August 19, 2019
Queen's Counsel Application and Selection Process
I t is tradition in the province of Alberta to have the Lieutenant Governor in Council appoint lawyers who have made particular contributions to the legal profession or public life in the province as Queen’s Counsel. This is done under the authority of the Queen’s Counsel Act .

Applications for consideration in 2019 will be accepted starting on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 . The deadline for applications is Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 4:30 p.m . Applications are to be addressed to the Queen’s Counsel Screening Committee and submitted using an online tool that will be on the Justice and Solicitor General website. The online tool will be activated on September 3 . Hard copy (physical) submissions will not be accepted.

All completed application packages will be reviewed by the Queen's Counsel Screening Committee. Individuals are evaluated based on detailed criteria of competence, professional qualities, their contribution to the administration of justice and their contribution to the community. The awarding of the Queen’s Counsel designation is solely within the discretion of the Lieutenant Governor in Council. Queen's Counsel recipients are announced by the Alberta Government.

To review application eligibility and guidelines, read the Minister's letter. Further questions about the Queen’s Counsel application process can be directed to the Office of the Deputy Minister at QC-Mail@gov.ab.ca or 780.427.5032 (toll free in Alberta by first dialing 310.0000).
Bencher Election Task Force Recruitment
The Law Society has established a Bencher Election Task Force to develop strategies for increasing the number and diversity of candidates for the 2020 Bencher Election and to increase voter engagement and turnout. 

The Law Society is seeking (2) two non-Bencher members of the Law Society in good standing to join this new the Bencher Election Task Force. Lawyers from demographics that have been traditionally underrepresented in the Bencher election process in the past are encouraged to apply for this task force.

Participation on the Bencher Election Task Force is voluntary. Parking and mileage costs will be reimbursed in accordance with Law Society policy.

To apply, please email a letter of intent and CV to:
Deadline: September 13, 2019
Upcoming Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Rule Amendment Education Series
We have adopted amendments to our client identification and verification rules, as well as accounting rules governing the receipt of cash and the permitted use of lawyers' trust accounts. The changes take effect on September 30, 2019.

As outlined in our last eBulletin , we held an information session in Edmonton on August 15. Our first Calgary session has filled up so we have added a second Calgary session on September 10. To register and learn more about our upcoming sessions, please click on a link below.


If you can't make it to an in-person session, a recorded webinar version is available on our website .
Court of Queen's Bench Notice to the Profession and Public