Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Printable Version

In this issue:
• Message from the President
• 2009 - 2010 Executive
• New Access to Justice Committee Formed
• 2009 Recruitment Period
• Lawyer to Embark on Children's Cancer Ride

Message from the President

At 9:05 a.m. Thursday last week, I succeeded Perry Mack Q.C. as President of the Law Society of Alberta. Rod Jerke Q.C. was acclaimed President-Elect and nine new Benchers assumed office.

As part of our usual governance and adjudicative duties, making up not less than 50-100 days’ work per Bencher per year, it’s expected that, over the next 12 months, the Benchers will focus on the following areas of policy development:

Access to justice - Public concern for access to justice continues to increase. For a regulator of the legal profession, the issue is primarily one of access to legal services. And at a time when ordinary Albertans find lawyers scarce, the Law Society will look at possible alternative means of delivering legal services. Part of the inquiry will ask how non-lawyers (paralegals) could increase access to legal services within a regulated environment that ensures the public remains protected.

Security of trust property - The Law Society regulates how lawyers deal with client trust funds, and protects those deposits by way of the Assurance Fund. Late last year, the Benchers approved in principle the implementation of better systems of oversight of trust accounts, and they approved in principle an inquiry whether alternatives exist to our current Assurance Fund model, including insurance-based models used in other jurisdictions.

>> Click Here

2009 - 2010 Executive

The Benchers at their February 5 - 6, 2009 meeting in Calgary selected the following for the 2009 - 2010 Executive Committee:

President - Peter Michalyshyn, QC; President Elect - Rod Jerke, QC; Conduct committee chair; Doug Mah, QC; Credentials & Education ctte chair, Carsten Jensen, QC; Finance ctte chair, Steven Raby, QC; Insurance ctte chair, Ron Everard, QC; and non-lawyer Public Representative to the Benchers, Larry Ohlhauser, MD.

Other committee chairs are: Practice Review, Neena Ahluwalia, QC; and Professional Responsibility, Dale Spackman, QC

New Access to Justice Committee Formed

The Benchers of the Law Society of Alberta approved on February 6, 2009 the formation of an Access to Justice committee with a mandate to: …uphold and preserve the fundamental principles of justice, including the rule of law, the independence of the bench and bar, effective and equal access to justice and to promote equity and diversity in the legal profession.

The Benchers approved the discontinuance of the Pro Bono Committee and the Equality, Equity and Diversity Committee. The mandate of both committees will be assumed by the new Access to Justice Committee

2009 Recruitment Period

The Benchers of the Law Society of Alberta approved the 2009 recruitment period which will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday June 1, 2009 and continue until the commencement of the blackout period which begins at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2009.

Non-participating employers, as defined by the Rules of the LSA, may only make offers on June 9, 10, and 11, 2009 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. These offers must remain open for acceptance until 12:00 noon the following day. Offers may be made again after the expiry of the blackout period on Monday, June 15, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

Lawyer to Embark on Children's Cancer Ride

Calgary litigation lawyer Bryan Duguid, partner with May Jensen Shawa Solomon LLP, will embark on a 12-day, 7,200-km cross-country cycle trip in aid of a children’s cancer charity.

His team will begin cycling from Vancouver on June 13, 2009 to Halifax as part of the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride. Fundraising and media events will be held along the way (including Calgary). The goal is to raise $2.0 million in donations to support childhood cancer charities supported by the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride. Each cyclist will cover approximately 2,800 kms.

Funds raised will go to national and local programs which support children and their families affected by cancer. As all expenses are paid by the 36 cyclists themselves, 100 per cent of donations will go directly to charities.

Information about the ride can be found at: http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.org/  

Bryan Duguid’s webpage for the ride is at: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2026370  

Declare CPD Plans by March 15, 2009

There are two ways to declare to the Law Society of Alberta that you have prepared a Continuing Professional Development Plan before March 15, 2009.

If you have made a plan, you can make the declaration right now. Go to www.CPDAlberta.ca and press "I Have a Plan and Wish to Declare." Unless you have an email from info@lesaonline.org confirming that you have successfully declared, you have not made a declaration yet.

You can also declare on the Member Information Update Form which is being mailed to you. If you have not prepared a CPD plan and need more information, please read the document, "What Must I Do?" available at www.lawsociety.ab.ca. For more information, email cpd@lawsociety.ab.ca or call 403-229-4766.

Invitation to CanLII User Meeting

CanLII is pleased to invite you to a user meeting in Calgary, AB on February
25, 2009.

CanLII will provide a demo of SATAL, the point-in-time legislative system soon to be launched on CanLII; creation of a CanLII users group; and a demo of APIs developed to streamline use of CanLII content by institutional users.

A cocktail reception will follow. 

Where: The Benchers' Boardroom
Law Society of Alberta
500, 919 - 11th Ave. S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2R 1P3

When: 5:00 PM, Wed., Feb. 25, 2009

RSVP:
Phone: +1 514 343 2140
Fax: +1 514 343 7359
Email: info@lexum.org

Printable Version

www.lawsociety.ab.ca
Law Society of Alberta
Calgary Office
Suite 500, 919 11th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2R 1P3
Phone: 403-229-4700

Edmonton Office
201 10060 Jasper Avenue,
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3R8
Phone: 780-429-3343

This email was created and delivered for the Law Society of Alberta using Industry Mailout