Jointly presented by the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta, these prestigious awards shine a light on the outstanding contributions Alberta lawyers provide. The Distinguished Service Awards celebrate excellence in four categories:
- Legal Scholarship
- Pro Bono Legal Service
- Service to the Community
- Service to the Profession
2024 Recipients
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Profession | Special Mention |
| Robert G. Harvie, KC | Sandy Alison Vander Ziel | Professor Roderick J. Wood | Andy Hayher, KC | Alberta Surrogate Reform Project members |
Past Recipients
2023 Recipients
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Pro Bono Legal Service | Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Profession |
| Robert D. McDonald, KC | H. Markham Silver, QC (*awarded posthumously) | Howard J. Sniderman, KC | Patricia L. Blocksom, KC, AOE |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2023 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony on February 22, 2023. View the recorded ceremony here.
2022 Recipients
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service | Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Profession |
| Michael A. E. Greene, KC | Judith B. Hanebury, KC | Dr. Joanna Harrington | Cynthia J. Dickins | Rani Wai-Yee Wong |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2022 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony on February 22, 2022. View the recorded ceremony here.
2021 Recipients
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Susan Billington, KC | Cyril Gurevitch, KC | Professor Steven Penney | Jean Munn, KC |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2021 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony on February 10, 2021. View the recorded ceremony here.
2020 Recipients
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Steve Raby, KC | M. Meenu Ahluwalia | Professor Jennifer Koshan | Robert W. Calvert, KC (posthumous) |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2020 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on February 5, 2020 in Calgary.
Pictured (left-right): Rob Armstrong – President, Law Society of Alberta, Ann Calvert (accepting for Robert W. Calvert, KC), M. Meenu Ahluwalia, Professor Jennifer Koshan, Steve Raby, KC, Ola Malik – President, CBA-Alberta Branch.
2019 Recipients
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Kevin Feth, KC | John-Paul Boyd | Professor Tamara Buckwold | Tracey Stock |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2019 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on February 5, 2019 in Edmonton. See program.
Pictured (left-right): Frank Friesacher – President, CBA-Alberta Branch, Tracey Stock, Professor Tamara Buckwold, Kevin Feth, KC, John-Paul Boyd, Don Cranston, KC – President, Law Society of Alberta.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Wendy Best, KC | Brianna Guenther | Professor Barbara Billingsley | Ed Ma |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2018 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 24, 2018 in Calgary. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
Pictured (left-right): Jenny McMordie (CBA AB President); Ed Ma; Wendy Best, KC; Professor Barbara Billingsley; Brianna Guenther; Anthony Young, KC (Law Society President)
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Virginia Engel, KC | The Hon. Robert A. Philp, KC | Professor Jonnette Watson Hamilton | Buddy G. Melnyk |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2017 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 26, 2017 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
Pictured (back row left-right) The Hon. Robert A. Philp, KC; Jeremiah Kowalchuk, CBA Alberta President; (front row left-right) Buddy G. Melnyk; Virginia Engel, KC; Anne Kirker, KC, Law Society President; Professor Jonnette Watson Hamilton.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Douglas G. Moe, KC | Michelle C. Christopher, KC | Professor Mitchell McInnes | Christine Pratt |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2016 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 29, 2016 in Calgary. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
The recipients of the 2016 Distinguished Service awards and their presenters are (left to right): Wayne Barkauskas, CBA Alberta President; Douglas G. Moe, KC; Michelle C. Christopher, KC; Professor Mitchell McInnes; Christine Pratt; and James Eamon, KC, Law Society President.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Hersh Wolch, KC | J. Patrick Stopa, KC (Posthumous) | Bruce Churchill-Smith, KC |
Three outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2015 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 30, 2015 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
The recipients of the 2015 Distinguished Service awards and their presenters are (left to right): Kevin Feth, KC, Law Society President; Bruce Churchill-Smith, KC; Hersh Wolch, KC; Mr. Peter Wong, KC accepting on behalf of Mr. Stopa’s family; and Steve Mandziuk, KC, CBA Alberta President.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Norman F.W. Picard, KC | Lonny L. Balbi, KC | Shannon K. O’Byrne | Erin Runnalls |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2014 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 31, 2014 in Calgary. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
Pictured (left to right): Shannon K. O’Byrne; Norman F.W. Picard, KC; Erin Runnalls; Lonny L. Balbi, KC; Carsten Jensen, KC, Law Society President; and Marian De Souza, KC, CBA Alberta President.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Alexander D. Pringle, KC | Thomas R. Owen | Arlene J. Kwasniak | Yessy Byl |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2013 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on February 1, 2013 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
Pictured (left to right): Arlene J. Kwasniak; Thomas R. Owen; Alexander D. Pringle, KC; and Yessy Byl.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Cheryl C. Gottselig, KC | Michael F. Casey, KC | David P. Jones, KC | W. Laird Hunter, KC |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2012 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 27, 2012 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
Pictured (left to right): David P. Jones, KC; W. Laird Hunter, KC; Cheryl C. Gottselig, KC; and Michael F. Casey, KC.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| J. Patrick Peacock, KC | Sir Francis Price, KC | Professor Catherine A. Brown | Suzanne Alexander-Smith |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2011 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 28, 2011 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Virginia M. May, KC | Solomon J. Rolingher, KC | Professor Gerald Gall, OC | John A. Weir, C (Posthumous) |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2010 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 29, 2010 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
The recipients of the 2010 Distinguished Service awards and their presenters are (top row, left to right): Professor Gerald Gall, OC; Gillian Marriott, KC, CBA Alberta President; Peter Michalyshyn, KC, Law Society of Alberta President; and Solomon J. Rolingher, KC.
