On behalf of the Law Society of Alberta Board, we are pleased to announce that Elizabeth J. Osler (pictured right) has accepted the role of Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Law Society of Alberta. Ms. Osler will take the reins from outgoing Executive Director and CEO, Don Thompson, QC, on January 1, 2019. 

“A national search for a new Executive Director and CEO was undertaken with the assistance of a national executive search firm. Possible candidates were identified from across the country. The Benchers are pleased to announce that Ms. Osler emerged as the best candidate and we look forward to her leadership for many years to come,” said Don Cranston, QC, President of the Law Society of Alberta. 

Ms. Osler joined the Law Society in September 2012 as the Director of Regulation and then in March 2013 she also assumed the role of Deputy Executive Director. In her roles, she is responsible for overseeing several departments within the Law Society including Governance, Communications, Human Resources, Counsel, Conduct, Investigations, Custodianships and Trust Safety.

Prior to joining the Law Society, Ms. Osler worked at the University of Calgary, where she was the Associate General Counsel & University Secretary. In addition, she worked as a securities lawyer at McCarthy Tetrault LLP, was Corporate Secretary at TransAlta Corporation, and Corporate Counsel and Corporate Secretary at the Alberta Securities Commission.

Ms. Osler was born and raised in Calgary and graduated from the University of Alberta where she received her Bachelor of Laws degree. She also has a bachelor and masters degrees in Canadian History from the University of Calgary. In addition, Ms. Osler contributes nationally to the work of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, serving on the National Discipline Standards Committee and other working groups. She has received her ICD.D designation and currently serves as a Board member for the Canadian Society of Association Executives.

We are very grateful for the leadership of outgoing Executive Director and CEO, Don Thompson. He helped transform the Law Society into a leading 21st century regulator of the legal profession. We will miss his enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and leadership and we are confident that Ms. Osler will do a great job as she assumes her new role as Executive Director and CEO.