The Use of Self-Regulation to Curb Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession

Many law societies in Canada have responded to studies documenting gender bias and sexual harassment in the legal profession by introducing anti-discrimination rules. The Law Society of British Columbia introduced anti-discrimination rules in 1993. This article discusses the attitudes of a stratified random sample of lawyers (50 women and 50 men) called to the Bar in British Columbia between 1986 and 1990, gathered through in-depth interviews conducted in 1993-94. It addresses the question of whether they think the Law Society\u27s rules prohibiting discrimination and sexual harassment will be effective. The article also raises some questions about the role of self-regulation in curbing such behaviour in the legal profession