Legal education and information for Canadians

In Alberta, the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta helps educate and inform the public about the law, the legal system and your rights. The Alberta Law Libraries also offer free legal information and education.

The Department of Justice provides detailed information on Canada’s justice system and courts. The booklet, Canada’s System of Justice, offers a good overview of the Canadian legal system. The Alberta Ministry of Justice is an excellent resource for information on the justice system and courts in our province.

Canadian judges are independent. This means they don’t play favourites in court. They are free to decide cases, and they do so based only on the law and the evidence. Watch our video on judicial independence.

Use our Find-a-Lawyer search tool to locate a lawyer who specializes in the area of law you need. You can also search for lawyers by name, firm, language and other search criteria.

If you can’t afford a lawyer or legal services, legal aid is available to help. You must qualify for legal aid to access it. Legal aid is government funded. Contact Legal Aid Alberta for more information.

Legal clinics and pro bono organizations provide free legal information and advice to low-to-moderate income Albertans who have legal issues, but do not qualify for legal aid:

• Calgary Legal Guidance
• Community Legal Clinic (serves Red Deer, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat and Lloydminster)
• Edmonton Community Legal Centre (serves Edmonton and Grande Prairie)
• Lethbridge Legal Guidance
• Pro Bono Law Alberta (serves Calgary and Edmonton)

The Law Society of Alberta governs the legal profession in our province. Its role is to ensure lawyers meet professional standards. If you have concerns regarding a specific lawyer’s conduct, contact the Law Society - Complaints directly.

Interested in getting your law degree? See the list of law schools across Canada where you can pursue your legal education. If you’re a lawyer with international training looking to practice law in Canada, the National Committee on Accreditation will assess your legal education and experience.

Search the Canadian Legal Information Institute database for legislation, courts, judicial decisions and other legal information across Canada. 

Search our Class Action Database to get information and court documents related to class action lawsuits currently underway across the country.

The Court Challenges Program provides financial assistance to Canadians who want to challenge unconstitutional federal laws.