International Women's Day 2024

March 8, 2024 is International Women’s Day, a day that celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls around the world. This year’s theme, Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress, reinforces the importance of creating opportunities for the advancement, recognition and mentorship of women to drive change and break down gender barriers. When women are supported and advocated for, especially by each other, it makes a significant difference in their careers, confidence and goals.  

As we continue to work towards a more inclusive legal community, we are pleased to acknowledge that for the first time in the Law Society of Alberta’s history, our 24-member Board (also known as Benchers) is comprised of a majority of women. Leading the Board as our new President is Deanna Steblyk, KC, who will be the Law Society’s seventh woman President in 117 years.  

“I’m incredibly proud to be the seventh woman to hold the role of President of the Law Society of Alberta since its founding in 1907," says Deanna. “My predecessors – Phyllis Smith, KC, Madam Justice Barbara Romaine, Cheryl Gottselig, KC, Mona Duckett, KC, Madam Justice Anne Kirker and Darlene Scott, KC – are some of the most influential and accomplished female members of the bar in Alberta, and I’m humbled to be among them. I draw inspiration from the precedent they set for all women lawyers and can only hope that I live up to their legacy as I begin my term. Thank you to them, and to all the female Benchers past and present who have set and continue to set a shining example for the rest of us, and those who come after us. They model the inclusion of women in the legal profession and its leadership.” 

Read the full article for International Women's Day resources and events, as well as more testimonials from women in the legal community who were championed or supported by another lawyer at some point during their career, including a quote from The Honourable Ritu Khullar, Chief Justice of Alberta.

Indigenous Cultural Competency Education Requirement Update

At the Feb. 29, 2024 Board meeting, the Benchers approved an update to the Indigenous Cultural Competency Education (ICCE) requirement for Alberta lawyers. If you previously met the ICCE requirement, there is no further action for you to take. This update only affects lawyers becoming active in Alberta moving forward. 

When the course launched in April 2021, the requirement for Alberta lawyers was to complete the course called the Path (Law Society of Alberta) – Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada. This course included Alberta-specific information.  

Since the launch, the course provider has made necessary updates and changes to the course content and delivery format. While the Alberta-specific content is no longer contained in the course, the Law Society has decided to continue offering the new version of The Path as the method for fulfilling the ICCE requirement for Alberta lawyers. While some of the content has changed, please note that this new version will still be identified as “The Path (Law Society of Alberta)” by the provider, NVision, so that Alberta lawyers can distinguish it from other course versions offered. The User Guide and other information on the Law Society website has been updated to reflect these changes. 

Timeframe to Complete the ICCE 

Once a lawyer becomes active in Alberta, they will have nine months to fulfil the requirement from the date they become active, as opposed to the previous 18 months. This shorter timeframe reflects how lawyers have been completing the course to date. Feedback from those who completed the course suggests that on average lawyers took approximately 30 days to complete the course in its entirety. Most lawyers completed the course in the final months before their deadline rather than using the full 18 months. 

If you were already in the process of completing the requirement, the Law Society will still honour your 18-month deadline. The new nine-month timeframe will apply to any lawyer becoming active in Alberta as of Feb. 29, 2024.

The Law Society will continue to automatically exempt lawyers who have completed the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) through the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) in Alberta. Otherwise, lawyers becoming active in Alberta must continue to complete the course or certify an exemption by their deadline to avoid administrative suspension. 

Visit our website for more information on the ICCE. 

Court of Appeal of Alberta Announcement

Reminder: Swearing-In Ceremonies

Court of Appeal of Alberta swearing-in ceremonies will take place as follows:

Justice Kevin Feth will be sworn in as a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 4 p.m. in Courtroom 317 at the Law Courts Building, 1A Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton, Alberta.

Justice Alice Woolley will be sworn in as a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta on Friday, March 15, 2024 at 4 p.m. in Courtroom 1801 at the Calgary Courts Centre, 601 - 5th Street, S.W., Calgary, Alberta.

View the full announcement.

Upcoming Events

AI and Ethics in Intellectual Property Webinar | March 13, 2024

Visit our website for a full list of upcoming events.

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