The Law Society of British Columbia has announced the launch of the Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Task Force (the “Task Force”) to address the prevalence of toxic work cultures in the legal profession.
The Task Force will make recommendations for appropriate regulatory responses and alternative processes to address bullying, harassment, and discrimination in the legal profession. It was established in light of several studies which revealed that 37% of workers experienced bullying – 57% being women and 57% of bullying cases going unreported due to fear of retaliation. The Law Society of BC recommends that firms acknowledge the issue, model respectful behaviour from the top, and prioritize training to familiarize all employees with bullying and harassment policies.
This development is a positive step forward for the legal profession as a whole and will hopefully go a long way towards increasing job satisfaction and reducing long-term harm to legal professionals’ mental well-being. For more information on the Task Force, read the complete Law Society of BC announcement here.
