Ryan D. Anderson, KC, is the Incoming President-Elect for 2024–25 | |
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Ryan D. Anderson, KC, was acclaimed as the incoming President-Elect at the Nov. 30 Board meeting. He will join Deanna Steblyk, KC, who will take over as President from Bill Hendsbee, KC, on Feb. 29 for the 2024–25 term.
Mr. Anderson obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta and his law degree from the University of Calgary. He returned to his rural roots after law school and has been living in his hometown of Magrath and practising in the Lethbridge area. His practice consists of agricultural transactions and finance, wills and estates, and family law disputes, including work as a mediator.
“I have loved being a lawyer and serving my clients over the last 20 years. The opportunity to be a Bencher for the last six years and serving the public interest by helping guide our profession has been an amazing experience. The Law Society of Alberta has an obligation to serve in the public interest. I believe one of the best ways to do this is to have a healthy legal profession. The lawyers I know have a strong interest in helping their clients. My hope is we can help give lawyers the tools and resources needed so they are able to serve their clients in a quickly changing world," said Mr. Anderson.
Read more about our incoming President-Elect on our website.
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2024–25 Executive Committee | |
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The 2024-25 Executive Committee will begin their work on Feb. 29, 2024. The committee consists of Deanna Steblyk, KC (President), Ryan D. Anderson, KC (President-Elect), Jim Lutz, KC, Bud Melnyk, KC, Sandra Petersson, KC, Stacy Petriuk, KC, Louise Wasylenko, CPA, CMA, and Bill Hendsbee, KC (Past-President).
For more information on the Committee members, visit our website.
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The Law Society of Alberta has set the 2024 practice fee at $2,640 per active lawyer and the part-time membership fee will be $1,320. These fees represent an increase of $150 and $75, respectively.
Like all organizations, the Law Society continues to face inflationary pressure on operating costs. We continue to focus our expenditures toward advancing the strategic goals of the Law Society and regulating in the public interest.
Payment Options
Invoices for 2024 practice fees will become available in February 2024. Lawyers can pay their fee in one payment or in two instalments. This gives lawyers more flexibility around fee payment if they want to spread their financial obligations through the year rather than paying one lump sum.
If lawyers opt to make instalment payments, the first payment is due on or before March 15, 2024, with the second payment due by Sept. 15, 2024. There will be an additional $50 administrative charge on the March 15 deadline for lawyers who opt to pay their fees in instalments.
Lawyers who pay the fee in one lump sum must do so by March 15, 2024.
More information regarding practice fees and payment can be found on our website.
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Additional Update: Recent Amendments to the Income Tax Act that Impact Lawyers
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On Sept. 7, 2023, the Law Society provided lawyers with a summary of a number of recent amendments to the Income Tax Act that may impact their practice. These related to trust accounting, as well as mandatory reporting of certain types of transactions. The mandatory reporting provisions came into force in June of this year and were to take effect on Dec. 1, 2023.
On Sept. 14, 2023, the Law Society provided an update about a court challenge being made by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada related to the reporting obligations.
Since that time, the Federation was granted a temporary injunction related to the reporting provisions. On Nov. 24, 2023, the Supreme Court of British Columbia granted a permanent, nationwide injunction, suspending the application of the provisions that required mandatory reporting by lawyers of certain transactions of their clients, until the Federation’s court challenge can be heard and decided.
Please see the Federation’s news release for more information.
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Reminder: Feedback Required on the Western Canada Competency Profile | |
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Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback on the Western Canada Competency Profile (WCCP) so far. A reminder that there is still time to take the survey before the deadline, Friday, Dec. 8, to provide your feedback on the draft WCCP.
The purpose of the survey is for lawyers to rate the WCCP competencies and provide ACT, a third-party consultant facilitating this engagement, with further data to validate the competencies as those required for entry to legal practice. If you are currently in active practice or you have held active practising status in Alberta at some point within the past five years, you are eligible to participate.
The survey takes about 25 minutes to complete and participation is voluntary. You will be asked to rate the components of the competency profile and answer a brief professional background questionnaire.
For more information on the WCCP and the survey, visit our website. If you require technical assistance with the survey, contact ACT. If you have further questions about the WCCP or the survey content, contact Education.
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Court of King's Bench Announcement | |
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Expansion of Family Law Document Filing to the King's Bench Family and Divorce Filing Digital Service
Commencing Nov. 29, 2023, the King's Bench Family and Divorce Filing Digital Service will expand Family Law Act document filing to the Judicial Centres of Edmonton and Calgary.
Please note the King’s Bench Family and Divorce Filing Digital Service is only available to lawyers and legal assistants.
Read the full announcement for more information.
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