Demographics of the Legal Profession

Each year, lawyers are asked to volunteer information about themselves anonymously in the Annual Practice Declaration (APD). The information helps the Law Society better understand demographic trends, identify and remove barriers for entering and remaining in the profession, and develop initiatives to promote equity, diversity and inclusivity in the legal profession. Collecting and publicizing diversity statistics is also a part of the Law Society’s Diversity Action Plan.

The data shows small increases over the years in the percentages of BC lawyers who identify as part of a diverse group. While there have been increases in diversity, there is much work that still needs to be done to ensure the legal profession fully reflects the diversity of our province.

The APD survey remains a key source of data, and the Law Society is exploring ways to encourage greater participation from lawyers, so that we can further improve our understanding and better guide our efforts.