Name change from WCCP to CELP
In 2024, the Law Society of BC worked with the law societies of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to develop the Western Canada Competency Profile (WCCP). As the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society has joined the initiative, the WCCP has been renamed to Competencies for Entry to Legal Practice (CELP) to reflect the fact that the initiative has expanded beyond Western Canada.
About the Competencies for Entry to Legal Practice
The Competencies for Entry to Legal Practice will serve as a foundational document that will inform lawyer training and education, including bar admission program development and experiential learning opportunities. The entry to practice legal competencies will create a common benchmark for performance across all bar admission requirements. This is the first step in a larger initiative that will take time to fully implement, including determining where and how these competencies will be acquired and the appropriate methods of assessment.
No action is required from articling students or principals at this time. BC students will not be assessed at the time of bar call based on the competencies listed in CELP, nor are principals responsible to integrate the competencies into learning plans.
Update on CELP implementation
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on CELP implementation. Your input on potential changes to the bar admission process is valuable as the participating provinces continue to assess the best approach. We will share an aggregate report on the feedback when ready.
A reminder that no decisions have been made about how to implement CELP. Recommendations to each respective law society on next steps will be informed by the feedback received, Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education operational considerations, and the overall regulatory environment in each jurisdiction.
If you have questions, contact professionaldevelopment@lsbc.org.
