Statement

https://www.dentons.com/en/afshan-naveed

Service has always been important to me. I was raised with a strong sense of responsibility to my community and a belief that giving back is both a privilege and an obligation.

My path into the profession was not a straight line. After earning a B.A. at the University of Calgary, I studied law at the University of Edinburgh, was admitted as a solicitor in Scotland and then returned home to requalify through the National Committee on Accreditation. Over fourteen years at Dentons Canada LLP, I have grown from articling student to partner. My insolvency and restructuring practice has taught me to balance competing interests, ask difficult questions and find practical solutions to complex problems. I bring that same approach to governance.

Since February 2025, I have served as a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta. The role asks a great deal: hundreds of hours each year devoted to committee work, adjudication and policy deliberation. It has also given me a deeper understanding of how the Law Society serves both Albertans and the legal profession. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue as a Bencher.

The Law Society exists to protect the public interest in the administration of justice. I have seen that mandate carried out at the Bencher table, on the Audit & Finance Committee and on the committees on which all Benchers sit, including Credentials and Education, Practice Review and Trust Safety. I have also served on Conduct, Complaint Dismissal Appeal and Reinstatement panels and conducted Mandatory Conduct Advisory Meetings.

This work has reinforced for me that effective regulation must be fair to lawyers, proportionate to risk and worthy of the public’s trust. Self-regulation is a privilege, and it carries a responsibility to exercise it thoughtfully.

Service to the profession and the broader community has been a constant throughout my career. I have always believed that lawyers have a responsibility to contribute to the communities we serve, and I have acted on that belief as an articling principal, a mentor to students and young lawyers, a pro bono volunteer and a community board member. Serving as a Bencher has been a meaningful extension of that commitment, and I would be grateful for your support to continue it.