Leaving after articles

[bluejay]

Hi all

Just a couple of questions regarding making the decision to leave after successful completion of articles. Is there a general requirement to repay articling/PLTC costs if you are the one deciding to leave? I'm not aware of anything in the articling contract which addresses this and my understanding is that no repayment is required (part of why the pay is so poor!). However, I need clarity on this point.

Also, in BC, lawyers (and articling students) are specifically excluded from the Employment Standards Act, which governs things like reasonable notice, severance pay and the prohibition on deducting amounts owed from a final salary payment. The Legal Professions Act of BC doesn't cover employment protection issues. Is anyone aware of what protections there are (if any) for employed lawyers? I can't seem to find an answer to this.

Thanks!