Ask A Lawyer: Duty Counsel Day and the impact of duty counsel lawyers
Duty Counsel Day is Oct. 27 during Access to Justice Week in Canada. Every day, in every courthouse in Alberta, duty counsel lawyers working with Legal Aid Alberta give free, brief legal advice to anyone making a first appearance in court. Any one of us can find ourselves in court and in need […]
Join LAA in observing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Legal Aid Alberta has gone orange this week as one way to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30. Across the country, Canadians are using the day to learn about Indian Residential Schools and the continuing, intergenerational trauma suffered by survivors, their families, and their communities. Watch: Legal Aid Alberta honours […]
LAA making time to reflect and honour residential school survivors, victims, communities on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Legal Aid Alberta offices will close early to the public on September 30, allowing our teams to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Most LAA services will continue as usual as courts in the province are open. Duty counsel lawyers, including the JP Bail team, will continue serving throughout the day. Lawyers with scheduled […]
Ask A Lawyer: In child welfare cases, family law duty counsel lawyers balance the scales
Family law is a broad area of law aimed at solving family and child welfare issues that are seemingly insurmountable. It isn’t unusual for people to find themselves in need of legal representation for family issues. Last year alone, Legal Aid Alberta lawyers handled more than 1,500 child welfare cases and over 3,000 family and […]
The most special day, bar none
LAA’s newest duty counsel lawyer: “I knew I wanted to be a lawyer…to make a difference.” Desiree Syroid knew in her undergrad that working in law was how she would make a difference in people’s lives. On August 16, 2021, her hard work paid off when she was called to the bar in […]
Three LAA lawyers mark 30 years at the bar
The 90 years of combined experience for three LAA lawyers celebrating three decades in the profession includes diverse backgrounds and an undying passion to help the disadvantaged and vulnerable. Wayne Webster, JP Bail lawyer, Calgary Wayne Webster will be the first to acknowledge that working as JP Bail lawyer might seem tedious to […]
Duty Counsel Day: raising awareness of the profound impact of dedicated lawyers
Canadians benefit from outstanding social services. We’re all familiar with our public health care, but few know about our legal services. We made a day to change that. Duty Counsel lawyers make a difference in the lives of Canadians. Our right to legal representation is as Canadian as health care. Not everyone is […]
Ask A Lawyer: When your freedom is on the line, LAA is here to help
Many Albertans find themselves at a disadvantage if they’re arrested and being held in custody by police. They can be too frightened, confused, or overwhelmed to exercise their rights or make informed decisions. It’s a more common situation than you might think. In 2020, Legal Aid Alberta’s Justice of the Peace Bail lawyers […]
Mental Health Court provides support for LAA client to “do the hard work”
Teh Yellowbird was at one of the lowest points of his life. Unable to get his hands on the drugs he was addicted to, and suffering from withdrawal, he took a desperate measure: he sought relief in an emergency room. That was in 2019. Today, his life has changed dramatically – and a celebration following […]
On the front lines with adult criminal duty counsel
“It’s fantastically rewarding work. You’re dealing with people, often at their first court appearance, who are frightened and uncertain and don’t fully understand the situation.” When an accused person attends court before securing a lawyer to represent them, they are usually confused and overwhelmed by our complex and adversarial court system. LAA provides duty […]