The Law Society of Alberta admission program requires completion of an eight- to 12-month articling term where you work with your principal to gain hands-on, practical experience in the profession. Your principal must be an active/practising member of the Law Society with a minimum of four years of active practice experience and must be approved by the Law Society as a suitable supervisor. Your principal can also be a judge or a justice.

The traditional article is with one principal for eight to 12 months. This can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, provided that the Law Society is aware of your arrangement. The Law Society also allows composite articles to complete the admission requirements.

The general process for articling is as follows:

1. Secure your articling position. The Law Society does not currently have a program to assist in finding an articling position for you.
2. Apply for student-at-law status through the Lawyer Portal. Please note that there is a fee for both application and admission for articling. The amount of this fee is subject to change annually and can be found on the Fee Schedule, where all current fee amounts are listed. This fee must be paid at the time you apply and is required as part of a complete application.
3. Enrol in the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) administered by the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED).You are not required to be approved as a student-at-law in advance of registering for the program and you can enrol in the program at any time. There is a tuition fee associated with the PREP program. Please contact PREP directly for information on paying for the program.
4. Complete your articles and the PREP program. Both components must be completed successfully prior to applying for enrolment as a member.
5. Apply for enrolment. There is no fee to apply for enrolment however annual membership fees and ALIA indemnity fees (if applicable) are due at the time you apply for enrolment. Please click here to view the fee schedule for information on membership fees and the ALIA indemnity levy.

Some of these steps may overlap or be completed simultaneously. View the links above for more information on each step.

The Practice Advisors are available to you for confidential professional advice regarding legal, ethical and practice concerns during this time.

Other Information About Articling

Certificate of Principal or Principal Certification

Your principal needs to certify your articles through the Lawyer Portal on the “My Students” page. If you applied prior to April 1, 2019 by submitting paper forms, a Certificate of Principal must be submitted by each principal you have articled with.

Changing Firms or Principals During Your Articling Term

If you change articling locations and/or principals during your articling term, you must file an Assignment of Articles of Clerkship and a new Education Plan. Your Assignment of Articles must be approved by the Law Society prior to working with your new firm or principal.

Complete and submit the following to change your articling location or principal:

• Assignment of Articles of Clerkship (Form 2-10)
• Education Plan (Form 2-5/2-6)
• Principal Certification through the Lawyer Portal (your principal must certify that all obligations under the Articling Agreement have been completed) or submit a Certificate of Principal (Form 2-12/2-13) if you applied prior to April 1, 2019.

Please submit this information by mail or email to the attention of Membership.

Approved Working Arrangement

You may remain working with your current principal for 90 days after your end date. If you will be working as a student-at-law beyond that period, you will need a supervisor and your supervisor will need to submit an undertaking to enter into an Approved Working Arrangement (see Rule 52). Alternatively, should your principal or supervisor change at any time, please contact Membership as soon as possible.

Termination of Articles

There are two ways for a student or principal to terminate articles:

1. A mutual termination would require the following:
   1. Joint letter of termination outlining that both parties agree to terminate and an effective date of termination. This must be signed by both student and principal.
   2. Principal Certification through the Lawyer Portal (your principal must certify that all obligations under the Articling Agreement have been completed) or submit a Certificate of Principal (Form 2-12/2-13) if you applied prior to April 1, 2019.
2. If you are unable to jointly apply for a termination, please contact Membership and provide an explanation by email. Once this has been received, more information will be provided. You must notify the other party in writing that the articling relationship has been terminated.