Benefits to firms by encouraging junior lawyers’ to with Legal Aid Alberta:

• Your lawyers will be introduced to new areas of law; therefore enhancing their knowledge base
• Access to mentors to assist them in building their knowledge base
• They will get trial experience that is hard to come by early in their career, and could benefit the firm with greater litigation experience.
• You can count on receiving payment for their work every time!
• The firm benefits from a reputation of actively giving back to society.
• Students can now take their own cases and there is no longer a limit on the number of hours they can do on a lawyer’s Certificate.

Lawyers who participate in legal aid share in common belief in the importance of good quality representation and advice at all levels to those who could otherwise not afford it. They have chosen to commit themselves to legal aid work despite the current lack of financial reward, because they want to provide a good quality public service within the justice system. They believe that without access to justice, there can be no justice at all.

• help junior lawyers “learn the ropes”
• Assist senior lawyers with cases that may require your expertise.
• Meet new colleagues and build a social network.
• Help new lawyers build confidence, and feel more competent
• Allow others to learn and practice in different areas of law

Sign up to be a mentor:

Thank you for your interest in participating in the LAA mentorship program. Mentoring is one of the many ways for Alberta lawyers to provide access to justice to Albertans, by participating in supporting lawyers who take on LAA cases.

Types of Mentoring at LAA

Legal Aid Alberta is looking for Mentors to participate in one or both of the following ways:

One–on-One Mentoring: Local rosters of mentors facilitate the establishment of mentoring relationships for lawyers unable to access expert advice from a senior practitioner through informal mentoring or within his/her own firm.

On-line Mentoring: LAA is now hosting on-line mentoring by providing advice by e-mail within a 48 hour time-frame. To ensure quality advice an approved list of mentors will provide peer advice via e-mail to certificate lawyers who submit questions regarding practice and certificate related matters. LAA staff lawyers will receive questions and contact lawyers on the mentor roster to ensure their availability, and forward the question on a rotating basis, to prevent excessive demands on a mentor’s time.

Mentor requirements

• Must have been practicing law for at least 10 years following call to the Bar, and have at least 50% of their practice in the area of law in which they are offering Mentorship. However, putative Mentors with less experience could ask to be recognized as Mentors under special circumstances.  (for example, a lawyer whose practice is focused on Immigration law may be able to effectively mentor with less than 10 years experience).
• Mentors will be confirmed by a Committee (typically by an email vote) composed of Legal Aid staff lawyers.  The purpose of the confirmation is to ensure all Mentors meet the above criteria.

To find our more information or sign-up for the Mentoring program, contact mentorship@legalaid.ab.ca

The Mentorship Relationship

The Legal Aid Alberta Roster Manager will be responsible for identifying a suitable Mentor/Mentee match, and for facilitating the introduction of the Mentor and Mentee by providing appropriate contact information. 

The Mentee would be required to execute a standardized release document and the Mentor and Mentee would be asked to write an agreement (email or written) outlining the terms of their mentorship relationship.  LAA’s only involvement thereafter would be to intervene in the event of any difficulties.

Scope of the mentorship relationship

Mentorship Agreement