Law Society of Alberta
| Abbreviation | LSA |
|---|---|
| Legal status | active |
| Purpose | advocate and public voice, educator and network |
| Headquarters | Alberta |
| Location | |
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Region served
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Canada |
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Official language
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English French |
| Website | Law Society of Alberta |
The Law Society of Alberta is the self-regulating body for lawyers in Alberta, Canada.
The Law Society is created and governed by the Legal Profession Act (Alberta). As a law society, the Law Society is much more than a professional association and every lawyer who practices in Alberta must belong to it. The Society's mandate is to regulate the legal profession in the public interest.
The Society is primarily concerned with admission and discipline of members, educating the public, and preventing the unauthorized practice of law.
The Law Society is governed by members of the profession elected by its membership to serve as benchers. In addition to elected Benchers, there are four lay benchers (non-lawyers) appointed by the Minister of Justice. There are 24 benchers in total (including the four lay benchers), each expected to serve three-year terms.
The Society has passed The Rules of the Law Society of Alberta to govern the Society, to exercise the Society's powers and duties, and for the management and conducts of its business and affairs.
The Society is a member of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.
To practice law in the Province of Alberta, a person must be admitted to the bar and a member of the Society. The Society sets its own educational admission requirements. These include a Bachelor of Laws degree (which in turn requires preliminary university study), completion of a twelve-month period of apprenticeship with an experienced practitioner called articling, and completion of bar admission exams. Bar admission exams in Alberta are more akin to assignments which test practical application of the law instead of pure legal knowledge. In addition to these academic requirements, the Legal Profession Act requires that a candidate be of "good character and reputation."
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