Major Cases Panel

Quality representation for Albertans dealing with complex matters

Legal Aid Alberta roster lawyers are invited to apply to join LAA’s Major Cases Panel. You can help ensure quality representation for clients who are charged with serious and complex criminal matters across Alberta.

Applications are open on April 14, 2023 until May 19, 2023.
  • Purpose and scope

    Legal Aid Alberta has created a dedicated panel of roster lawyers with significant experience, training, and interest in serious and complex criminal files.  Serious and complex criminal matters include matters where the client is:

    1. Facing criminal charges pursuant to section 469 of the Criminal Code.
    2. Is the subject of a Dangerous Offender or Long-Term Offender Application.
    3. Facing charges that LAA has determined are serious and complex enough to fall within the definition of “major case.”
    4. The appellant or respondent in a criminal appeal relating to the above (1)-(3).

    The goal of this panel is to help ensure lawyers receive the appropriate support, training and mentoring needed to work on these files.

    Panel members will receive priority when LAA offers certificates to roster lawyers in this service area where choice of counsel has been waived. While LAA reserves the right in extraordinary cases to appoint lawyers who are not on this panel, panel members are given first preference when LAA appoints a lawyer from the roster.

    This is a province-wide panel, and LAA will consider geographic service locations when assessing panel applications. Subject to any changes to LAA’s business needs, lawyers will initially be appointed to this panel for three years. Panel members may reapply before their term expires.

  • Reasons to apply

    Benefits

    • Increases the quality of representation for clients who are charged with serious and complex criminal matters across Alberta.
    • Allows a selected group of roster lawyers to gain extensive knowledge in serious and complex criminal matters.
    • Ability to develop expertise in serious and complex criminal matters.
    • Opportunities to be a mentor and share your experience in serious and complex criminal matters.
    • Opportunities to be mentored or supported by an experienced criminal lawyer.
  • What to expect

    1. Number of files

    The number of serious and complex criminal matters may vary substantially between geographic locations. At this time, LAA cannot estimate how many certificates are offered to panel members as this is dependent on how many lawyers are selected for the panel and where these lawyers practice law.

    LAA will only offer the certificate to a lawyer who does not belong to the panel if LAA is unable to find a panel lawyer willing to take the certificate in that specific geographic service location. Panel members are free to decline certificate offers.

    2. Three-year panel membership

    If you are selected, you will remain a member of the panel for three years. You are eligible to reapply for the panel when panel membership applications re-open in 2026. There is no limit on how long a lawyer can remain on the panel. If you are not selected for the panel, you can apply again in three years. In exceptional circumstances, LAA may accept applications for the panel outside of the application period.

    3. Training and education 

    If you are selected for the panel, LAA requires you to complete 8 hours of continuing legal education annually relating to serious and complex criminal matters. If lawyers reapply to the panel after their first term, we plan to give priority to lawyers who have completed this professional development.

  • Standards and competencies

    Major Cases Roster Panel Competencies (PDF)

    Major Cases Roster Panel Standards (PDF)

    These documents explain how the panel will operate and sets out the formal competencies we want in panel members. We are looking for roster lawyers who either have the following competencies or a plan to develop these competencies:

    1. Criminal Law Experience in Serious and Complex Cases section 469 of the Criminal Code of Canada, including conducting trials (judge alone and jury trials), pre-trial applications and contested sentencing hearings.
    2. Demonstrated experience and applied knowledge in working with vulnerable populations including Indigenous clients who make up a significant portion of LAA’s clientele.
    3. Demonstrated interest in mentoring junior lawyers in serious and complex cases.
    4. Commitment to Training and Continuing Legal Education in legal issues associated with serious and complex criminal matters.
  • Selection process

    LAA staff lawyers with experience in serious and complex criminal matters will review your application and decide whether to recommend you for the panel. Applications are confidential, but we may reach out to the references you mention in your application. LAA will balance several factors when deciding wo to select for the panel, including:

    • Whether you already have the competencies we are seeking.
    • If you do not have these competencies yet, whether you have a plan to develop them.
    • How many lawyers have applied to join the panel in different parts of the province.
    • The relative strengths of the roster lawyers applying to join the panel, and how well those lawyers have demonstrated their competencies.
    • How many certificates we expect to issue to the roster in parts of the where the applicants practice.
  • How to apply

    To apply for the Major Cases Panel:

    1. Save a copy of the application form.
    2. Complete the application form and email the application (and any additional attachments) to: [email protected]

    Application deadline: May 19, 2023 (late applications will not be accepted).

    Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2023.

    Next application period: May 2026.

  • Disclaimer

    The Major Cases Panel is not a certification of excellence or endorsement of a lawyer’s skills. If a lawyer is selected for the panel, LAA does not necessarily view the lawyer as an “expert” in criminal law.

