Recruiting Firms and Organizations for the Articling Placement Program

The Articling Placement Program (the program) assists articling students who are in unsafe or untenable articles due to harassment or discrimination with exiting their articles. The Equity Ombudsperson determines the student’s eligibility for the program and subsequently places the student at a roster firm/organization to complete the remainder of their articles.

Since the launch of the program, the Law Society has received positive feedback from both principals and articling students, demonstrating the value and continued need for the program.

The Law Society is seeking to increase the roster of firms and organizations that can provide students with replacement articles. We hope to increase the diversity of environments that students can complete articles in after leaving an unsafe or untenable article. Firms of various sizes as well as legal departments in corporate and government settings are encouraged to apply. Firms and organizations that are interested in participating can review the criteria for the program and submit an application to be enrolled on the Roster Firm/Organization list.

If your firm or organization would like to learn more about the program, please visit our website or contact the Equity Ombudsperson.

Supreme Court of Canada Appointment Process 2023

On June 20, 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada opened the process to select the next justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, and fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Russell Brown on June 12, 2023.

The Advisory Board’s Terms of Reference stipulate that, in establishing a list of three to five qualified and functionally bilingual candidates, members must seek to support the Government of Canada’s efforts to achieve a gender-balanced Supreme Court of Canada that also reflects the diversity of members of Canadian society, including Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of ethnic, linguistic and other minority communities, including those whose gender identity or sexual orientation differs from that of the majority.

In recognition of the convention of regional representation, this process is open to candidates from Western Canada and Northern Canada, that is British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan Manitoba, and Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

The Advisory Board encourages members of the legal profession to identify any qualified candidates and to submit an application through the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada.

The deadline to file an application for appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada is July 21, 2023, at 23:59 PDT.

View the full announcement for more information about the process. 

Iris Barry Yake Robe Bank Seeking Robe Donations

The Iris Barry Yake Robe Bank has had enthusiastic uptake and the organizers would like to thank everyone for their donations and participation.

As it is bar call season, stock is getting low and robes are in high demand, particularly in Calgary. If you would like to donate robes or have some that you have not returned yet, please return them promptly. 

Calgary Donations

Calgary lawyers can now access and drop-off donations of freshly dry-cleaned gowns and waistcoats at the Iris Barry Yake Robe Bank in the Calgary Courthouse, in the Barrister’s Lounge by the Calgary Bar Association board room. If you have an questions, please contact Katrina Edgerton-McGhan at 403.999.4714.

Edmonton Donations

In Edmonton, the Iris Barry Yake Robe Bank is set up to receive donations at the Edmonton Courthouse. Please reach out to Moira Váně via LinkedIn or Twitter if you have any questions.

About the Robe Bank

The Robe Bank is named in honour of Iris Barry Yake whose robes were the first robes donated to the Robe Bank. In April 1977, she passed her bar exam with a few months of articling behind her. She obtained robes in anticipation of her bar admission ceremony, however, she was too ill to attend. On Jan. 12, 1978, at the age of 49, Ms. Barry Yake died of cancer. Though she never got to wear her robes in court, her legacy and her robes continue to appear in Alberta court rooms 40 years after her passing.

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