Equity & Diversity - Law Society of Alberta

The Law Society of Alberta established the Office of the Equity Ombudsperson to provide confidential advice, information and assistance to lawyers, articling students and support staff working in the legal profession on issues of discrimination or harassment by lawyers.

Resources

*Please note that the resources on this page are only as current as their date of publication. Some of the legislation, statistics, language and information may not be up to date. The primary content of the resources remains valuable for centring equity and diversity in your practice and assisting lawyers and firms in building more inclusive workplaces.

There is always an implicit bias in equity, diversity and inclusion materials and research. We welcome your input as we strive to recognize the assumptions inherent in our own work and the work of others. Thank you.

Equity and Diversity Materials
These are materials provided by the Law Society of Alberta through the office of the Equity Ombudsperson. These materials are intended as tools to assist firms when they develop their own internal policies. Firms are encouraged to adapt and tailor their policies to reflect their own structure and culture. *Firms should ensure their materials are updated as necessary to reflect changes in government legislation and policy.*
Respectful Workplace Model Policy (2019) Employer’s Guide Webinar
Guidelines for Drafting and Implementing Diversity and Equality Policy in Legal Workplaces & Sample Diversity and Equality Policy (2005)
Guidelines for Drafting and Implementing Violence Policy (2004)

Justicia Project
The Justicia Project is concluded. It was a voluntary program facilitated by the Law Society of Alberta aimed at retaining women lawyers and promoting diversity in the private practice of law. The materials below were developed by the Law Society of Alberta, in collaboration with the firms participating in the project. These materials are intended as tools to assist firms when they develop their own internal policies. Firms are encouraged to adapt and tailor their policies to reflect their own structure and culture. *Firms should ensure their materials are updated as necessary to reflect changes in government legislation and policy.*
Justicia Project Description
Flexible Work Arrangements Model Policy
Guide to Assist Firms in Policies re Associates
Guide to Assist Firms in Policies re Partners
New Parent Toolkit
Preparing for a Lawyers Pregnancy or Parental Leave Guide for Law Firms
Sample Pregnancy and Parental Leave Policy for Associates
Sample Pregnancy and Parental Leave Policy for Partners

Other Materials
The Law Society has provided links to the following materials which provide helpful information for law firms, organizations, lawyers and students-at-law. *Firms should ensure their materials are updated as necessary to reflect changes in government legislation and policy.*
Alberta Human Rights Commission: Pre-employment inquiries A recommended guide for pre-employment inquiries

Other Materials

The Law Society has provided links to the following materials which provide helpful information for law firms, organizations, lawyers and students-at-law.

Firms should ensure their materials are updated as necessary to reflect changes in government legislation and policy.

Alberta Human Rights Commission:

*Educational resources in this section are intended for the legal profession as an aid and are not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice. Readers must exercise their professional judgment about the accuracy, utility and applicability of the material. The Law Society of Alberta and Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (ALIA) accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions in any resource. If you find any information that is unclear, inaccurate or outdated, please send an email with details to Education.

Any third-party resources are suggested for information and reference only. The Law Society and ALIA are not responsible for the accuracy, content or information contained in these sites. Views expressed in these resources are the views of the authors individually and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Law Society or ALIA.