DISCLAIMER: This petition is created for BC articling students and PLTC participants who are speaking in their individual capacities. We fully respect the Law Society of British Columbia and its important role in regulating our profession. This petition is intended only to promote fairness and dialogue during the transition to the new PREP/CPLED program.

The Law Society of British Columbia has announced that the Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC) will soon be replaced by the PREP/CPLED program. This change, which takes effect after the next two sessions, was made without prior notice to current or incoming PLTC students until October 2025, when a session of PLTC had already commenced. 

Many of us applied to and enrolled in PLTC under one understanding of the program’s structure and expectations, only to learn after the fact that it is being phased out entirely. If the program is being discontinued, why are students still being held to such rigid and high grading thresholds (70% on each assessment, 60% on each exam)? 

Some students would have preferred to take the year off had they been given the opportunity to be made aware of potential changes. This abrupt change in the middle of a PLTC session not only impacted the ability of the enrolled students to make an informed decision, but it also impacts students that have already submitted their paperwork for the Spring and Summer 2026 session. 

Under PREP/CPLED, the bar to completion is significantly different, relying on a capstone evaluation rather than multiple high-stakes exams. Yet PLTC students, who are part of a program that is effectively being retired, are still expected to meet higher standards without any transitional consideration or flexibility.

This sudden shift feels deeply unfair to students who have already committed their time, finances, and emotional energy to PLTC. Had we known of this major change, many would have chosen to defer or adjust their career plans.

We’re calling on the Law Society of British Columbia to:

1. Review and adjust PLTC grading requirements for current and upcoming cohorts, to ensure fairness during this transition period.
2. In the name of fairness and equity, values at the core of the legal profession. Let’s ensure that those entering it are treated with the same fairness we are being trained to uphold.
3. Sign this petition if you believe PLTC students deserve better during this transition to PREP/CPLED.