In-house legal department
An in-house legal department is the team of lawyers, paralegals and support staff employed within a business or organization to handle its legal work. It usually reports to a general counsel and manages contracts, compliance, corporate records, disputes and outside counsel. The organization itself is the department's client.
How BC law treats it
Lawyers in the department practising in BC must be members of the Law Society of British Columbia and follow its rules and the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia. Non-lawyer staff must work under lawyer supervision and cannot give legal advice independently.
What it means for your business
A legal department lets a BC business control legal costs and keep legal knowledge in-house, but it is a fixed overhead cost.
Risks and common mistakes
Allowing non-lawyer staff to give legal advice without lawyer supervision can amount to unauthorized practice of law.
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.
