In 2020 the Law Society of Alberta took the Lawyer Referral Service back in house, and launched a survey to gather the input of key stakeholders regarding the service.
After many years being run by Calgary Legal Guidance, in March 2020, the Law Society took LRS back in-house. This was partly to better understand how the service meets the needs of the public. Through the first year of in-house operation at the Law Society, more than 17,000 Albertans contacted LRS and were matched with lawyers who participate in the program.
This year, the Law Society of Alberta launched a survey seeking input from clients who had used the service, as well as lawyers who participate in the LRS. This brought back some positive results, suggesting clients who had used the service had often retained the services of the lawyer they were put in contact with. The detailed results of this survey will help the Law Society of Alberta in its goal of improving access to justice and will be followed by a roundtable in November to discuss the operation of the LRS and how it can be improved.