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What are Locums?
Although the idea of legal locums is relatively new in Canada, their use is well-established in Australia, Britain and the USA, as well as in other professions.
As a law firm or organization, a locum can help you with a variety of tasks, including:
- overseeing all facets of your practice while you’re away;
- working on particular files or projects;
- providing you with help during peak periods or backlogs, when hiring an associate for a full-time position isn’t warranted or feasible;
- assisting on a big trial or closing; and
- conducting research, e-discovery or document review.
As someone looking for a locum position, you can benefit from this type of work wherever you are in your career.
- As a new professional, you can gain valuable experience in a variety of fields and work settings.
- As senior counsel with extensive experience, locum placements can function as a stepping-stone to eventual retirement.
- If you are returning from a break in work (parental leave, sabbatical or in between jobs), a locum placement can get you in the door and develop into a full-time position.
- In all cases, a temporary locum placement offers greater flexibility.
Locum Connect Overview
To respond to these needs, the Law Society of Alberta has established Locum Connect. Locum Connect is a program that connects lawyers with potential employers from across Alberta. We give law firms and organizations the opportunity to search our listing of locum candidates who may be able to provide support on short notice.
If you would like to submit a locum opportunity or participate as a locum, please view the information below.
How It Works
If you are a law firm or organization you can:
- Browse the listing of locum candidates currently available and request a candidate. You will be provided with further information about the candidates you request including contact details; and/or
- Register a new locum opportunity.
If you are available to work as a locum:
- Register as a locum candidate to be included on the locum listing and/or
- Browse the opportunity listing and inquire about an opportunity.
Please note: The Law Society does not vet candidates or firms or organizations, or participate in any of the subsequent negotiations or terms of engagement.
Requesting information about a candidate or opportunity does not notify the candidate or potential employer of your interest. Our program coordinator will provide you with contact information and you can reach out if you are interested.
Any lawyer who is, or is eligible to be, an active, insured member of the Law Society of Alberta can ask to be added to Locum Connect. Similarly, any member of the Law Society of Alberta can hire a locum through Locum Connect.
That said, it is important to note that the use of Locum Connect does not guarantee a placement. Listings can be withdrawn from Locum Connect at any time upon request.
For questions, comments or concerns, please email Locum Connect or call us at 403.229.4700 (1.800.661.9003).
Resources
- Locum Connect Handbook
- Top 10 Tips For Surviving as a Locum
- Working with Locums
- Busy Isn’t Respectable Anymore
Locum Connect FAQ
Any active and indemnified member of the Law Society of Alberta can register as a locum candidate. Often, locum candidates are:
- recently admitted or transitioning between jobs;
- recently retired or easing their way into retirement;
- short-term employees;
- independent contractors;
- full-time or part-time; or
- perform their work on-site or remotely.
To register as a locum candidate, complete the register as a locum form.
Organizations looking for locum candidates may be sole practitioners, small, medium or large firms or companies with in-house legal departments. They may have general or highly specialized practices, and they may be located in large urban areas or a variety of rural settings. To view a listing of all of the current locum opportunities, visit the locum opportunities listing.
The terms of a candidate’s engagement can vary significantly to reflect your needs and availability. You might want to hire a locum to:
- oversee all facets of your practice while you are away;
- assist on a big trial, e-discovery, do research or conduct document review;
- support one or multiple lawyers in your firm;
- provide help during peak periods when hiring a lawyer for a full-time position isn’t warranted or feasible; and/or
- work until a particular file or project is concluded, you return to work, or may be open-ended.
The Locum Connect program provides benefits to both locum candidates and the organizations that engage them.
- Lawyers who hire locums enjoy a better work/life balance by being able to step away from their practice when needed or desired (vacations, sabbaticals, attendance at conferences, other CLE events, disciplinary suspensions, medical leaves, parental leaves, etc.).
- Clients continue to receive legal service during a lawyer’s absence and despite temporary increases in workload.
- The organization gets to evaluate potential new associates without having to make a long-term commitment.
- Encourages lawyers to remain in the profession by giving them room for family, child rearing and community activities.
- Improves access to justice by allowing lawyers to work in alternative work arrangements (short-term, part-time, remote, task-based, etc.).
- Provides candidates with opportunities to travel and experience different legal communities and practice styles.
- Lets candidates see firsthand what works well and what to avoid.
