Reinstating your Membership

An application for reinstatement is required for:

• Inactive lawyers who wish to become active, this includes those seeking pro bono status
• Active, undertaking n­­­­ot to practice lawyers who are seeking to resume practicing
• Suspended lawyers who wish to reinstate to active or inactive status
• Former members (former judges and resigned lawyers) wishing to resume membership in the Law Society

To apply for reinstatement, please submit the following applications and required fees:

• Application for Reinstatement (Form 4-1.1)
• Application by a Former Judge for Reinstatement (Form 4-2) (to be completed by former judges only)
• Application by a Former Member for Reinstatement (Form 4-3) (to be completed by former members only)
• Reinstatement fee (fee schedule) payable to the Law Society of Alberta (making a payment)

*Please note, if you are applying for reinstatement as a former judge or former lawyer, we require the Application for Reinstatement (Form 4-1.1) in addition to Forms 4-2 or 4-3.

Complete Disclosure

If you have responded “yes” to any of the questions listed on your reinstatement application, you must provide full disclosure and include all official documentation. Please include court documents, bankruptcy discharge documentation and/or medical reports.

Certificate of Standing

Please provide certificates of standing from each governing body you are or have been a member, in or outside of Canada (excluding Alberta).

Referrals

If you have practiced law or articled for periods totaling less than 12 out of the 48 months immediately preceding the date on which your application for reinstatement is received by the Law Society, your application may be referred to the Credentials and Education Committee for determination. See Rule 118(1)(a) and/or contact Membership Services for more information.

Additional materials you may wish to consider submitting with your application if you have practiced for less than 12 out of the past 48 months are:

• A Continuing Professional Development Plan (CPD)
• Confirmation of completion of LESA online courses including the Code of Conduct, Trust Accounting Fundamentals and Trust Accounting for Responsible Lawyers.
• Confirmation that you have reviewed the Practice Fundamentals in the areas you wish to practice
• If you intend to start a solo practice, confirmation that you have reviewed the Law Society’s webinar on “The Goods on Going Solo”.
• Consider finding a mentor to assist you in your return to practice and provide a letter from the mentor confirming their support.

Referral to Other Law Society Committees

Your application may be referred to the Conduct Committee and/or the Practice Review Committee. See Rule 118 for more information.

Please send the necessary forms by mail or email to the attention of Membership Services.

Disbarred lawyers and lawyers who resigned their membership while facing disciplinary proceedings must review Part IV, Division 1 of the Rules. Please note that special provisions apply as these applications do not follow the same process as those noted above. These applicants must contact Membership Services for more information.

Membership Refund

If you are an active member when applying for inactive or retired membership status, or are resigning your membership, you may be entitled to receive a pro-rated refund of your active membership fee. Please review the Membership Refund Policy.

Becoming Inactive

If you wish to remain a member of the Law Society of Alberta and will not be practicing law, you can apply for Inactive status online through the Lawyer Portal by submitting:

• A Non-Practising application
• If you are a responsible lawyer, you must attach and submit proof that your trust account has been closed
• If you are in private practice you must provide file handling information

Follow the step-by-step instructions in our User Guide here.

Once the Law Society has reviewed your application, you will receive an email outlining any further requirements related to your status change. Any applicable invoices will be available in your Lawyer Portal account.

If you are an active member electing to change you status to inactive, you may be eligible to receive a pro-rated refund of your active membership fee.

Please note that refunds on indemnity levies paid will not be available to lawyers leaving private practice during the policy year.

As an inactive member, you will continue to receive Law Society materials and are still entitled to act as a Notary Public. You cannot practice law or provide any legal advice, nor are you eligible for nomination to become a Bencher or vote in Bencher elections. You are not required to submit a Member Information Update Form (MIUF); however, you are required to renew your inactive membership annually. Should you wish to practice law or provide legal advice, you must apply for reinstatement and pay the required reinstatement application fee.

Inactive Membership Status

As an inactive member, you will continue to receive Law Society materials and you are entitled to act as a Notary Public. You are not entitled to practise law, nor are you eligible for nomination to become a Bencher or vote in Bencher elections.

Active, Undertaking not to Practice Law

If you wish to remain an active member of the Law Society of Alberta and will not be practicing law, you can apply for Active, Non-Practising status online through the Lawyer Portal by submitting:

• A Non-Practising application
• If you are a responsible lawyer, you must attach and submit proof that your trust account has been closed
• If you are in private practice you must provide file handling information

Follow the step-by-step instructions in our User Guide here.

Once the Law Society has reviewed your application, you will receive an email outlining any further requirements related to your status change.

 Please note that refunds on indemnity levies paid will not be available to lawyers leaving private practice during the policy year.

