Membership and Compliance Counsel

The Law Society of Alberta (Law Society) regulates the legal profession in the public interest.

In alignment with the Law Society’s vision, mission, and strategic plan, the Membership team provides customer service and transactional support while handling inquiries related to membership status, indemnity status, indemnity changes, and membership renewals. Specifically, the team is responsible for the administration of applications for membership, status changes, labour mobility, Professional Corporations and Limited Liability Partnerships. The team also manages the admission program for students-at-law and is responsible for the delivery of customer service to internal and external customers. The team is also responsible for complying with the legislative requirements of the Fair Registration Practices Act and the Labour Mobility Act (compliance legislation), which includes data collection, training, process monitoring, outcome tracking and reporting on application metrics to demonstrate compliance.

Reporting to the Manager, Conduct and Membership Legal Services, and working collaboratively with the Manager, Membership and Customer Service, Membership and Compliance Counsel supports the Membership department by reviewing, analyzing and determining applications including drafting written reasons, as required, as well as providing day-to-day legal analysis, advice and problem-solving support to all department staff. This requires developing and maintaining subject matter expertise in the regulatory requirements of membership, licensing and credentialing.

Additionally, Membership and Compliance Counsel must understand and apply compliance legislation requirements and principles to business processes both internally and with partner organizations.

Membership and Compliance Counsel is a key staff representative to the Credentials & Education Committee and participates as a staff representative to hearing panels of the Committee.

Essential attributes of the position include excellent communication, time management, sound ethical judgement, and analytical skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with other departments and partner organizations. A strong customer service focus is also essential.

Key Responsibilities

As Membership and Compliance Counsel you will:

• As a delegate of the Executive Director, make determinations and write decisions regarding student-at-law applications, principal suitability and eligibility, enrolment, labour mobility, status changes, reinstatements, foreign legal consultants, Approved Legal Services Providers, professional corporation permits and licensing of limited liability partnerships.
• Apply legal analysis and judgment to evaluate applications as they relate to the Legal Profession Act, the Rules of the Law Society and the Code of Conduct.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of compliance legislation along with an ability to apply principles to new and existing registration practices including the ongoing evaluation of internal processes and requirements, conducting staff and adjudicator training, and assessing proposed policies and initiatives.
• Complete any compliance reporting under FRPA, the LMA, and other reporting requirements as they arise.
• Work with partner agencies and internal departments, committees and project groups to further understanding of compliance-related legislation.
•Participate in system design to record, track and report on all deadlines and outcomes.
• Make registration decisions in accordance with timelines and provide reasons as appropriate. Communicate with applicants throughout the application process.
• Make appropriate referrals to any of the Credentials and Education, Conduct or Practice Review Committees.
• Engage in risk management analysis through oversight of applications and when increased risk is detected, notify the appropriate level of senior management to ensure a coordinated Law Society response.
• Direct investigations and consult with Counsel in other departments as appropriate.
• Support the adjudicative work of the Credentials and Education Committee.
• As required, conduct analysis and prepare urgent and time-sensitive reports for management.
• Work collaboratively with all department staff, managers, lawyers, key internal and external stakeholders, and partner organizations.
• Become a subject matter expert on matters related to membership, licensing and credentialing.
• Participate at external meetings as a representative of the Law Society.
• Liaise with other departments respecting programs, policies and rule amendments.
• Liaise with other Canadian law societies and the Federation of Law Societies, as required. Participate in project work.
• Support data stewardship and information management practices.
• Support the PREP program and participate in multijurisdictional user group meetings.
• Operate proactively in a changing regulatory environment with a view to continuous improvement.
• Provide user-friendly and high-quality customer service.
• Complete other projects and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

• Law degree and call to the Bar, required.
• Member of, or eligible for membership with, the Law Society of Alberta, required.
• 5+ years of experience in the practice of law.
• Proven problem-solving skills, with the ability to communicate with people diplomatically, tactfully, fairly, and effectively.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to independently draft correspondence, reports, memos, decisions and other documents.
• Demonstrated ability to diffuse demanding situations and work effectively with lawyers, students and the public in their interactions with the Law Society.
• Familiarity with administrative law principles and the adjudicative process before hearing panels.
• Familiarity with compliance legislation.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a dynamic team.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining a big picture perspective.
• Ability to prioritize workloads, work under pressure, and adhere to deadlines.
• Self-starter, able to work independently with minimal supervision; consult when appropriate.
• Effective computer literacy, including using databases and applying data stewardship practices.
• Strong analytical skills to support compliance reporting.
• Interested in and capable of growing to meet additional challenges that may be added to this position over time.

Additional Information

All inquiries and applications will be handled with the highest level of confidentiality.

The Law Society is partnering with Caldwell on this search. Interested applicants should inquire directly with Meaghan Loughry at [email protected].