Discontinuation of the Articling Placement Program
The Law Society of Alberta discontinued the Articling Placement Program (APP) effective October 6, 2026.
The APP was established to help articling students quickly move to a new articling placement if their existing placement became untenable due to discrimination or harassment. To help place students promptly, the program relied on the participation of volunteer firms and organizations open to accepting a student on short notice. Between its launch in February 2022 and the program’s pause in July 2025, the program received 88 inquiries. Of the 23 students who qualified, 12 secured placements through the program. While these placements helped some students continue their articles, the program could not consistently provide eligible students with placements when needed.
Feedback from both students and participating firms/organizations highlighted concerns about the efficacy of the APP. In response to this feedback, the Law Society considered ways to improve the program. However, placing qualified students became increasingly difficult, leaving students waiting months for placement. The Law Society ultimately determined that the program could not continue in its current form.
Students can continue to access the following supports and initiatives:
- Law Society’s Practice and Equity Advisors remain available for confidential conversations. Students can ask questions, discuss concerns, and gather information to discern their next steps.
- The Law Society’s Membership Department can help students terminate their articles by acting as a liaison between the student their principal or firm.
- Alberta Lawyers’ Assistance Society (Assist) provides access to 24/7 Crisis Counselling with an Assist senior-level Registered Psychologist by calling 1.877.498.6898. Assist provides four hours of counselling per person, per issue, per year to Alberta lawyers, students and dependent family members.
Note. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please consider calling 988 for the Suicide Crises Helpline. If you are or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.
While the Law Society does not help students find articling positions, the following programs provide job search support.
- The Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) Articling Assist program is a paid program that supports applicants at any stage of the qualification process.
- Calgary Regional Immigrant Employment Centre (CRIEC) provides mentorship and networking opportunities for immigrants in the Calgary region.
- Edmonton Regional Immigrant Employment Centre (ERIEC) provides mentorship and networking opportunities for immigrants in the Edmonton region.
The Law Society continues to explore other ways to support students during their articles. The Competencies for Entry to Legal Practice (CELP) initiative aims to better prepare students for legal practice by identifying and validating the knowledge and skills they need to be called to the bar. This joint project with Law Societies of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society seeks to make overall improvements to training, bar admission programs, and experiential learning.