    Similarly, if a lawyer is not selected for the panel, this does not reflect LAA’s views about whether that lawyer can competently represent a client who faces criminal charges.

    Lawyers who are selected for the panel must not mention their panel membership in their advertising materials.

  • Contact

    Questions?

    Email [email protected].

Purpose and scope

Legal Aid Alberta has created a dedicated panel of roster lawyers with significant experience, training, and interest in serious and complex criminal files.  Serious and complex criminal matters include matters where the client is:

  1. Facing criminal charges pursuant to section 469 of the Criminal Code.
  2. Is the subject of a Dangerous Offender or Long-Term Offender Application.
  3. Facing charges that LAA has determined are serious and complex enough to fall within the definition of “major case.”
  4. The appellant or respondent in a criminal appeal relating to the above (1)-(3).

The goal of this panel is to help ensure lawyers receive the appropriate support, training and mentoring needed to work on these files.

Panel members will receive priority when LAA offers certificates to roster lawyers in this service area where choice of counsel has been waived. While LAA reserves the right in extraordinary cases to appoint lawyers who are not on this panel, panel members are given first preference when LAA appoints a lawyer from the roster.

This is a province-wide panel, and LAA will consider geographic service locations when assessing panel applications. Subject to any changes to LAA’s business needs, lawyers will initially be appointed to this panel for three years. Panel members may reapply before their term expires.

Reasons to apply

Benefits

  • Increases the quality of representation for clients who are charged with serious and complex criminal matters across Alberta.
  • Allows a selected group of roster lawyers to gain extensive knowledge in serious and complex criminal matters.
  • Ability to develop expertise in serious and complex criminal matters.
  • Opportunities to be a mentor and share your experience in serious and complex criminal matters.
  • Opportunities to be mentored or supported by an experienced criminal lawyer.

What to expect

1. Number of files

The number of serious and complex criminal matters may vary substantially between geographic locations. At this time, LAA cannot estimate how many certificates are offered to panel members as this is dependent on how many lawyers are selected for the panel and where these lawyers practice law.

LAA will only offer the certificate to a lawyer who does not belong to the panel if LAA is unable to find a panel lawyer willing to take the certificate in that specific geographic service location. Panel members are free to decline certificate offers.

2. Three-year panel membership

If you are selected, you will remain a member of the panel for three years. You are eligible to reapply for the panel when panel membership applications re-open in 2026. There is no limit on how long a lawyer can remain on the panel. If you are not selected for the panel, you can apply again in three years. In exceptional circumstances, LAA may accept applications for the panel outside of the application period.

3. Training and education 

If you are selected for the panel, LAA requires you to complete 8 hours of continuing legal education annually relating to serious and complex criminal matters. If lawyers reapply to the panel after their first term, we plan to give priority to lawyers who have completed this professional development.

Standards and competencies

Major Cases Roster Panel Competencies (PDF)

Major Cases Roster Panel Standards (PDF)

These documents explain how the panel will operate and sets out the formal competencies we want in panel members. We are looking for roster lawyers who either have the following competencies or a plan to develop these competencies:

  1. Criminal Law Experience in Serious and Complex Cases section 469 of the Criminal Code of Canada, including conducting trials (judge alone and jury trials), pre-trial applications and contested sentencing hearings.
  2. Demonstrated experience and applied knowledge in working with vulnerable populations including Indigenous clients who make up a significant portion of LAA’s clientele.
  3. Demonstrated interest in mentoring junior lawyers in serious and complex cases.
  4. Commitment to Training and Continuing Legal Education in legal issues associated with serious and complex criminal matters.

Selection process

LAA staff lawyers with experience in serious and complex criminal matters will review your application and decide whether to recommend you for the panel. Applications are confidential, but we may reach out to the references you mention in your application. LAA will balance several factors when deciding wo to select for the panel, including:

  • Whether you already have the competencies we are seeking.
  • If you do not have these competencies yet, whether you have a plan to develop them.
  • How many lawyers have applied to join the panel in different parts of the province.
  • The relative strengths of the roster lawyers applying to join the panel, and how well those lawyers have demonstrated their competencies.
  • How many certificates we expect to issue to the roster in parts of the where the applicants practice.

How to apply

To apply for the Major Cases Panel:

  1. Save a copy of the application form.
  2. Complete the application form and email the application (and any additional attachments) to: [email protected]

Application deadline: May 19, 2023 (late applications will not be accepted).

Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2023.

Next application period: May 2026.

Disclaimer

The Major Cases Panel is not a certification of excellence or endorsement of a lawyer’s skills. If a lawyer is selected for the panel, LAA does not necessarily view the lawyer as an “expert” in criminal law.

Similarly, if a lawyer is not selected for the panel, this does not reflect LAA’s views about whether that lawyer can competently represent a client who faces criminal charges.

Lawyers who are selected for the panel must not mention their panel membership in their advertising materials.

Contact

Questions?

Email [email protected].

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