II Membership

2. Eligibility

The following persons are eligible for membership in the Association:

  1. a member in good standing of a law society of a province or territory of Canada, or a person with a recognized Canadian law degree such as a member of the law faculty of a university or the faculty of a law school in a province or territory of Canada, or a person who is a judge of any court of record in Canada;

  2. subject to paragraph 7(4), a retired judge of any court of record in Canada;

  3. a person who has ceased to be a member of a law society of a province or territory by reason of holding an appointment in the public service;

  4. subject to paragraph 7(4), a Canadian lawyer or Quebec notary who has retired from the active practice of law by resigning from the law society;

  5. subject to paragraph 7(1), a law student who is enrolled in a course in law at a Canadian law school recognized by a law society in Canada, or who is articling with a Canadian law firm;

  6. subject to paragraph 7(3), a person who is:

    1. a member in good standing of a bar or a law society outside Canada;

    2. a judge or retired judge of a court of record outside Canada;

    3. a notary licensed to practice law outside Canada; or

    4. an executive employee of a foreign Bar Association. 

3. Classes

There are four classes of membership:

  1. Active (Regular) membership;
  2. Judicial membership;
  3. Honorary membership;
  4. Special membership.

4. Active (Regular) membership

  1. A person who has been called to the bar in Canada or holds a recognized Canadian law degree may be admitted to Active (Regular) membership in the Association. 
  2. A person eligible for membership in the Association may become an Active (Regular) member by applying in writing and paying the annual fees or other fee fixed by the Regulations and any special levies fixed pursuant to article 8.
  3. All Active (Regular) members of the Association have equal rights and privileges, including the rights to attend all meetings of the Association, to have a deliberative voice therein, to vote, to hold office and to propose and second resolutions.

5.  Judicial membership

  1. A person who is a judge of any court of record in Canada may be admitted to Judicial membership in the Association by applying in writing and paying the annual fees or other fee fixed by the Regulations and any special levies fixed pursuant to article 8.
  2. Judicial members are members of the Judges Section. 
  3. Judicial members have the rights to attend all meetings of the Association and to have a deliberative voice therein but do not have the rights to vote, to hold office or to propose or second resolutions, except as permitted in the Bylaws or Regulations.

6.  Honorary membership

  1. The following persons may be admitted to Honorary membership in the Association:
    1. Past Presidents of the Association, on completion of their term as President;
    2. Distinguished persons may, by resolution of the Board, be admitted to Honorary membership in the Association;
    3. A person who has been a member of a law society in Canada for 50 years or more and of the Association for not less than 20 consecutive years years.
  2. Honorary members retain their membership in the Association from year to year unless they request otherwise, and pay no membership fee.

  3. Honorary members have the rights to attend all meetings of the Association and to have a deliberative voice therein but, unless they pay membership fees, or are Past Presidents of the Association, do not have the rights to vote, to hold office or to propose or second resolutions.

7. Special memberships

  1. Student Membership
    1. Subject to paragraph 2(6), a person who is enrolled in undergraduate studies in law (LL. B., LL. L. or J. D.) at a recognized Canadian law school, or is articling, or is a Canadian citizen studying at a recognized foreign law faculty, or is enrolled full time in studies required by a law society or the National Committee on Accreditation to be called to the bar in Canada, and who pays the annual fees or other fee fixed by the Regulations, is eligible for Student membership.
    2. Student members have the right to attend all meetings of the Association, and to have a deliberative voice therein, but do not have the rights to vote, to hold office or to propose or second resolutions, except as permitted in the Bylaws or Regulations.
    3. A Student member ceases to be such a member:
      1. when the member is called to the bar in Canada;
      2. if the member fails to be called to the bar within a reasonable period of time, but in any event, no longer than four years.
    4. Except when a Student member requests otherwise, when the member is called to the bar in Canada the member becomes an Active (Regular) member of the Association.
  2. Scholar Membership(repealed; AGM, 23-01-A, Feb 2023)
  3. Associate Membership
    1. A person may be admitted to Associate membership in the Association who is not a member of a law society in Canada, and who holds no recognized Canadian law degree, and who is:
      1. a member in good standing of a law society outside Canada;
      2. a judge or retired judge of any court of record outside Canada;
      3. a notary licensed to practice law outside Canada; or
      4. an executive employee of a foreign Bar Association;
      and who pays the annual fees or other fee fixed by the Regulations and any special levies fixed pursuant to article 8.
    2. Associate members have the rights to attend all meetings of the Association and to have a deliberative voice therein, but do not have the rights to vote, to hold office or to propose or second resolutions.
  4. Retired Membership
    1. Subject to paragraphs 2(2) and (5), an Active (Regular) member who is 60 years of age or over or who has been a member in good standing of a law society for at least 20 years, and who has retired from the active practice of law or from the Bench by permanently resigning from the law society or the Bench, is a Retired member and shall pay the annual fees or other fee fixed by the Regulations and any special levies fixed pursuant to article 8.
      A person who has been permitted to resign or retire arising from a disciplinary procedure of the law society or the Bench is not eligible to be a Retired member.
    2. Retired members have the right to attend all meetings of the Association and to have a deliberative voice therein, but do not have the rights to vote, to hold office or to propose or second resolutions.
    3. A Retired member who ceases to be retired from the active practice of law will be an Active (Regular) member of the Association and the membership fees fixed in the Regulations will apply.

8. Special Levies

Special levies may be made on members of the Association or any class of members by resolution of the Board, or within each Branch by the Branch Executive.

9. Suspension and Disqualification

A member is suspended or disqualified under the following circumstances:

  1. A member who ceases to be a member in good standing of a law society by reason of disciplinary action or removal from office, ceases to be a member of the Association.
  2. A member is suspended or lapsed for non-payment of fees as prescribed by Regulation.
  3. A member may, after due process be suspended or expelled from membership for misconduct in the member's relations to the Association or in the profession, on resolution of the Board of Directors.