Automatic Enrolment in the Mentor Express Program
In 2020, the Benchers approved a
report of recommendations for enhancing lawyer licensing and competence in Alberta. One recommendation encourages all newly admitted lawyers to develop one or more mentoring relationships during their first year of practice. This recommendation is meant to facilitate and encourage a more holistic, new-lawyer-centred approach to continuing personal and professional development during the critical start of a lawyer’s career.
New Lawyers Automatically Enrolled in Mentor Express
To implement this recommendation, all new lawyers called to the bar will be automatically enrolled in the Mentor Express program for one year, beginning in September 2021. This automatic enrolment only applies to new Alberta lawyers entering their first year of practice. It does not apply to lawyers who are transferring to Alberta from another jurisdiction.
An expanded version of the Mentor Express program is launching in September 2021 to accommodate this change.
Automatic enrolment is retroactive for the year 2021. If you are called to the bar between January 1 and July 31, 2021, you will be included in the initial launch of the program in September. You will receive a confirmation email from the Law Society Mentorship team in early August 2021 detailing next steps and how to participate.
Moving forward, those called to the bar after August 1, 2021 will be automatically enrolled in Mentor Express monthly. Shortly after their bar call, new lawyers will receive a confirmation email from the Law Society Mentorship team detailing next steps and how to participate.
Read our
FAQ for more details on the Mentor Express program and automatic enrolment for new lawyers.
Pursuing Other Mentorship Opportunities
New lawyers may choose to opt out of the Mentor Express program, but we encourage them to build a mentoring relationship in another capacity, such as within their firm, organization or another mentoring program. Details on opting out of the program will be released in August.
Mentor Express is an excellent opportunity to meet with experienced lawyers in the profession and develop useful relationships early in your career. As a new lawyer, we highly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.
More Information
For more information about the Mentor Express program and automatic enrolment for new lawyers, visit
our website, read our
FAQ or contact the Mentorship team by
email.