As stated by the Law Society of Alberta, you’re required to present some form of government identification when you reach out for any legal services.  Other than following the guidelines presented to us by Law Society of Alberta, there are two valid reasons to why we need to confirm your identity. 1) Identity Fraud:  We want to ensure that you aren’t a victim of identity theft as this is a ongoing issue in Alberta and can present future problems if your identification is stolen. 2) Conflict of Interest:  A conflict of interest is the situation that inhibits our ability to provide clients with our undivided loyalty because of a bias or from past representation from our clients.   For example, Mr. Smith comes to our law firm seeking legal advice on his divorce case and he decides to retain us.  A few days later, Mrs. Smith comes seeking help on her divorce case as well and wants to retain the same lawyer.  There will be a conflict of interest and we cannot proceed with Mrs. Smith.   To provide our duty as a legal profession and offer full confidentiality we will always follow our guidelines and responsibility to the best of our ability.