Friday, November 12, 2010

Printable Version

In this issue:
• Legal Aid in the Public Eye: What is Being Said
• New Legal Aid Governance Agreement Being Drafted
• "Dwindling Funding has Law Society of Alberta Worried; Justice for All?"
• "Alberta’s law society tackles legal aid shortfall"
• "Legal aid cash crunch hugely frustrating; 6,000 people left without fee defense"
• Alberta Legislature
• Rules of Court

Legal Aid in the Public Eye: What is Being Said

This week’s EBulletin explores what has been said about legal aid in Alberta in recent weeks.

Regulatory Role Includes Active Participation in Justice System

New Legal Aid Governance Agreement Being Drafted

The Law Society has no direct control over, or participation in funding the legal aid program. However, the Law Society, by statute, is a party to the Legal Aid governance agreement with the Minister of Justice and the Legal Aid Society of Alberta. It also regulates individual lawyers who provide client services through Legal Aid, whether those lawyers are employees of the Legal Aid Society or members of the private bar.

A draft Legal Aid Alberta governance agreement has been sent to the Law Society's Executive Committee for their review.

The agreement is set to expire in Spring 2011. The draft agreement covers:

• Appointments to the board which governs Legal Aid, 
• The obligations of Legal Aid Alberta to deliver legal aid to disadvantaged Albertans through a legal aid plan, 
• The funding and audit of the legal aid plan, and 
• The independence of Legal Aid Alberta and of the legal counsel who provide services under the legal aid plan.

The Governance Agreement also provides for its renewal every five years, and the current agreement will expire on March 31, 2011.

This renewal gives the parties an opportunity to amend and improve the agreement, and to take into account changes which may have occurred in the previous five years. Each provision of the agreement is reviewed by a negotiating committee of representatives of Alberta Justice, Legal Aid Alberta and the Law Society of Alberta.

"Dwindling Funding has Law Society of Alberta Worried; Justice for All?"

Lethbridge Herald, Sept 30, 2010

>> Click Here

"Alberta’s law society tackles legal aid shortfall"

Lawyers Weekly, Oct 22, 2010

>> Click Here

"Legal aid cash crunch hugely frustrating; 6,000 people left without fee defense"

Calgary Herald, Oct 30, 2010

>> Click Here

Alberta Legislature

Legal Aid was a topic for the Oral Question Period on Oct. 25, 27, 28 and Nov. 2, & 4, 2010

http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?section=doc&p=han  

Rules of Court

The new Rules of Court came into force November 1, 2010. Please visit www.albertacourts.ca for the following:

• The Rules of Court forms
• MS Word versions of these forms prepared by the Legal Education Society of Alberta
• To provide comments on the new rules

The Advisory - Legal Aid in the News

The Advisory, Vol. 8, Issue 4, October 2010 is about Legal Aid in the News. This issue of the Advisory explores why Legal Aid Alberta is making the news again in Alberta. The Law Society has attempted to give voice in this issue to the differing perspectives in Alberta on the Legal Aid issues raised recently.

Printable Version

www.lawsociety.ab.ca
Law Society of Alberta
Calgary Office
Suite 500, 919 11th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2R 1P3
Phone: 403-229-4700

Edmonton Office
201 10060 Jasper Avenue,
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3R8
Phone: 780-429-3343

This email was created and delivered for the Law Society of Alberta using Industry Mailout