(Bottom row, left to right): Virginia M. May, KC and Margaret Weir Andreassen, niece accepting on behalf of the late John A. Weir, KC.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Anne S. de Villars, KC | J. Alan Bryan, KC | John B. Ballem, KC | Douglas H. McCallum |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2009 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on January 30, 2009 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
The recipients of the 2009 Distinguished Service awards and their presenters are (left to right): Diane Young, CBA Alberta President; John B. Ballem, KC; Anne S. de Villars, KC; J. Alan Bryan, KC; Douglas H. McCallum; and Perry Mack, KC, Law Society of Alberta President.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Allan G. Shewchuk, KC | B.A.R. (Quincy) Smith, KC | Professor Gerald B. Robertson, KC | Shirzad S. Ahmed |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2008 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on March 14, 2008 in Calgary. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Sandra L. Schulz, KC | Brian P. O’Leary, KC | Nicholas Rafferty | Ronald G. Hopp |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2007 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on March 16, 2007 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship | Pro Bono Legal Service |
| Donald G. Bishop, KC | Robert J. Campbell, KC | John M. Law | John T. Henderson, KC |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2006 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on March 10, 2006 in Calgary. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
The recipients of the 2006 Distinguished Service awards and their presenters are (left to right): Richard O’Gorman, CBA Alberta President; Robert J. Campbell, KC; Donald G. Bishop, KC; John T. Henderson, KC; Mona Dukett, Law Society of Alberta President.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Hugh A. Robertson, KC | Cathy Lane Goodfellow | Lewis N. Klar, KC |
| John J. Mahony, KC |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2005 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on March 11, 2005 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Peter L. Freeman, KC | Audrey Dean | Nigel Bankes |
| Douglas H. Mitchell, KC | ||
| Donna M. Hallett |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2004 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on March 12, 2004 in Calgary. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
The recipients of the 2004 Distinguished Service awards and their presenters are (top row, left to right): Don Higa, KC, CBA Alberta President; Peter L. Freeman, KC; Nigel Bankes; Douglas H. Mitchell, KC; and Larry Anderson, KC, Law Society of Alberta President.
(Bottom row, left to right): Audrey Dean and Donna M. Hallett.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Lorne E. Goddard, KC | Paul Drager | Dr. Richard Bauman |
| H.J. Lyndon Irwin, KC | Margaret A. Shone |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2003 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony held on March 7, 2003 in Edmonton. The Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta presented the awards. View the program.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Stephen Hart Wood, KC | Jack N. Agrios, KC | Professor Frederick A. Laux, KC |
| James D. Ross & Duncan A. Stewart, KC | T. Catherine Christopher |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2002 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Joseph P. Brumlik, KC | W.C. Richard Davidson, KC | Professor Peter J.M. Lown, KC |
| Ronald W. Odynski, KC | ||
| Gerald W. Pittman, KC |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2001 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| R. Philip M. North, KC | Susan P. Hendricks | Professor C. Richard B. Dunlop |
| Gordon J. Hoffman, KC | ||
| Robert E. Schnell, KC |
| Special award recognizing service to the community, the legal profession and in legal scholarship |
| Hon. Chief Justice W. Kenneth Moore |
Six outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 2000 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Phyllis A.L. Smith, KC | John H. Cuthbertson | Professor Alastair R. Lucas |
| James S. Palmer, CM, KC | ||
| Joseph H. Shoctor, OC, KC, AOE |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 1999 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Emmanuel Sonny Mirth, KC | Brian A. Felesky, KC | Professor D. Christine Davies, KC |
| J. Wilton Littlechild, KC | ||
| Thomas J. Walsh, CM, KC, LL.D. |
Five outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 1998 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| James C. Robb, KC | Hon. Justice Tevie H. Miller, KC 1928-1996 | Kathleen E. Mahoney |
| Louis A. Desrochers, OC, KC |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 1997 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| William H. Hurlburt, KC | Hon. Peter Lougheed, P.C., C.C., KC | Dr. Sheilah L. Martin, KC |
| John R. Perraton, KC |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 1996 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Cecilia I. Johnstone, KC | Alan D. Hunter, KC | Hon. William A. Stevenson |
| Hon. Jean E. Leon Cote |
Four outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 1995 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.
| Service to the Profession | Service to the Community | Legal Scholarship |
| Hon. James H. Laycraft | Sheldon M. Chumir | Wilbur F. Bowker, OC, KC |
Three outstanding Alberta lawyers were recognized for excellence at the 1994 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.