Statement

I am seeking election to continue serving as a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta. I bring a record of legal practice, organizational leadership and public service, together with the perspective of a regional practitioner who understands that a Bencher’s responsibility extends across Alberta.

Called to the Alberta Bar in 1996, I practice with Stringam LLP in Lethbridge. My litigation practice includes estate, family, corporate shareholder, construction and professional negligence disputes. I have appeared at every level of court in Alberta and before courts in other Canadian jurisdictions. That experience gives me a practical appreciation of professional competence, sound judgment and the consequences legal processes have for clients and the public.

My governance experience includes service as managing partner and board chair at Stringam and its predecessor firm. I helped develop the firm’s regional expansion and negotiated its merger with Grande Prairie firm SGB LLP. My management responsibilities included oversight of offices across Alberta and in Saskatchewan; my board-chair responsibilities included ensuring that the board fulfilled its mandate under the partnership’s governing documents. Those roles required attention to strategic planning, practice management and the distinction between management and board oversight. Public service is another important part of my record. I served as a Magrath town councillor, on the Provincial Court Nominating Committee and on the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission.

I have served on the Alberta Judicial Nominating Committee since 2024 and as a Bencher since 2025. I have also contributed to professional education through presentations and papers for the Legal Education Society of Alberta. I understand Bencher service as a public-interest responsibility, not a mandate to advance the interests of a firm, district or particular group of lawyers. Regional experience is valuable because it adds perspective to that broader responsibility. I value preparation, active listening, respectful disagreement and objective assessment of evidence. Fairness requires attention to different perspectives; practical judgment requires an understanding of how decisions work beyond the boardroom. These are the qualities I consider important in regulatory governance. My candidacy rests on an established record in the courtroom, the boardroom and public service. I welcome the opportunity to continue contributing that experience at the Bencher table.