As an active non-practising member, you cannot practice law or provide any legal advice. You are required to pay the annual active membership fee; however, you are exempt from paying the Professional Liability Indemnity Levy. You must complete and submit a Member Information Update Form (MIUF) annually. Should you wish to practice law or provide legal advice, you must apply for reinstatement; however, you are exempt from paying the reinstatement fee.

Applying to Become a Retired Member

If you have been an active member of the Law Society of Alberta, a Judge or a Master in Chambers for at least 25 years, or 70 years of age, you can apply to become a retired member.

To apply for retired membership status, please submit the following documents:

• Election to Become an Inactive Member Form (Form 2-20)
• Election to Transfer to Retired Membership Form (Form 2-20 Companion Form)

You can submit this request by mail or email to Membership Services.

Retired Membership Status

As a retired member, you will not receive Law Society communications, including notices to the profession and publications, unless required by the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta, the Legal Profession Act or specified by the Board (Benchers). As a retired member, you can act as a Notary Public. You are not entitled to practise law, nor are you eligible for nomination to become a Bencher or vote in Bencher elections.

Part-time Membership Status

Lawyers can now participate in the part-time membership pilot by selecting part-time status through the Lawyer Portal. View the Lawyer Status Change Guide.

How do you participate?

Lawyers who are currently active can select part-time status directly through the Lawyer Portal by certifying that they meet the part-time requirements.

Lawyers who are currently inactive, retired or active undertaking not to practice law and want to practise part-time should:

1. Review the rules for reinstatement (Rules of the Law Society of Alberta 115-118) to evaluate the requirements needed to reinstate;
2. Submit an Application for Reinstatement; and,
3. Select part-time status through the Lawyer Portal.

Students who applied online on or after April 1, 2019 who want to practise part-time can select part-time status through the Lawyer Portal once they are eligible to complete their bar call ceremony. Students who applied with a paper application will need to contact Membership to change their status to part-time.

View this how-to guide on how to change your status using the Lawyer Portal.

Upon receiving approval of part-time status from the Law Society, lawyers must track their hours and billable tasks to ensure they meet the part-time requirements.

What are the part-time requirements?

After extensive engagement with the profession, part-time membership has been defined as a lawyer in private practice who works fewer than 20 hours per week on average and fewer than 750 hours per year in total on billable tasks, excluding pro bono work, and has gross billings of less than $90,000 per year globally. Lawyers who choose part-time membership status will pay half of the full-time membership fee. The full indemnity levy still applies to part-time membership.

Read the FAQ for more information.

Resigning Your Membership

To resign your Law Society membership, you must close your trust accounts and complete and submit an Application to Resign Form (Form 2-21).

If you are applying for resignation while facing conduct proceedings, you must apply to resign under Rule 92. If you are applying for resignation and are not facing conduct proceedings, you must apply to resign under Rule 69. All applications for resignation will be reviewed by the Benchers.

Please send the necessary forms by mail or email to the attention of Membership Services.

Withdrawal from Practice

If you are closing your practice, you are required to notify the Law Society of the disposition of your client files. This information is requested on the inactive application form.

If your law firm’s trust account and financial records are closed, please submit a final Law Firm Self-Report and final Accountant’s Report. For more information about closing your trust account, please review Part 5 of the Rules.

Contact Information Changes

Lawyers and students must notify the Law Society of any change to their contact information, including email addresses, business and residential addresses and phone number(s). The Rules of the Law Society of Alberta require prompt disclosure of this information immediately after any changes.

Business Contact Change

If the location of your office has changed please provide the new address, inclusive of office telephone and fax numbers, to Membership@lawsociety.ab.ca.

You can submit changes to your business contact information including email addresses and direct phone number(s) through the Lawyer Portal. To update your business address, log into the Lawyer Portal, then select My Profile from the dropdown menu. Select the Business Location tab to submit your changes.

Responsible Lawyers must provide proof of trust account closure or designate a new Responsible Lawyer prior to leaving and/or closing their practice. Please contact Trust Safety to determine requirements.

If this business contact change results in an indemnity coverage change, you must submit an application for a status change through the Lawyer Portal. To update your status, log into the Lawyer Portal, then select My Applications from the dropdown menu. Please refer to our User Guide for more information and complete the step-by-step instructions.

Once the Law Society has reviewed your application, you will receive an email outlining any further requirements related to your business contact information and/or status change.

Personal Contact Change

Your personal contact information can be updated anytime by logging into the Lawyer Portal and selecting My Profile from the dropdown menu.

By updating your business contact information, you allow the Law Society to communicate with you on a timely basis (Rule 45.1). Your personal contact information will not be shared with the public.