The Minister of Justice and Solicitor General has announced that the 2021/22 application for Queen's Counsel (QC) appointment is now open. View the
letter to the profession.
QC appointments will be awarded to lawyers who are found to have made a significant contribution to the legal profession or public life in the province, as determined by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. This is done under the authority of the Queen’s Counsel Act.
Applications
Applications for consideration will be accepted starting today, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. The deadline for applications is Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. The 2021/22 QC appointment application is available at: www.alberta.ca/queens-counsel. Physical submissions will not be accepted.
All applications must include the following documentation:
- The completed web form.
- Four PDF attachments uploaded through the web form:
- your resume
- three letters of reference – each letter of reference must state: This letter may be disclosed to Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, the Law Society of Alberta, the Queen's Counsel Screening Committee, and as otherwise required for use in the Queen's Counsel selection process.
Nominations will not be accepted. If an individual thinks a particular lawyer ought to receive a QC appointment, the individual may suggest the lawyer submit an application and the individual could be a reference for that lawyer.
Review Process
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, contribution to the community and contribution to the legal profession.
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 more information on Queen's Counsel appointments including selection criteria, the review process and how to apply, read the Minister's letter or view the
Queen's Counsel webpage. Further questions about the QC 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).
