The Law Society of Alberta established the Office of the Equity Ombudsperson to provide confidential advice, information and assistance to lawyers, articling students and support staff working in the legal profession on issues of discrimination or harassment. The Law Society’s Practice Advisors serve in the role of Equity Ombudsperson.

The goal of the Equity Ombudsperson is to provide confidential support and advice to assist in addressing discrimination or harassment in the profession. Talking to the Equity Ombudsperson does not eliminate other options such as filing a formal complaint with the Law Society or the Human Rights Commission or undertaking a civil action.

The Equity Ombudsperson serves law firms and individuals working in the legal profession by:

• talking confidentially about particular problems,
• discussing complaints and addressing issues, and
• finding information on other resources, such as counseling.

Contact

• Email the Office of the Equity Ombudsperson
• Phone: 587.391.6596

If you have left a voicemail message or an email, please wait to be contacted. We ask you to refrain from sending multiple inquiries on the same issue or leaving both a voicemail and an email, as this may delay response times.

The Office of the Equity Ombudsperson will work to respond to inquiries as quickly as possible. Responses can take up to five business days, depending on email and call volumes. Matters submitted as time sensitive or urgent will be reviewed by the assigned Equity Ombudsperson and they will prioritize accordingly in their call queue.

Complaints of Discrimination or Harassment

If you, as a lawyer, student or law firm staff member, believe that another individual may have crossed a boundary related to discrimination or harassment, we urge you to contact the Office of the Equity Ombudsperson as an initial step. Visit Complaints about Discrimination and Harassment in the Profession for more information on the reporting process.

Articling Placement Program

The Articling Placement Program is now available to assist articling students who are in untenable or unsafe articles, due to harassment or discrimination, with exiting their current position and finding replacement articles.

An articling student or anyone seeking information about the program can contact the Office of the Equity Ombudsperson for an initial, confidential conversation to discuss their experience of harassment or discrimination.

During these confidential conversations, the articling student can ask questions, discuss their concerns and gather information on possible next steps. It is an opportunity for the articling student to understand the resources and supports that are available to them, as well as assess their options. Visit the Program web page to find out more.

About the Practice Advisors

The Practice Advisors have many years of experience navigating concerns around harassment and discrimination in a variety of contexts. They have been active members of the Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, and of the CBA’s Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance Committee.

Members of the team have training in intentional inclusivity, unconscious bias, trauma-informed decision making, violence threat assessment, and first response to sexual assault and abuse.