved TWU's bid to have a law school in December.
TWU's law school is controversial because the private Christian university requires students to sign a covenant agreeing to uphold biblical teachings, including no pre-marital sex nor homosexual acts. Contravening that covenant could result in expulsion.
Critics claimed that TWU's policy essentially bars homosexuals from attending the law school thereby discriminating against them.
"In B.C., all articled students – no matter which law school they graduate from – complete LSBC training and evaluation in the core aspects of professional responsibility, including non-discrimination," said LSBC president Jan Lindsay.
The LSBC's board of governors received nearly 300 public submissions regarding the law school by a March 3 deadline.
"The [board of governors] arrived at their decision through a process that has been open, thorough and fair – from the beginning, right through to the decision," Lindsay said. "It has involved consideration of legal advice from a number of advisors, review and consideration of the Federation reports, the proposal from TWU and the public submissions."
The Law Society of British Columbia regulates the more than 11,000 practising lawyers in the province, setting and enforcing standards of professional conduct that ensure the public is well-served by a competent, honourable legal profession.
