Make your mark on CBA Alberta

The CBA Alberta Board of Directors has 13 members:

• 5 Executive Committee members: Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President, President, Past President
• 8 directors:
  • 2 designated geographical members - 1 each from North Alberta (outside Edmonton) and South Alberta (outside Calgary)
  • 2 designated young lawyer members - 1 each from North Alberta and South Alberta
  • 4 Directors at Large

The Board of Directors is empowered to “manage and supervise the management of the activities and affairs of CBA Alberta and oversee the implementation of the policies and operations of CBA Alberta.” The Board's three main roles are setting the strategic direction of CBA Alberta, managing the resources of the organization and providing oversight of the Branch.

The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors serves to direct the implementation of the policies and strategies set by the Board.

Board members must be members in good standing of the CBA, not bankrupt, and residents of Alberta.

• Former members of the executive committee and directors of the CBA National Board must wait 2 years before they are eligible to run for the CBA Alberta Board
• Board members  and directors of the CBA National Board must wait one year before running for Secretary of the Branch
• Members cannot run for both the Office of Secretary and the Board at the same time
• Terms are 2-year staggered terms, renewable for one term only (i.e., 4 years maximum) 

The Board has identified six vision elements for the next five years (2022 - 2026):

• Powerful advocacy
• Adaptive and innovative practice
• Committed membership
• Healthy culture within the profession
• Wellness in practice
• High-performance board leadership

Service on the Executive Committee is for a five-year term, and those considering running for the position of Branch Secretary should be prepared to be available and commit for the full five years.

Executive Committee members are expected to be available and attend the following meetings and events:

• Three Board meetings
• Annual General Meeting
• Leadership Forum
• Annual Board Retreat and Orientation

*It is anticipated that all the above meetings will be full-day commitments, with the exception of the annual retreat meeting and orientation which will be 2 days, usually a Friday and Saturday.

In addition, Executive Committee members are expected to attend the following:

• 10 Exeuctive Committee meetings (usually half-day events, but often tied to other commitments listed below which may require multi-day travel between north and south);
• Stakeholder meetings with the Courts, the Law Society of Alberta, the deans of the law schools, etc.
• Meetings with the Minister and other government representatives;
• Branch conferences, if any; and
• Annual volunteer appreciation dinners/receptions.

Travel is involved between North and South (generally Calgary and Edmonton and possibly other communities as well). Official Board travel is reimbursed in accordance with the Branch Travel Expense Policy.

Board and Executive Committee materials will be sent a week in advance and Board members should expect to allow a minimum of 2-3 hours to review and prepare for meetings.

The expectations for duties and time required increase with each step on the Executive Committee ladder. For instance, the Vice President usually attends the Law Society of Alberta Bencher meetings, and may serve on various award selection committees. The presidential year is by far the heaviest, with a number of responsibilities related to the national organization and speaking at industry events, as well as serving as the official media spokesperson for CBA Alberta. In recognition of this heavy workload, the President is paid an honorarium by the Branch.

Service as a Board Director is for a minimum of one two-year term (and eligible for a second term). Those considering running for a position as a Board Directors should be prepared to be available and to commit for the full two years.

Board Directors are expected to be available and attend the following meetings and events:

• Annual Board Retreat and Orientation
• 3 Board meetings
• Leadership Forum
• Annual General Meeting

*It is anticipated that all the above meetings will be full-day commitments, with the exception of the annual retreat meeting and orientation which will be 2 days, usually a Friday and Saturday.

Board members are expected to be available and attend all of the above.

Travel is involved between North and South (generally Calgary and Edmonton and possibly other communities as well). Official Board travel is reimbursed in accordance with the Branch Travel Expense Policy.

Board and Executive Committee materials will be sent a week in advance and Board members should expect to allow a minimum of 2-3 hours to review and prepare for meetings.

Executive Committee members will also be asked to take on additional board committee or task force responsibilities, and some representative or ambassadorial duties. These include but are not limited to:

• speaking at swearing‐in ceremonies;
• attending welcome and recruitment events at the law schools;
• Section workshops;
• regional events;
• representing CBA Alberta on other boards, advisory councils or Committees and fulfilling related responsibilities; and
• attending other stakeholder events like the WILL awards, the judges dinners and other special events or fundraisers.

Board Directors may choose to deepen their engagement by serving as liaisons to the various CBA Alberta committees, or on other Board-created task forces or working groups. On occasion, a Board member may be asked to officially represent CBA at some event.