Case information
Conduct a refined search of the Supreme Court of Canada database to obtain details on the status of a matter before the Court.
40673
Jeremy Maddock, et al. v. Law Society of British Columbia, et al.
(British Columbia) (Civil) (By Leave)
Docket
Judgments on applications for leave to appeal are rendered by the Court, but are not necessarily unanimous.
| Date | Proceeding | Filed By (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-11 | Close file on Leave | |
| 2023-09-07 | Copy of formal judgment sent to Registrar of the Court of Appeal and all parties | |
| 2023-09-07 | Judgment on leave sent to the parties | |
| 2023-09-07 |
Judgment of the Court on the application for leave to appeal, The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia (Vancouver), Numbers CA46693 and CA46694, 2023 BCCA 53, dated February 3, 2023, is dismissed with costs. Dismissed, with costs |
|
| 2023-07-24 | All materials on application for leave submitted to the Judges, for consideration by the Court | |
| 2023-05-15 | Applicant's reply to respondent's argument, (Book Form), Completed on: 2023-05-16, (Printed version filed on 2023-05-16) | Jeremy Maddock |
| 2023-05-05 | Certificate (on limitations to public access), 23A, (Printed version filed on 2023-05-05) | Law Society of British Columbia |
| 2023-05-05 | Notice of name, (Printed version filed on 2023-05-05) | Law Society of British Columbia |
| 2023-05-05 | Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Completed on: 2023-05-05, (Printed version filed on 2023-05-05) | Law Society of British Columbia |
| 2023-04-05 | Letter acknowledging receipt of an incomplete application for leave to appeal and without formal Court of Appeal order, FILE OPENED 2023-04-05 | |
| 2023-04-04 | Certificate (on limitations to public access), 23A | Jeremy Maddock |
| 2023-04-04 |
Application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Formal CA order form filed on 2023-04-21 Required: - CA Orders (rec'd 2023-07-26), Completed on: 2023-07-25, (Printed version filed on 2023-04-06) |
Jeremy Maddock |
Parties
Please note that in the case of closed files, the “Status” column reflects the status of the parties at the time of the proceedings. For more information about the proceedings and about the dates when the file was open, please consult the docket of the case in question.
Main parties
| Name | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Maddock, Jeremy | Applicant | Active |
v.
| Name | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Law Society of British Columbia | Respondent | Active |
And Between
| Name | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Maddock, Jeremy | Applicant | Active |
v.
| Name | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Law Society of British Columbia | Respondent | Active |
Counsel
Party: Maddock, Jeremy
Counsel
Selina Gyawali
1199 West Hastings Street
Suite 1000
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6E 3T5
Telephone: (604) 891-1187
Email: pgall@glgzlaw.com
Agent
50, rue O'Connor, Bureau 1313
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 6L2
Telephone: (613) 702-5573
FAX: (613) 702-5573
Email: mvincelette@juristespower.ca
Party: Law Society of British Columbia
Counsel
Alandra K. Harlingten
12-2544 Dunlevy St.
Victoria, British Columbia
V8W 1G2
Telephone: (250) 480-7475
FAX: (250) 480-7455
Email: aw@lw-law.ca
Agent
66 Lisgar Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0C1
Telephone: (613) 501-5350
Email: dshuhaibar@ovcounsel.com
Summary
Keywords
Law of professions — Barristers and solicitors — Representation by non-lawyer agents —Whether statutes allowing representation by agent in certain court proceedings indicates a legislative intention to permit paid agents to promote access to justice — Whether the principle of access to justice requires conflict between a statutory permission to appear as agent, and a general statutory prohibition on non-lawyers providing legal services for a fee, be resolved in favour of permission to appear as a paid agent - Legal Profession Act, S.B.C. 1998, c. 9 — Offence Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 338
Summary
Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch). Please note that summaries are not provided to the Judges of the Court. They are placed on the Court file and website for information purposes only.
Applicant Jeremy Maddock is a self-employed legal consultant who provides legal research and other services to lawyers and members of the public. He obtained a law degree but is not, and never has been, a practicing lawyer.
The respondent Law Society of British Columbia contacted Mr. Maddock over concerns that he was engaging in activities restricted to practicing lawyers. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Maddock filed a petition in superior court seeking declarations concerning the interpretation of two statutory provisions — s. 15(2) of the Legal Profession Act and s. 57(2) of the Offence Act — which concern the extent to which non-lawyers may perform work of a legal nature.
The Law Society filed its own application, seeking an injunction under s. 85 of the Legal Profession Act to prevent Mr. Maddock from engaging in activities it considered to be restricted to practicing lawyers.
Both applications were heard together. The chambers judge found that Mr. Maddock had breached ss. 15(1) and 15(5) of the Legal Professions Act by engaging in the practice of law for a fee, and by prosecuting a matter in the British Columbia Supreme Court. The chambers judge granted the injunction sought by the Law Society, and dismissed Mr. Maddock’s application for declaratory relief. The Court of Appeal dismissed Mr. Maddock’s appeal.
Lower court rulings
Supreme Court of British Columbia
2020 BCSC 71, S184867
Application for declaratory relief dismissed; injunction granted to enjoin applicant from engaging in the practice of law or from commencing, prosecuting, or defending a proceeding in any court
Court of Appeal for British Columbia (Vancouver)
2023 BCCA 53, CA46693; CA46694
Appeal dismissed
Filed documents
The memorandums of argument on an application for leave to appeal will be posted here 30 days after leave to appeal has been granted unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of the memorandum by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.
If you have questions about a memorandum of argument or want to use a memorandum of argument, please contact the author of the memorandum of argument directly. Their name appears at the end of the memorandum of argument. The contact information for counsel is found in the “Counsel” tab of this page.
Downloadable PDFs
Not available
Related links
The factums of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here at least 2 weeks before the hearing unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of factums by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.
If you have questions about a factum or want permission to use a factum, please contact the author of the factum directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each factum.
Downloadable PDFs
Not available
Related links
The condensed books of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here upon receipt of the electronic version, 2 days prior to the scheduled appeal hearing. You may also obtain copies of condensed books by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.
If you have questions about a condensed book or want permission to use a condensed book, please contact the author of the condensed book directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each condensed book.
Downloadable PDFs
Not available