You may go directly to our Intake department by phone, email or letter. Alternatively, you may also fill out an Information Concerning a Lawyer (ICAL) form but this is not required to report matters of discrimination or harassment.

Please note that by contacting our Intake Department, you are beginning the complaint process. Once intake knows about a complaint, the Law Society may need to proceed with the complaint to protect the public. We will try to protect your confidentiality but it cannot be guaranteed.

The complaint will be directed to one of our designated Counsel with related training and experience handling matters involving, and supporting victims of, harassment, discrimination and/or sexual violence. The designated Counsel is involved throughout the complaint process.

Your complaint provides the foundation for how the Law Society proceeds. You provide key information including documents and the names of witnesses. Rule 85(9) may enable you to maintain confidentiality throughout the process. While the Law Society will take all steps to preserve your confidentiality, at some point, your identity may become apparent from the information provided.

If the complaint proceeds to the investigation stage, you will be interviewed. You are welcome to have a support person present during the investigation interview. The designated Counsel also remains involved.

If the matter proceeds to a hearing, you may be required to give evidence as a witness. A support person can accompany you to the hearing.

The Law Society attempts to receive and investigate the complaint without requiring you to repeat your story multiple times to different people. Research demonstrates that multiple repetitions of distressing stories are often harmful to the person reporting and can result in inconsistencies.

You can discuss your options about proceeding on a confidential basis. One of the options is Rule 85(9) which allows the complaint to proceed on a confidential basis at the discretion of the Law Society. It allows you to come forward on a confidential basis while still receiving updates on the status of the complaint. While the Law Society will take all steps to preserve your confidentiality, at some point, your identity may become apparent from the information provided.

You will receive periodic updates. While we will do our best to keep you informed as to the status of the complaint, some information may be confidential under the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta and the Legal Profession Act.

The threshold test is applied to determine the next steps in handling a complaint. The test does not consider the intent of the person complained of. Rather it is the subjective experience of the complainant, viewed through the lens of the reasonable person, which establishes whether it has been met. If the complaint meets the threshold test, the matter may be referred to the Practice Review Committee and/or the Conduct Committee.

1. The purpose of a referral to the Practice Review Committee is to assess a lawyer’s practice in order to remediate recurring or continuing problems that may exist.
2. The Conduct Committee can either:
   1. Direct the matter to a hearing
   2. Send the lawyer to a mandatory conduct advisory
   3. Send the matter back to Counsel for further investigation
   4. Dismiss the complaint

Hearings are typically public, though interested parties may apply to have all or part of a hearing held in private. Witnesses may be called to provide evidence and, as the person who reported the complaint, you may be called as a witness. A support person can accompany you to the hearing.

If the complaint proceeds to the investigation phase, we welcome you to have an external support person present to provide comfort and encouragement. The support person can also attend the hearing along with you.

If found to have committed the conduct deserving of sanction, the lawyer or student who is the subject of the complaint could be:

1. Reprimanded
2. Fined
3. Suspended
4. Disbarred
5. Ordered to pay the costs of the hearing
6. Subject to an order that imposes conditions on the member’s suspension or on the member’s practice

If you believe the dismissal of your complaint is unreasonable you can appeal the decision.