Board Director, Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association

Overview

Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (“ALIA”) is currently recruiting an Alberta lawyer in private practice to fill a vacancy on its board of directors (the “Board”). Information regarding ALIA’s background, the roles of Board directors (“Directors”) and the Board, required skills and attributes, remuneration, time commitment, and the application process are set out below.

ALIA is the member-funded, non-profit corporation that manages Alberta’s mandatory indemnity program for lawyers in private practice (“Subscribers”), providing economic and reputational protection to them and compensation to members of the public who have suffered certain financial losses due to the actions of Subscribers. ALIA operates as a separate financial entity from the Law Society of Alberta (“Law Society”), ALIA’s shareholder.

Although all Subscribers are encouraged to apply, preference will be given this year to those who have experience serving on governance boards.

Time commitment varies with committee involvement, with five scheduled Board meetings and four or five scheduled committee meetings per year, depending on the committee. Extra meetings may be scheduled, and time is required to prepare for meetings.

All Directors are reimbursed for any costs incurred, in accordance with the Board’s policy. Directors will be appointed for a term of up to three years (renewable), commencing in September 2024.

Background of ALIA

The Law Society, created pursuant to Alberta’s Legal Profession Act (the “Act”), regulates the legal profession and the approximately 11,450 lawyers who practice law in the province, promoting a high standard of legal services and professional conduct. The Act also requires the Law Society to establish and maintain an indemnity program for lawyers.

In 1988, the Law Society incorporated a subsidiary corporation, now ALIA, to manage the professional liability indemnity program for Alberta lawyers. Every Subscriber – currently approximately 7,650 – must purchase a base level of professional liability coverage, misappropriation coverage, and cyber coverage through ALIA. ALIA handles all claims against Subscribers.

ALIA is committed to creating a diverse environment and fostering an inclusive Board and workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, respected, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths.

Role of Directors and Board

All Directors are appointed by the Benchers, the Law Society’s governance board (“Benchers”), and the Board reports to the Benchers through the Board Chair.

The Board is responsible for supervising the indemnity program and providing financial oversight for ALIA, including approving ALIA’s budget and financial statements and supervising the management, administration, and investments of the indemnity program fund.

In managing ALIA’s business and affairs, the Board is responsible for ensuring that ALIA operates in accordance with the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta, all applicable legislation including the Act, and all other relevant governing documents and policies. Acting as a Board, Directors are responsible for monitoring all significant aspects of the indemnity program to achieve its core purpose: to provide protection to Subscribers and compensation to members of the public who have suffered certain financial losses due to the actions of Subscribers.

For further information about ALIA, please click here.

Skills and Attributes Required

ALIA seeks the skills and attributes required to discharge the Board Director role, including experience and knowledge in some or all of the areas set out below.

All Directors are expected to have the following attributes and competencies: informed judgment, integrity, personal accountability, strategic thinking, initiative, good communication skills, sufficient time available for duties, interest in the indemnity program, and a commitment to ALIA’s mission, core values, and goals.

Desired skills for the ALIA Board as a whole – not necessarily individual Directors – include:

Insurance / Indemnity Industry

An understanding of principles and practices relating to:
• legislative and regulatory requirements
• excess insurance and reinsurance principles
• underwriting principles
• claims management/handling principles
• policy wording/interpretation
• reserving principles and practice

Actuarial / Data Analytics / Statistics

An understanding of relevant actuarial science, data analytics, and/or statistics

Information / Technology Systems

An understanding of relevant technologies, information management systems, cyber security issues, electronic file management, artificial intelligence, or other related knowledge

Regulatory

An understanding of applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including the Companies Act and the Legal Profession Act, as well as the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta

Financial/ Audit

An understanding of
• audit activities
• internal controls
• budget analysis
• financial reporting
• board oversight

Investment Management

An understanding of relevant investment approaches and controls

Legal Profession

An understanding of relevant aspects of the legal profession, including the practice of law

Law Society

An understanding of the role of law societies as the public interest regulators of the legal profession and the relationships between law societies and insurance / indemnity programs

Board Governance

An understanding of board governance and the roles of boards, committees, and management, acquired by service on boards and/or director education (e.g., ICD.D)

Strategic Planning

An understanding of the principles relating to strategic thinking, vision, and change management at an organizational level

Risk Management

An understanding of the principles relating to risk identification, assessment, and management at an organizational level

Legal

Experience practicing law

Business Leadership

Business leadership experience acquired by serving for a significant time in relevant “C suite” positions

Government Relations

Experience working/liaising with federal or provincial governments

Board Experience

Experience serving on corporate or not-for-profit boards

Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) and Sustainability

Experience with an ESG framework for considering environmental and social issues in the context of corporate governance and/or investing

Diversity

Identifying as a person from a traditionally underrepresented group, including, but not limited to, a person with a disability, one who identifies as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), LGBTQ2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, and Two Spirit), is neurodivergent, etc.

Remuneration and Time Commitment

Non-Independent Directors – those Directors who are members of the Law Society or employees of the Law Society or ALIA – do not receive compensation for their service. All Directors are reimbursed for any costs incurred, in accordance with the Board’s policy.

Time commitment varies with committee involvement, with five scheduled Board meetings and four or five scheduled committee meetings per year, depending on the committee. Extra Board and/or committee and ad hoc work group meetings may be scheduled if required. Time is also required to prepare for the meetings. Meetings are generally two to four hours in duration. New Directors are also expected to attend an onboarding session and all Directors are expected to attend strategic retreats when scheduled.

Board meetings are usually held in Calgary at the offices of the Law Society / ALIA. With the permission of the Board Chair, attendance at Board meetings may be virtual through video conferencing. Committee meetings, however, are currently virtual, via video conferencing.

Directors will be appointed for a term of up to three years (renewable), commencing in September 2024.

Applications

Interested applicants should apply by Friday, August 30, 2024, by visiting: https://www.lawsociety.ab.ca/public/careers/

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