Who can vote?

Active members of the Law Society of Alberta, as of Oct. 20, 2026, are eligible to vote. Voters who become inactive after that date, due to a change in status, suspension, resignation or disbarment, will be removed from the eligible voter list.

Voting information will be emailed to the preferred email address on file with the Law Society. It will be emailed on Nov. 10, the day voting opens.

When can I vote?

Voting opens Nov. 10 and closes at 4:30 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time – GMT-07:00) on Nov. 17. Voting takes place on eBallot, an independent voting platform.

How many votes do I get?

There are 19 Bencher seats that must be filled in this election.  The Rules of the Law Society require representation from districts outside of Calgary and Edmonton. If an eligible nominee is the sole candidate from such district, they will be declared elected as a Bencher.

Each member will be entitled to select up to 19 Benchers, less the number of Benchers who are declared as a result of being the sole candidate from their district.

As set out in s.12(4) of the Legal Profession Act, a Bencher holding the position of President-Elect is considered an elected Bencher for the purpose of the election.  As such, Jim Lutz, KC’s name will appear at the top of the ballot solely to reflect that he is considered elected.

Can I vote for candidates who are not in my geographic region or district?

You can vote for any candidate whether or not they are in your geographic region or district.

Candidates are elected from all votes cast throughout the province, not just votes from voters in their region or district.

Can Articling Students Vote?

Only active lawyers (lawyers with Active – Indemnified, Active – In-House, Active – Non-Practising, Active – Part-time, Active – Pro Bono status) are eligible to vote. Articling Students are not eligible to vote.

How do I submit my nomination for the Bencher Election?

If you are considering running in this year’s election, please note that the online nomination form will be open from Sept. 29 – Oct. 13.

The nomination form includes the following required fields:

• Legal name
• Preferred name, if different from legal name
• Member ID
• Firm, organization or practice setting name
• Location of practice
• Location of residence
• Year of call
• Practice area(s)
• The names of two nominators who are active members of the Law Society of Alberta
• CV, in PDF format
• Headshot photo for use on the Bencher Election website in .jpg, .png or .gif format
• Candidate Statement, no more than 500 words in length

Additionally, each candidate will be required to collect the certifications of two active members of the Law Society of Alberta. The certification process is completed via the application through the Lawyer Portal.

Nominations must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 to be eligible for the election.

What is the time commitment for Benchers?

Benchers spend 300 – 500 hours each year on Law Society work. Benchers who chair committees and actively participate in adjudication work will be at the higher end of that range. Committee work is divided amongst the Benchers and external volunteers, and Benchers may sit on a number of committees and task forces in a given year.

How often do the Benchers meet?

The Benchers hold meetings five times each year, with four meetings held in Calgary and one meeting being an annual planning retreat in Jasper.

Committee meetings are typically held five times each year. Committees generally meet either toward the end of a working day (between 3-5 p.m.) or prior to the workday starting (7:45 a.m.), usually by videoconference.

What are Benchers' responsibilities regarding governance?

As a Board, the Benchers set the policy of the Law Society, enact rules pursuant to the Legal Profession Act, set standards of admission and practice, and carry out corporate responsibilities such as policy-making, business planning and budgeting.

• Benchers sit on a number of committees and task forces that may have adjudicative and policy making responsibilities.
• Committees are chaired by Benchers but may be comprised of Benchers, lawyers and members of the public.
• Benchers may be appointed as Law Society representatives or delegates to outside but related bodies. The Bencher appointed shall provide information or reports to and shall obtain direction from the Board as appropriate, to be determined by the Benchers or the Executive Committee at the time of appointment.

When exercising their governance function, Benchers are expected to:

• Abide by the Board Relations Norms;
• Attend and participate in Board meetings and meetings of committees to which they are appointed;
• Attend orientation and education sessions; and,
• Be familiar with materials provided in advance of general and committee meetings.

What are Benchers' responsibilities regarding adjudication?

Benchers are expected to participate in various adjudicative roles, including hearings on disciplinary matters, admission and membership matters, and Assurance Fund claims.

• Benchers will participate on panels made up of one, three, seven or 13 adjudicators, depending on the nature of the proceedings.
• While the duration of a proceeding varies, typically, most proceedings take one to four days.
• Benchers have decision writing responsibilities.
• Benchers are provided with adjudication training before participating in any adjudication work.

When exercising their adjudicative role, Benchers are expected to:

• accept appointments to hearing panels;
• act as Chair of those panels from time to time, and to write hearing decisions in a timely fashion;
• review and be familiar with materials;
• be conversant with the guidelines approved by the Benchers; and,
• act with fairness and in accordance with the principles of natural justice as a decision-maker in an administrative law context.

Benchers are provided with adjudication training before participating in any adjudication work.

Do the Benchers get paid?

The Benchers are volunteers and donate their time to regulate the profession. The President receives an honorarium.

The Law Society reimburses Benchers for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their duties, including attending board and committee meetings, hearings, and meetings with outside bodies.