LSA Advisory - May 2008

Streamlined Processes Support LSA Governance By Don Thompson, QC, Executive Director
The Law Society continues to streamline its processes, procedures and communications to better serve the committees and Benchers. The Law Society of Alberta has already begun work on the upcoming fall elections. Key dates to remember are: September 16 as the deadline for nominations, and the election date of November 18. Benchers will be elected for a three-year term, not two years as has been the case in the past. We continue to manage policy issues and prepare policy matters for Bencher discussions. And to this end, the Policy Forum has undertaken to streamline its processes to expedite policy matters as appropriate. Overall, we are continuing to look for areas where we can do our work better and provide a high level of services. Committees are supported by dedicated staff who recognize the significant		contributions of volunteers and Benchers to committee work. Benchmarking programs improve evaluations To evaluate the work we do in receiving and resolving complaints, the Law Society of Alberta is reviewing regional and national benchmarking programs. The regional program involves a peer review program among the three prairie law societies. Staff are developing a checklist of features to look at in complaints systems. They then carry out an on-site audit, during which they will look at the program in each law society, and make suggestions about how the program might be improved. The national program, chaired by Greg Busch, Law Society of Alberta Director of Conduct, is looking at the timeliness of complaints in all Canadian law societies. The program's objective is to set benchmarks against which each law society will be measured.

Alberta Lawyers' Assistance Society - Your Assist Program By Craig Kinsman, Executive Director
Assist helps lawyers, articling students and their families with personal issues. We provide confidential, professional help for those experiencing stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol, drug and all other forms of abuse or addiction, relationship difficulties, family struggles, burnout, anger and other personal distress. Professional help is one phone call away at 1-800-461-8908. Please call.		It is also a critical part of our mandate to raise awareness of personal struggles, reduce the stigma associated with personal difficulties and encourage everyone to reach out for help when they may need it. The Alberta Mental Health Board previously estimated that between 40% and 75% of those suffering with mental illness will not seek help due to shame, stigma or lack of information. We want to change that. Assist is an independent charitable society. If you would like to learn more about Assist, please call me at 1-877-737-5508 (toll free)/(403) 537-5508.

Managing Director/ Deputy Director, CPLED Alberta
By Paul Wood, Executive Director, LESA

Trevor Clarke,
Managing Director/Deputy Director

Trevor Clarke assumes the position of Managing Director/Deputy Director, CPLED Alberta on April 28, 2008.

He was called to the bar in 1985 and articled to Cecilia Johnstone. Trevor practiced with an Edmonton firm and was then corporate counsel for a major oil sands firm. He has taught business law courses at NAIT for the past 15 years, having been Course Coordinator for both the daytime program and evening program.

Trevor is co-author of "Business Law in Canada", the best-selling business law textbook in Canada. He pioneered the use of WebCT in the business law courses at NAIT. (WebCT or Blackboard is the platform on which CPLED is built.)

Trevor received his MBA and LL.B. from the University of Alberta.

Streamlined Processes Support LSA Governance

By Don Thompson, QC, Executive Director

Alberta Lawyers' Assistance Society - Your Assist Program

By Craig Kinsman, Executive Director