Letter from the President, Bud Melnyk, KC
The 2026 Bencher Election will be held from Nov. 10 to 17, 2026, and those elected will serve a three-year term beginning on March 4, 2027. As the election approaches, I encourage all active lawyers in Alberta to participate in the election. Nominations for the 2026 Bencher Election open Sept. 29, 2026 and close on Oct. 13.
Serving as a Bencher is an important opportunity to uphold the Law Society’s mandate to regulate the legal profession in the public interest. Specifically, the Law Society’s purpose is set out in the Legal Profession Act as follows:
To uphold and protect the public interest in the administration of justice by:
- ensuring the independence, integrity, competence and ethical conduct of lawyers;
- establishing standards, programs and education and training with respect to the competence, ethical conduct and professional responsibility of lawyers and students-at-law;
- regulating the practice of law; and,
- supporting and assisting lawyers and students-at-law in fulfilling their duties in the practice of law.
The Law Society is a statutory body but operates independently of the government. To exercise their fiduciary duty, Benchers should not advance personal, political or practice-specific agendas. Their role is to bring sound judgment, thoughtful analysis and a clear understanding of the Law Society’s statutory mandate to the Board table while overseeing the advancement of the Bencher-approved strategic priorities.
Read the full letter to learn about what competencies are needed at the Board table and why every Alberta lawyer’s vote counts.