In-house legal assistance

In-house legal assistance is legal work performed for an organization by lawyers and support staff it employs directly. In-house lawyers must be licensed members of the Law Society of British Columbia to practise in BC, and their client is ordinarily the employer itself rather than outside parties.

How BC law treats it

In-house lawyers are subject to the Legal Profession Act, SBC 1998 c 9, the Law Society Rules and the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia. A lawyer employed by a corporation or other organization that is not a law firm may apply for an exemption from compulsory professional liability indemnity coverage, and must then practise only within the limits of that exemption.

What it means for your business

A BC business with in-house lawyers must make sure they are properly licensed and act only within the scope their status allows.

Risks and common mistakes

Having an in-house lawyer give legal advice to customers, affiliates or employees personally can raise insurance and regulatory problems.

For the full explanation, see our entry on In-house counsel.

General information about British Columbia and Canadian law, current to October 2026. It is not legal advice.