FEBRUARY 3, 2025 – The seventh annual Alberta Access to Justice Week is taking place from February 3 – 7, 2025. This year’s theme is “Lifting communities through the power of pro bono,” to highlight how the pro bono contributions of lawyers improve access to justice in our province and to build awareness of the important organizations that rely on volunteer lawyers to deliver legal services to clients.
Access to Justice Week is also a reminder of the importance of adequate and sustainable funding for the justice sector. In particular, dependable government funding for legal aid services is key to improving access to justice. Our 2020 study, Cost and Saving Modeling for Legal Aid Funding, makes the business case that modest increases in government funding to Legal Aid Alberta would result in a net cost savings to the government, would ultimately allow more Albertans to access legal aid services, and reduce the number of unrepresented litigants in our court system, thereby reducing overall court costs and wait times.
“We recognize that the access to justice challenges facing us cannot be solved in isolation,” says Robert D.L. Bassett, CBA Alberta President, “and we are committed to working with our partners at the Government of Alberta and stakeholder organizations such as the Alberta Law Foundation to ensure that Legal Aid Alberta and the many other access to justice-serving organizations across the province are adequately supported.”
This week, we encourage CBA Alberta members and all members of the profession to take part and help improve access to justice in your communities. We have a full calendar of events taking place throughout the week, including Access to Justice for Victims of Economic Abuse on Tuesday, February 4, as well as summary legal advice clinics, open houses, and more. A full schedule of activities, as well as blog posts and more information about volunteer opportunities for lawyers are available at www.albertaaccesstojustice.com.
About CBA Alberta
The Canadian Bar Association is the largest professional association for lawyers, representing over 40,000 lawyers, judges, legal academics and law students across Canada, with over 5,500 members in Alberta. As the essential ally and advocate for our members, CBA Alberta promotes fair justice systems, facilitates effective law reform, and upholds equality in the legal profession and beyond.
Media Contact
Lee-Anne Hateley, Manager, Member Services & Communications
403-218-4310
communications@cba-alberta.org