The Benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia have resolved, by a vote of 17-9, to instruct staff to prepare a form of referendum question dealing with the appropriateness of compelling BC lawyers to pay CBA fees as a condition to obtaining a practice certificate from the Law Society.

It is expected that the binding referendum will occur prior to the 2005 practice year. Past and present CBA executive members spoke against the referendum concept, but their views were rejected by a majority of the Benchers.