- Helps candidates make better choices concerning setting up their own practices, deciding whether to join an existing practice or start their own, and where to live.
- Supports the needs of communities lacking access to legal counsel.
- Enables junior lawyers to earn a good income without committing to long term obligations or when they may not have the capital to start a legal practice.
- Enables lawyers who may not be able to work full-time to continue practicing by taking on or serving as a locum.
- Provides senior lawyers with an opportunity to remain engaged before moving to full retirement.
Locum opportunities will remain on our website for one year or until we are advised the position is no longer available. If we have not been contacted after a year, an email is sent to the firm/organization inviting them to renew their entry and confirming that it will be removed otherwise. Listings can also be withdrawn from Locum Connect at any time upon request.
Locum candidate postings remain on our website for one year or until the candidate tells us they are no longer available. If we have not been contacted after a year, an email is sent to the candidate inviting them to renew their posting if they wish. Listings can also be withdrawn from Locum Connect at any time upon request.
No. The use of Locum Connect does not guarantee a placement for either the organization or the candidate.
No. The Law Society of Alberta does not warrant the credentials or suitability of candidates or organizations listed in Locum Connect. All participants must do their own due diligence to determine the suitability of any potential matches.
No. Remuneration and other terms of engagement are matters between the candidate and the organization that engages them.
Any active and indemnified member of the Law Society of Alberta can register as a locum candidate. Often, locum candidates are:
- recently admitted or transitioning between jobs;
- recently retired or easing their way into retirement;
- short-term employees;
- independent contractors;
- full-time or part-time; or
- perform their work on-site or remotely.
To register as a locum candidate, complete the register as a locum form.
Organizations looking for locum candidates may be sole practitioners, small, medium or large firms or companies with in-house legal departments. They may have general or highly specialized practices, and they may be located in large urban areas or a variety of rural settings. To view a listing of all of the current locum opportunities, visit the locum opportunities listing.
The terms of a candidate’s engagement can vary significantly to reflect your needs and availability. You might want to hire a locum to:
- oversee all facets of your practice while you are away;
- assist on a big trial, e-discovery, do research or conduct document review;
- support one or multiple lawyers in your firm;
- provide help during peak periods when hiring a lawyer for a full-time position isn’t warranted or feasible; and/or
- work until a particular file or project is concluded, you return to work, or may be open-ended.
The Locum Connect program provides benefits to both locum candidates and the organizations that engage them.
- Lawyers who hire locums enjoy a better work/life balance by being able to step away from their practice when needed or desired (vacations, sabbaticals, attendance at conferences, other CLE events, disciplinary suspensions, medical leaves, parental leaves, etc.).
- Clients continue to receive legal service during a lawyer’s absence and despite temporary increases in workload.
- The organization gets to evaluate potential new associates without having to make a long-term commitment.
- Encourages lawyers to remain in the profession by giving them room for family, child rearing and community activities.
- Improves access to justice by allowing lawyers to work in alternative work arrangements (short-term, part-time, remote, task-based, etc.).
- Provides candidates with opportunities to travel and experience different legal communities and practice styles.
- Lets candidates see firsthand what works well and what to avoid.
- Helps candidates make better choices concerning setting up their own practices, deciding whether to join an existing practice or start their own, and where to live.
- Supports the needs of communities lacking access to legal counsel.
- Enables junior lawyers to earn a good income without committing to long term obligations or when they may not have the capital to start a legal practice.
- Enables lawyers who may not be able to work full-time to continue practicing by taking on or serving as a locum.
- Provides senior lawyers with an opportunity to remain engaged before moving to full retirement.
Locum opportunities will remain on our website for one year or until we are advised the position is no longer available. If we have not been contacted after a year, an email is sent to the firm/organization inviting them to renew their entry and confirming that it will be removed otherwise. Listings can also be withdrawn from Locum Connect at any time upon request.
Locum candidate postings remain on our website for one year or until the candidate tells us they are no longer available. If we have not been contacted after a year, an email is sent to the candidate inviting them to renew their posting if they wish. Listings can also be withdrawn from Locum Connect at any time upon request.
No. The use of Locum Connect does not guarantee a placement for either the organization or the candidate.
No. The Law Society of Alberta does not warrant the credentials or suitability of candidates or organizations listed in Locum Connect. All participants must do their own due diligence to determine the suitability of any potential matches.
No. Remuneration and other terms of engagement are matters between the candidate and the organization that engages them.