Susannah S. Alleyne named Avenue Top 40 under 40 

Photo credit: Avenue Magazine, Jared Sych

We want to take a moment to celebrate the Law Society’s own Susannah S. Alleyne, who was recently featured on the cover of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 issue. 

Susannah’s work as the Law Society’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Counsel and Equity Ombudsperson is central to the Law Society’s strategic work; the tools she has developed and her interactions with lawyers and staff throughout Alberta are integral to the development of safer and more inclusive environments for lawyers and their clients. 

Read Susannah’s full profile in Avenue and keep an eye out for issues on Calgary newsstands now. 

Protecting your Practice from Cybersecurity Threats

Our digital landscape is constantly evolving, and it is crucial to remain vigilant against a wide array of sophisticated cybersecurity threats. In recent years, there has been an alarming rise in impersonation attacks – where cybercriminals disguise themselves as trusted accounts or organizations to deceive unsuspecting recipients – as well as business email compromise attempts, which can result in fraudulent financial transactions and unauthorized access to sensitive data.

To strengthen your defenses against these threats, it is important that you and your organization adopt proactive measures. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Stringent email authentication protocols – Implementing protocols to verify the legitimacy of incoming messages and identify fraudulent ones.
• Multi-Factor Authentication – Enhancing security with multiple authentication layers and robust password management practices to help protect business emails and other vital sites and programs.
• Employee Training – Conducting regular training sessions with your employees on how to recognize and report potential impersonation attacks and business email compromise attempts.

By fostering a culture of heightened awareness and equipping ourselves with the necessary knowledge, we can all help mitigate the risks associated with these evolving digital threats.

Helpful Resources (links to consider):



• 8 Email Security Best Practices You Need to Know in 2022 | inspiredlearning.com
• The 7 red flags of phishing | Get Cyber Safe
• Guidance to Detect and Prevent BEC Attacks | IANS Research
• Why multi-factor authentication is an essential part of cyber security | Get Cyber Safe
• Boost your protection against common cyber threats | Get Cyber Safe
• Best practices for passphrases and passwords (ITSAP.30.032) | Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch Announcements

Seeking Member Feedback on the Alberta Family Justice Strategy

The Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch (CBA Alberta) Executive, Family Law for both South and North Sections are seeking input from members of the legal profession on the proposed Alberta Family Justice Strategy.

The strategy's goal is to unify pre-court services in the Alberta Court of Justice and the Alberta Court of King’s Bench.

The Proposed Mandatory Requirements, except for urgent matters, will require that the following conditions must be fulfilled by all parties before an applicant can file documents to enter Docket Court in either court:

• All parents with applications for parenting, child support, guardianship or contact must take the Parenting After Separation course;
• Financial disclosure is mandatory for relevant applications;
• Some form of alternative dispute resolution must be undertaken before accessing the Court; and, 
• Self-represented parties must meet with a Family Court Counsellor early in the process to obtain referrals to resources and be provided with explanations on Court processes and alternatives to Court.  

It is intended that the above mandatory requirements will take effect in Edmonton and Calgary starting Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, with additional regions to follow in the future.

Please email your feedback to the following Section representatives on or before Friday, Nov. 10, 2023:

South – Sierra Yanush

North – Megan Tupper

Alberta Courts – Family Justice Strategy inbox

The Family Law Consulting Group will be meeting with members of the Court and Justice Services on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023 to discuss the received feedback. 

Invitation to Well-Being Virtual Roundtable Sessions – November and December

CBA is hosting a series of roundtable meetings throughout November and December to discuss well-being in the legal profession.

Each meeting will be held via Zoom and will be segmented by group to discuss best practices, ongoing issues, and future concerns that are affecting lawyers and the success of firms in general.

Members can choose a segment that aligns with their firm or working group and are welcome to join as many sessions as they would like.

Alberta Court of Appeal Announcement

Alberta Court of Appeal Swearing-in Ceremony Cancelled

The swearing-in ceremony for the Honourable Justice William T. de Wit of the Court of Appeal of Alberta originally scheduled for Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at 4 p.m. in Courtroom 1801 at the Calgary Courts Centre, 601 - 5th Street, S.W., Calgary, has been cancelled.

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