News

World Mental Health Day is on Thursday, October 10, and the theme “Mental Health at Work” could not be more relevant for members of the legal profession. Lawyers are more likely to suffer from higher levels of psychological distress than the rest of the Canadian working population, and CBA Alberta is committed to working towards a healthier legal profession for all.

The Manitoba Bar Association is deeply concerned by the removal of NDP MLA Mark Wasyliw from caucus, which has been linked to his association with criminal defence lawyers. This decision raises serious concerns about the role and perception of defence lawyers in our justice system. 

CBA Alberta was pleased to receive notice of the successful signing of a new governance agreement for Legal Aid Alberta. This milestone is a testament to the collective efforts and commitment of the Government of Alberta, Legal Aid Alberta and the Law Society of Alberta; and it underscores the shared dedication of stakeholders across the legal profession to ensuring that legal aid services remain accessible for all Albertans.

Robert D.L. Bassett of Calgary, begins his year-long term as the President of the Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch, which represents over 5,400 lawyers, justices, legal academics and law students in Alberta. He succeeds Kyle Kawanami, K.C. of Edmonton, who remains on the Board of Directors as Past President.

Steve Levitt has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Bar Association, effective November 4, 2024.

CBA Alberta is extremely concerned about the recent announcement of the expiration of the Legal Aid Alberta governance agreement.

On behalf of the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch and our 5,400 members across the province, I extend my heartfelt congratulation to the Honourable Kent Davidson on his appointment as Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta.

Congratulations to the successful candidates in the 2024 Board election! The following new members will join the CBA Alberta Board of Directors on September 1, 2024 and start two-year terms: Jonathan Griffith (Law Society of Alberta, Calgary); Sifa Serushago (Duke Law, St. Paul); Michael Thorne (Brownlee LLP, Calgary); and Sierra Yanush (Bell & Stock LLP, Calgary).

Mental Health Week 2024 runs from May 6 – 12, and this year’s theme is “A Call to be Kind”. Because kindness so often starts with self-care, CBA Alberta and our partners at Assist and other CBA branches around the country have curated a selection of programming that gives you the tools to thrive in your career and personal life.

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA), in collaboration with Thomson Reuters, have released the inaugural State of the Canadian Law Firm Market and Canadian Government Lawyers Benchmark reports. These reports offer insights into how firms and government lawyers assess and measure their success, goals, risks, and challenges in today’s legal landscape.