Alberta Law Libraries (ALL) promote informed engagement with the law, encouraging broad access to justice. ALL’s mission of providing access to the Law supports the Access to Justice initiatives in the province. The core values of ALL are Inclusion, Collaboration, Innovation, Accessibility, and Service Excellence. For example, the comprehensive collection of primary and secondary legal sources is open to lawyers, law students, judiciary, and the public. Additionally, copies of full text works may be requested as discussed in Access to the Law. Another example of access is the remote access to ..read more

This article was originally published in CBA Alberta's Law Matters publication on April 18, 2023. By: Ryan Fritsch ChatGPT is barely five months old but has already reframed how the profession discusses legal-tech and access to justice. And little wonder why. To paraphrase science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, the AI-powered text generator appears sufficiently advanced to be indistinguishable from magic. The latest version - ChatGPT4 - has already demonstrated its legal chops by scoring in the 90th percentile of the LSAT and Uniform Bar Exam. It can draft facta, contracts, custody settle ..read more

By: Melissa Luhtanen Access to Justice Week focuses our awareness on the significance of providing equal access to legal programs and services for every person. As a human rights lawyer, I am privileged to witness the transformative impact of pro bono work, especially when the Alberta Human Rights Commission collaborates with community partners. In this blog post, I will outline some of the programs that the Commission has initiated to work toward improving services for Albertans and fostering access to justice. Navigator The Tribunal has created a full-time Case Manager role to assist self ..read more

The Alberta Law Reform Institute (ALRI) is proud to be part of a legal community dedicated to improving how the justice system serves the people of Alberta. While ALRI does not directly extend pro bono services to individuals in the traditional sense, our vision for just and effective laws aims to reduce the challenges faced by individuals navigating their legal issues. Working towards this greater good would not be possible without the many members of the legal community who volunteer their time to our law reform projects. For over 55 years we have made recommendations in a wide range of leg ..read more

This article was originally published in CBA Alberta's Law Matters publication on February 20, 2020. By: Wayne Barkauskas, K.C. The downturn in Alberta's economy has impacted both clients and lawyers managing family law issues in many different ways. Not only have the practical issues change, including more bankruptcies and challenges in finding ways to address significant debt loads in the midst of asset bases that have eroded, but also in addressing barriers to dispute resolution that are event more significant for families with reduced financial resources. I was recently asked to do an i ..read more

This article was originally published in CBA Alberta's Law Matters publication on December 8, 2020. By: Elsa Ascencio I grew up in northwest Toronto in a vibrant community, filled with grandparents, immigrants, and blue-collar workers. Many were poor, including my family. My parents had immigrated to Canada from war-ridden El Salvador. They raised two daughters, and they taught my sister and me to dream big and dream for a better future for all generations. I did dream big - despite our low-income status, I wanted to go to law school and become an advocate for my community. I've seen firsth ..read more

This article was originally published in CBA Alberta's Law Matters publication on April 29, 2021. By: Koren Lightning-Earle It has been over a year since COVID-19 became a part of our everyday language and lives in Canada. I am sure we all remember where we were, who we were with and what we were doing when we first heard the phrase "stay home and stay safe." Thinking back, I had heard about Zoom, I had video conferenced into meetings on occasion, but nothing I could image would compare to what the future would bring. I quickly became best friends with Zoom, and now, can confidently add "Zoo ..read more

This article was originally published in CBA Alberta's Law Matters publication on November 9, 2021. By: The Hon. Judge Michelle Christoper I am delighted to have been asked to share my perspectives on life as a provincial court judge, particularly since I have now been a judge long enough to suppress the urge to stand up when the clerk calls out "all rise" and to back out of the courtroom when I depart, both remnants of my 30+ years as a litigator. I now travel the circuit of Alberta's southernmost region, which is comprise of the judicial districts of Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Seven cou ..read more

By: Chris Wiebe, Engel Law Office On July 5, 2021, in response to a recommendation from City Administration, Edmonton City Council voted unanimously to pass Bylaw 19782, which repealed the anti-loitering provision from Bylaw 8353 (the Conduct of Transit Passengers bylaw. The anti-loitering provision used to read: “[a] person shall not loiter on Transit Property or in a Transit Vehicle for longer than required to reach their destination.” To me, the repeal of the anti-loitering provision was welcome news. In December 2019, while working at Student Legal Services of Edmonton (SLS), I co-wrote ..read more

By: Justice Sector Constellation One of the reasons for an Access to Justice Week is that many people lack knowledge about how to address legal issues and where to find legal information. Also, people are often not aware of how legal issues may be related to other life challenges, or of the societal cost of unresolved legal issues.   The Justice Sector Constellation is a collective impact initiative that brings together justice sector administration, service providers and stakeholders to address systemic issues within the justice sector. The mission of the Constellation is to intervene at ..read more