 Message from the President: Charting the Course
By Doug Mah, QC, President, Law Society of Alberta
Regulating the legal profession in the public interest and promoting access to justice for all Albertans comprise the Law Society’s key themes and core work in 2011.
The Executive Committee* has set this year’s course by establishing the following priorities and expected outcomes for 2011:
1. Conduct Process: Continuation of the work begun last year to improve the complaint and discipline process to make it more responsive, efficient, fair and transparent.
2. Alternate Delivery of Legal Services: Completing the study begun in 2009 that examines the role of independent non-lawyer legal service providers and supervised paralegals within law offices in enhancing legal service delivery to ordinary Albertans.
3. Model Code Implementation: Developing and implementing communication and education plans for the profession in anticipation of the new Model Code of Conduct coming into effect.
4. Governance: Developing policies and practices that will balance the Law Society’s evolving role as a modern business organization with its statutory role as regulator and adjudicator.
5. Legal Aid Advocacy: Continuing the Law Society’s role as an advocate for the proper funding of Alberta’s legal aid system.
6. Enhanced Regulatory Programs: Completing the implementation of the Trust Safety program and developing a Continuing Competence Framework to improve the safety and quality of legal services offered by the legal profession to the public.
The work associated with advancing the goals of the Law Society’s Strategic Plan requires the collaborative efforts of the Benchers, staff, lawyer volunteers, the legal profession and the Courts, the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, Alberta Justice and other justice system stakeholders. I look forward to working with all of you in the coming year.
* Doug Mah QC (President), Steve Raby QC (President-Elect), Dale Spackman QC, Carsten Jensen QC, Kevin Feth QC, Jim Eamon QC, Wayne Jacques (public representative)
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