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Lawyers can be voluble and prolific publishers of handbooks, guides, and treatises on mental health law, witness trauma, workplace addiction, outcomes of personal injury, etc. — all from the perspective of lawyer as clinician. But when it comes to personal wellness among lawyers themselves, the silence is deafening and largely unpublished. Search our catalog for “mental health” and you’ll see proof of this. Dozens of titles deal with mental health through the lawyer’s lens. We found barely one book on our shelves showing lawyers through the lens of mental health.

And it’s sandwiched, shockingly, between works on liability for malpractice and professional misconduct. This aged collection of symposium papers from 1995, titled Health and Wellness for Lawyers, includes former Justice Frank lacobucci’s call to action in light of stats (recent at the time) showing nearly one-third of US attorneys suffer alcoholism, depression, or drug use in some form.

Nearly 25 years later, the good work of the Law Society of BC’s Mental Health Task Force echoes this lament and underscores how little we’ve learned in the intervening years. If anything, substance and alcohol use is even higher. And our evidence is still extrapolated from the US. The task force’s 2019 Mid-Year Report mentions, “Very little comparable research has been undertaken in Canada, resulting in a dearth of knowledge about the wellness of Canadian lawyers.” We sincerely hope this changes, and that we can collectively reduce the stigma of mental health issues and add more literature alongside Mr. Iacobucci’s writings from a quarter century ago… and also move them to a better, more dignified neighbourhood within our collection.

CLEBC Update

2019 LEADERS IN LEARNING AWARD: Ardith Walpetko We’dalx Walkem, QC

Once every two years, CLEBC honours extraordinary individuals for their contribution to the enhancement of learning in the BC legal community with the Leaders in Learning Award.

This year’s recipient, Ardith Walpetko We’dalx Walkem, QC, has demonstrated incredible commitment to mentorship, role modeling, and delivering learning opportunities to

lawyers throughout her career, particularly regarding Indigenous laws and Truth and Reconciliation.

Ardith has contributed prolifically to CLEBC by lending her time and expertise to numerous programs, publishing papers, and even leading training sessions for CLEBC staff and Board members. Her first CLEBC project involved co-chairing the first Indigenous Legal Orders and the Common Law conference, which brought together leaders of Indigenous nations and judges from all levels of court — a first in British Columbia. With the support of LSBC and CLEBC, she produced the powerful short film “But I Was Wearing A Suit” which was presented at the Law Society of BC’s Truth and Reconciliation Symposium.

Beyond her many contributions, CLEBC staff say that Ardith works tirelessly to produce excellent programs and services to the legal profession. She is patient and kind, and always says “yes” to working on projects that are important to her, all while running her law firm, “Cedar and Sage Law Corporation.”

It is with great pleasure that CLEBC presents the 2019 Leaders in Learning Award to Ardith Walpetko We’dalx Walkem, QC.

LAW FOUNDATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Outlined below is a list of grants adjudicated at the November 30, 2019 Board of Governors’ meeting. Funding totalling $5,855,000 was approved for the following 19 continuing programs: $3,250,000 LEGAL SERVICES SOCIETY Legal Information and Legal Assistance Programs $435,000 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA UVic Law — Law Centre Clinical Program $380,000 BC CIVIL LIBERTIES ASSOCIATION Major Programs $270,000 UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Indigenous Community Legal Clinic $250,000 BC FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRIVACY ASSOCIATION Law Reform and Public Legal Education Program $240,000 LAW SOCIETY OF BC The Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC) $225,000 FIRST UNITED CHURCH COMMUNITY MINISTRY SOCIETY Poverty Law Advocacy Program $100,000 HAIDA GWAII LEGAL PROJECT SOCIETY Legal Education/Advocacy Program $95,000 POWELL RIVER COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATION Poverty Law Advocacy Program $95,000 SOCIETY FOR EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ADVOCACY: CENTRAL VANCOUVER ISLAND Legal Advocacy Program $90,000 UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Public Interest Work Placements $90,000 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA UVic Law Public Interest Work Placement Program $80,000 LAW SOCIETY OF BC CanLII Virtual Law Library $70,000 MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY, BC & YUKON DIVISION Volunteer Legal Advocacy Program (VLAP) $65,000 PRINCE RUPERT UNEMPLOYED CENTRE SOCIETY Advocacy Program $40,000 PRO BONO STUDENTS CANADA — UBC Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) Law Student Volunteer Program $35,000 PRO BONO STUDENTS CANADA — UVIC Pro Bono Students Canada $25,000 DEBATE AND SPEECH ASSOCIATION OF BC Law Foundation Cup $20,000 CANADIAN FOUNDATION FOR LEGAL RESEARCH Grants for Legal Research and Writing

Funding totalling $687,000 was approved for the following 12 on-track programs: $250,000 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY TRU Legal Clinic and TRU Legal Clinic Society $65,000 UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Public Interest Awards $55,000 UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA UBC Innocence Project at the Allard School of Law $55,000 UPPER SKEENA COUNSELLING & LEGAL ASSISTANCE SOCIETY Indigenous Court: Navigator and Court Coordinator Program $50,000 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY Public Interest Work Placement $45,000 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA UVic Law — Law Foundation Public Interest Awards $40,000 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY Public Interest Awards Funding $35,000 PRO BONO STUDENTS CANADA — TRU Pro Bono Students Canada — Thompson Rivers University Chapter $32,000 NICOLA VALLEY COMMUNITY JUSTICE SERVICES SOCIETY Nicola Valley Indigenous Court Coordinator Program $25,000 PRINCE GEORGE URBAN ABORIGINAL JUSTICE SOCIETY Indigenous Court Coordinator Project — Prince George $25,000 TK’EMLUPS TE SECWEPEMC Indigenous Court Coordinator Project $10,000 VANCOUVER SUMMER MENTORSHIP SOCIETY Summer Mentorship Program

Funding of $1,000,000 was approved for the following major projects initiative grant: COMMUNITY LEGAL ASSISTANCE SOCIETY Integrating Human Rights in the Mental Health Act

Funding totalling $157,000 was approved for the following eight legal research grants: $20,000 ATIRA WOMEN’S RESOURCE SOCIETY Stop the Poor Door Movement $20,000 RISE WOMEN’S LEGAL CENTRE Working Against Cultural Biases in Family Court $20,000 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY Indigenous Overrepresentation in BC’s Youth Correctional System $20,000 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY Justice, Impact, and Outcomes: A New Measurement for Student Clinical Programs in British Columbia $20,000 UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Indigenous Community Legal Clinic Assessment of Impact of Meaningful Access to Justice $20,000 UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA The Family Under Conditions of Mobility: Comparing Immigration Law and Family Law $20,000 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL POLICY Connecting Youth Experiences To Action $17,000 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY Trans Competent Lawyering and Judging