2024 Women in Law Leadership Award Winners

We are pleased to announce that the Law Society's own Kendall Moholitny, Director, Regulation and Professionalism, and Grace Ajele, Membership Counsel, are two of the 2024 Women in Law Leadership (WILL) award recipients. 

Accessibility in the Legal Profession: Opportunities for Change-Making and Discussion 

Join the Law Society on Tuesday, Dec. 3, during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. for a webinar about what employers and lawyers can do to better accommodate colleagues and clients with disabilities. There is no cost to attend, and you can register here.

The webinar will begin with a presentation by David Lepofsky, a retired lawyer who chairs the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance. David will focus his remarks on how systemic strategies in Ontario have advanced accommodations for persons with disabilities. He will discuss recurring barriers that need to be fixed and offer action-oriented solutions.

Following the opening address, there will be a panel discussion, led by moderator and human rights lawyer Roxanne Davis, KC, QArb. She will be joined by two lawyers with disabilities:

• Bob Fenton, KC, Director of Legal Services for the Calgary Police Service and Chair of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Board of Directors; and,
• Taylor Grantham, a litigation lawyer practising in commercial and family litigation.

The panel will discuss the value of creating respectful environments within law firms and organizations to have open and honest conversations about accessibility for lawyers and clients with disabilities.

They will discuss the different realities of persons with disabilities, common barriers faced in the practice of law and how accommodations must take each unique person’s circumstances into account. The panel will tackle the misconception of disability being tied to incompetence and explore the tension that often exists when delegating legal work to lawyers with disabilities. They will also provide tips and strategies for lawyers with disabilities to be set up for a successful legal career.

For more information about the webinar, including the full bios for each speaker, visit the webinar registration page. We will be using Zoom webinar to run this webinar including auto-generated captioning. Within your registration, please indicate any additional accessibility needs you may have, and we will do our best to accommodate. For more information about Zoom’s accessibility features and settings, visit this webpage.  

Indigenous Judicial Shadowing Program – Virtual Information Session 

The Alberta Court of Justice is hosting a virtual information session for Indigenous lawyers and students on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 from noon – 1:15 p.m. The session will provide an overview of the development of the Court’s Indigenous Justice Strategy and its responses, as well as an outline of the Court’s Indigenous Justice Shadowing Program (Shadowing Program) and how to apply to participate.

Launched in 2023, the Shadowing Program provides an opportunity for Indigenous lawyers, articling students and law students to gain exposure and insights into the workings of the front lines of the judicial system through meeting with and shadowing Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice and Justices of the Peace.

The Shadowing Program pairs participants with a Justice of the Alberta Court of Justice or Justice of the Peace who works with them to develop a program that allows them to observe and discuss court proceedings that reflect their individual interests and priorities. 

To register to attend the virtual session, please email Corinne Robitaille and you will be provided with a link to join the session closer to the date. If you would like to apply for the Shadowing Program, fill out an application form on the Alberta Court of Justice website. 

Applications Judge Positions Available

The Court of King’s Bench and Alberta Justice welcome the interest of qualified lawyers who want to be considered for appointment as a full-time Applications Judge. Applications are being sought for a full-time position in Edmonton and a full-time position in Calgary. 

The deadline to apply is Dec.9, 2024, and the application form is available on the Government of Alberta’s website.

Court of King's Bench Announcements

Judicial Centres of Lethbridge and Medicine Hat – Revised Criminal Trial, Pre-Trial Conference and Pre-Trial Application Booking Procedure

Commencing Nov. 15, 2024, in the Judicial Centres of Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, all criminal trials, pre-trial conferences and pre-trial applications can be booked by consent and without appearance in Criminal Appearance Court (CAC) if the following circumstances apply:

• A Designation of Counsel has been filed;
• Crown and Defence Counsel have completed and submitted a Criminal Trial Joint Booking Request and Pre-Booking Request to the Court Coordinator for Lethbridge or for Medicine Hat;
• Dates have been confirmed by the Court Coordinator.

All Booking Request Forms must be received by the Court Coordinator no later than one week prior to the CAC date on which your matter is scheduled to be heard or you will be required to speak to the matter on the record.

View the full announcement.

Marking Courtesy Copies of Filed Materials – Effective Nov. 18, 2024

In order to streamline processes and avoid duplication of material on court files, all materials provided in hard copy directly to the Judiciary or support staff, such as bench or courtesy copies of filed documents, should be marked “Courtesy Copy” in the top right-hand corner.

View the announcement.

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