For persons without the ability to pay a lawyer, Legal Aid is available. Founded in 1970 by the Law Society and the provincial government, Legal Aid offers assistance to the needy. Conditions of practice may also be imposed on a member. While some cases of poor conduct are dealt with through the discipline process, efforts are made to resolve others through reviews, mentors, education upgrading or counselling. The Law Society of Alberta instituted the first mandatory insurance program in Canada in 1969.
Many lawyers purchase additional insurance.
The additional amount depends on the size of the firm and type of law practised. The combination of compulsory and optional insurance protects the public and spreads the cost of insurance equitably across the profession. Since 1984, the Insurance Committee has mounted an aggressive loss prevention program, publishing comprehensive practice checklists and manuals, and sponsoring free seminars on law office management and loss prevention techniques. In addition to insurance for lawyers liability, the public is protected for losses suffered through a lawyer s misappropriation of trust funds. The Alberta Law Society Assurance Fund, established in 1939, was the first of its kind in Canada.