In direct response to concerns from both students and the wider profession related to the economic and logistical challenges that are resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Law Society of Alberta has made
changes to the articling requirements and has increased the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) subsidy to add flexibility for firms and organizations as they navigate the articling period.
Changes to duration of articling terms
Effective April 6, 2020, the articling term in Alberta changes to a minimum of eight months and a maximum of twelve months for any student-at-law enrolled after January 1, 2019. Students clerking with the Courts also have more flexibility in the term of articles.
Prior to April 6, students-at-law clerking with the Courts would complete a 10-month term and then an additional five months with an active member of the Law Society. With the changes to articling requirements, these students can now spend a minimum of eight months to a maximum of 10 months at the Courts, and then complete a minimum of three months to a maximum of five months with an active member of the Law Society.
These changes directly impact current students-at-law who are in the middle of their 2019-2020 articling term and students scheduled to commence their 2020-2021 articling term this spring or summer.
Articling requirement changes will be reviewed by the Board before the end of 2021
The Board has committed to reviewing these changes to the articling requirements before the end of 2021 once we have a full understanding of the impact of the change on the profession.
Changes to PREP subsidy
In another effort to help alleviate financial stress, the Law Society of Alberta has increased the subsidy provided to the
Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education’s PREP students by $1,000, thereby reducing the tuition payable by the student or their firm from $3600 per student to $2600 per student for students who commence PREP in 2020. This additional subsidy is for one year only.