The Law Society launched the Indigenous Cultural Competency Education requirement called The Path (Law Society of Alberta) – Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada for all Alberta lawyers on April 21, 2021. Alberta lawyers have until Thursday, Oct. 20. 2022 (18 months) to complete the course or certify eligibility for an exemption.

For those lawyers who became active or changed to active status following the launch date, the 18-month timeline is effective from the date the lawyer becomes active. Lawyers can find their due date for completing the mandatory education requirement in their Lawyer Portal.

If intending on filing an exemption, lawyers are encouraged to do so before Aug. 31, to allow enough time for the exemption review process (see FAQ).

To date, approximately 2,400 lawyers have completed The Path (Law Society of Alberta) with about another 1,300 currently enrolled. Of those lawyers who have taken the course so far, 93 per cent have given it an overall rating of good, very good or excellent. Also, 90 per cent strongly agreed or agreed that it increased their knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultural awareness.

“My knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Culture is significantly limited. This course has given me a significantly enhanced understanding, especially of many of the historic claims and of the events which preceded the actions and demonstrations which we see in the mainstream media.” -post-course completion survey response from Alberta Lawyer.

Providing Alberta lawyers with shared Indigenous Cultural Competency Education is part of our responsibility to educate ourselves on issues relevant to the communities where we live and practise law. Lawyers are encouraged to set aside the time to complete the course sooner rather than later to avoid last-minute issues that may delay course completion. Lawyers who do not complete the course by their due date are subject to administrative suspension.

How to Get Started

Specifics about how to register for The Path (Law Society of Alberta), program details and background information can be found on the Law Society website or in this How-To-Guide for instructions on registration. There are important steps included to help you receive your certificate of completion and ensure your course completion is logged in the Lawyer Portal.

The Path (Law Society of Alberta) is a five-hour series of online modules with videos and quizzes. Alberta lawyers can do the course all at once or in stages. We hope that all Alberta lawyers take this opportunity to gain a basic understanding of Indigenous history and issues in Canada, and Alberta.