Complaints about lawyers

Legal Aid BC is committed to providing high-quality legal services to British Columbians with low incomes. We want to know if clients aren’t satisfied with the services they’ve received from private bar lawyers retained to represent them.

We formally register all complaints about lawyers, assess the complaints, and follow up appropriately.

How do you make a complaint?

If you have a complaint about the service provided by a legal aid lawyer or duty counsel lawyer, submit your complaint in writing and include the following information. 

  • Your full name
  • The lawyer’s name
  • Whose lawyer it is (yours or someone else’s)
  • Details of your complaint, including examples and dates
  • Any supporting documents (if available)

You may use the Record of Complaint form.

Please also complete and sign the waiver and submit it with your complaint. See below for how to submit your complaint.

Email
Mail to

Audit & Investigation Department
Legal Aid BC
400 – 510 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8

Fax

604-682-0979

Submission guidelines

Please consider the following when submitting your complaint:

  • Provide us with a clear idea of the problem you’ve experienced and the solution you want.
  • Give us all the relevant information you have (or know about) up front.
  • Attach any relevant supporting documents that’ll help clarify your complaint.
  • Tell us new facts as they arise.
  • Let us know if you no longer want our help.
  • Cooperate with us.
  • Treat us with respect.

What is our complaint process?

Once we receive your complaint, our Audit and Investigation Department will do the following:

  • Record your complaint and send you an acknowledgement letter within 10 days of receiving your letter.
  • Give you reasons for our decisions.
  • Determine whether the complaint is within its authority (in accordance with the complaints policy) and refer you to the appropriate department/​office for resolution if it isn’t.

Other complaint options

You may also want to submit your lawyer complaint to The Law Society of British Columbia. The Law Society sets and enforces educational and professional conduct standards for lawyers in BC.

Mail to

The Law Society of British Columbia
845 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 4Z9

Phone

604-669-2533

Fax

604-669-5232