The ITL Network calls upon all active members of the law society of Alberta (the “LSA”) to attend the upcoming special meeting on Monday, February 6, 2023. To attend this meeting, pre-registration is required and the deadline to pre-register is Friday January 3, 2023.
The special meeting has been set to vote on a resolution signed by 51 active members to repeal Rule 67.4 of the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta which empowers Benchers to prescribe specific continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for members.
Rule 67.4(1) provides:
“The Benchers may, from time to time, prescribe continuing professional development requirements to be completed by members, in a form and manner, as well as time frame, acceptable to the Benchers.”
The LSA has been a self-regulated entity since it was established in 1907 and the privilege of self-regulation comes at a cost which is the protection of public interest. The LSA is expected to regulate the profession in the interest of the public by prescribing a high standard of professional and ethical conduct by Alberta lawyers. The resolution to be decided upon came in the wake of the mandatory course, The Path, an Indigenous cultural competency online course which was prescribed by the LSA for its active members.
It is worthy of note that the only CPD requirement in Alberta at the moment is the completion of this course which was developed in direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 27, which states as follows:
Continue reading “Press Release on the Special Meeting of the Law Society of Alberta”