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DSA for Pro Bono Legal Service Awarded for First Time
For the first time, a new Pro Bono Legal Service award was presented at the annual Distinguished Service Awards hosted jointly between the Law Society of Alberta and Canadian Bar Association Alberta. John T. Henderson, QC, the first individual to be recognized in the new category, joined 2006 award winners Donald G. Bishop, QC for service to the profession; Robert J. Campbell, QC for service to the community; and John M. Law for legal scholarship. The implementation of the award was one of the LSA's Pro Bono committee's initiatives to support and acknowledge the delivery of Pro Bono legal services in Alberta. The awards were presented in March 2006. Law Society of Alberta approves new legal aid agreement A new legal aid governance agreement renews an ongoing partnership between the Minister of Justice, the Board of Legal Aid Alberta and the Law Society of Alberta. The structure of the April 6, 2006 agreement will be fundamentally the same as in the past, but with several amendments. The agreement expressly recognizes that the three parties to the agreement are "all key participants in the delivery of legal aid services in Alberta and each is committed to the principles of transparency, mutual respect and consultation." 
Media and the Law Seminar 2006
The keynote speech by Linden MacIntyre, co-host of CBC's Fifth Estate, was the highlight of discussions on journalist/ source privilege, access vs privacy, and the broad topic of sealing orders, publication bans and the presumption of openness. Held May 2006 in Edmonton, the seminar attracted reporters, lawyers, members of the judiciary and panelists from across Canada. Global TV's anchor Lynda Steele was the Master of Ceremonies. Territorial Mobility Agreement Opens Door to the North The Law Society of Alberta became a signatory to the newly created Territorial Mobility Agreement in June 2006. The agreement was formed by the Federation of Law Societies to address the unique characteristics of the three territorial law societies. It allows them to participate in national mobility as reciprocating governing bodies with respect to permanent mobility, or transfer of lawyers from one jurisdiction to another, without a requirement that they participate in temporary mobility provisions. Being part of the agreement opens the door for Alberta practitioners to provide legal services in their preferred areas of practice. |
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Alberta Legal Community Welcomes Aboriginal Law Students
In July 2006, the Law Society of Alberta welcomed six aboriginal law students to the legal community with an orientation to the LSA's roles and responsibilities as a self-regulator. The tour was part of the Aboriginal Summer Law Student Placement Program, launched earlier this year by the Equality, Equity and Diversity (EED) Committee. The pilot project provides an opportunity for students to obtain work experience in a law firm early in their legal careers. Another program goal is to enable law firms which do not employ an aboriginal lawyer to gain insight into aboriginal culture and issues, and to foster opportunities for ongoing mentorship relationships between aboriginal students and practicing lawyers. 
Equity Ombudsperson Joins Law Society
The Law Society of Alberta welcomed its new equity ombudsperson who brings extensive experience in arbitration, mediation, workplace investigation and assessment, coaching and training. Greg Francis joined the organization in September 2006. Pro Bono Law Alberta – A New Network Agreement was reached at the conclusion of a stakeholders' round table on pro bono legal services in October 2006 to create a new provincial pro bono organization. An initiative of the Law Society of Alberta, the stakeholders' round table brought together delegates from across the province to discuss and reach consensus on the need to develop a provincial network. The two dozen roundtable participants also achieved consensus on what its objectives should be, a model structure for the network and an action plan for implementation. 15th Anniversary of the Equality, Equity and Diversity Committee From its origins as a special committee established in 1991 called "Women in the Legal Profession", the Equality, Equity and Diversity Committee has been a progression of ideas, policies and programs. Its accomplishments over the past 15 years have included the development of model equity policies for law firms, promoting diversity in governance, and improving Queen's Counsel selection criteria. As well, the committee has conducted surveys of lawyers as well as exit interviews to monitor the pulse of the legal profession. The Law Society of Alberta is seen as leading edge with its model policies, increasing the number of women appointed Queen's Counsel, and reviewing discrimination and harassment complaints. |