Law Society of Saskatchewan
Find Legal AssistanceMember ProfileMember ResourcesContact
  • 0
    Cart
  • My Account
  • About Us
      • slider_1Latest News
      • Pride Month 2022
      • Court of Queen’s Bench Administrative Notice
      • New Judicial Appointments in the Province of Saskatchewan
      • News
        • Legal Sourcery
        • Podcast
        • ReSource
        • Videos
        • Benchers’ Digest
        • Case Mail
      • Mission and Values
      • Committees and Task Forces
      • Convocation
      • Benchers
        • Bencher Election 2018
        • Bencher Election 2021
      • Annual and Financial Reports
      • Contact Us
  • Initiatives
    • slider_1Initiatives
      The Law Society is seeking to identify legal service providers for new initiatives. This unique approach, the first of its kind in Canada, enables the Law Society to expand access to appropriately regulated legal services in a responsible and sustainable manner. The overall goal is to balance the need for enhanced access to legal services for underserved Saskatchewan citizens while ensuring public protection. For more information, click below. Consultation
      • Access to Justice
        • Future of Legal Services Initiative
        • Limited Scope Legal Services – Information for the Public
        • Limited Scope Legal Services – Information for Lawyers
      • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
        • Equity Office
      • Legal Information
        • Legal Information Guidelines
        • Saskatchewan Access to Legal Information
      • Innovating Regulation
      • Truth and Reconciliation
        • Additional Resources
        • Notice to Day School Survivors
      • Saskatchewan Justicia Project
  • Regulation
    • slider_1Remote Executing Of Certain Documents And Remote Witnessing Of Wills By Electronic Means Legislation Now Permanent
      We are happy to announce that today, the Government of Saskatchewan repealed the temporary emergency regulations related to remote execution of certain documents and wills and replaced those regulations with permanent regulations allowing for remote execution of documents via electronic means (i.e. video calls) to continue long-term beyond the end of the public emergency period. Practice Directives
      • Definition of the Practice of Law and Unauthorized Practice of Law
      • Firm Regulation
        • Designated Representative (DR) Hub
      • Act, Code and Rules
        • The Legal Profession Act, 1990
        • Code of Professional Conduct and Amendments
        • Law Society Rules, Amendments and Practice Directives
        • Rules Concordance – Read More
      • Hearings, Decisions and Rulings
        • Pending Discipline Matters
        • Discipline Decisions
        • Conduct Review Database
        • Ethics Rulings Database
        • Pending Admissions and Education Matters
        • Admissions and Education Decisions
        • Disqualification and Reinstatement
      • Lawyers with Practice Conditions/Restrictions
      • Lawyer Trusteeships and Successors
      • Potential Complaint Outcomes
        • Ethics Committee
        • Competency Committee
        • Conduct Investigation Committee
  • Public
    • slider_1New Law Society Complaint Form
      The goal is to assist and encourage complainants to provide clear and concise descriptions of their concerns, and reduce confusion by removing technical terms that may not be fully understood by members of the general public (i.e.: “conflict of interest”). Complaint Form
      • Finding Legal Assistance
      • Find Legal Assistance Search Guidance
      • What to Expect From Your Lawyer
      • Looking For Lost Wills
      • Making a Complaint
        • Complaints Process
      • Common Client Concerns
        • Understanding Lawyers’ Fees
        • Quality of Service
        • Conflict of Interest
        • Confidentiality
        • Withdrawal
        • File Transfers
      • Common Client Concerns
        • Role of an Estate’s Lawyer
        • Role of Opposing Lawyer
        • Breach of Trust Conditions/Undertakings
        • Lawyer’s Conduct in Court
        • Lawyer’s Outside Interests
  • Lawyers and Students
    • hiring sign resizedCareer and Volunteer Opportunities
      • Becoming a Lawyer in Saskatchewan
        • Students-at-law
        • Transfer Lawyers
        • International Applicants
      • Becoming a Principal
      • Career And Volunteer Opportunities
        • Students Seeking Articles
      • Membership Services
      • Awards, Bursaries, Scholarships
      • Consultation
      • Locum Registry
      • Practice Advisor Program
      • Forms and Fees
        • Law Society Forms
        • Trust Account Forms
      • Western Conveyancing Protocol
        • Protocol for Saskatchewan
      • Practice Resources
        • General Resources
        • Queen’s Bench Rules
      • Health and Wellness
  • Legal Resources
  • CPD
    • slider_1Continuing Professional Development
      • CPD Activities
        • CPD Calendar of Activities
        • CPD On Demand (Subscription)
        • CPD Activity Application Form
        • Recorded Versions Shop
        • Study Group Resources
      • CPD Policy
        • Reporting CPD Hours
        • Eligible CPD Activities
        • Approved Providers
        • Remedial CPD Plan Information
        • FAQs
        • Transition to One-Year CPD Term
      • Contact Us
      • Volunteers
      • Presenter Section
  • Shop
Law Society of Saskatchewan Lawyers and Students Bencher Election (Throwback Thursday)

Bencher Election (Throwback Thursday)

October 22, 2015

By Melanie Hodges Neufeld

To mark the big election this month – the Law Society’s Bencher Election of course – here are some interesting tidbits from the election’s history:

  • The Legal Profession Act of 1907 did not make provision for electoral divisions. Each bencher represented all members and there was a preponderance of benchers from southern Saskatchewan.
  • For the first 12 years of the Society’s existence, there were 9 elected benchers. The Legal Profession Act was amended prior to the 1919 election to increase the number to 12.
  • The Act was amended prior to the 1964 election to increase the number of elected benchers to 15 and to include electoral districts. The districts mirrored the land titles districts, except Yorkton and Humboldt which would be considered one district. Regina and Saskatoon were also separate districts.
  • Amendments to the Act in 1981 increased the number of benchers to 18, with 2 additional benchers for the Saskatoon district and the dean of the College of Law now a full voting bencher.
  • In 1982, Gwen Randall was the first female bencher elected to the Law Society of Saskatchewan.
  • The 1991 election was the first to use a ward system of voting. Benchers were elected only by the members in their own electoral division, as opposed to being elected by province-wide voting.
  • The Legal Profession Act, 1990 was proclaimed on October 1, 1991 and introduced for the first time in Saskatchewan the concept of non-lawyer benchers. Two were to be appointed by the lieutenant-governor in council after consultation with the Society.
  • Prior to the 1997 election, boundary changes resulted in:
    • Prince Albert being represented by one bencher,
    • the former Prince Albert and Humboldt-Yorkton divisions be renamed the North East and East Central divisions, and
    • the membership of the Kerrobert division would be split between the Battlefords and Swift Current divisions, which would be renamed the North West and South West divisions, respectively.
  • Currently there are 23 benchers representing 9 geographic divisions, the New Lawyer Bencher division, Dean of the College of Law, and 4 Public Representatives.

For more information on the upcoming election, please visit our website.

 

Share this:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Archives

Categories

Subscribe Now

Subscribe for the latest news from our blog "Legal Sourcery".

Submit News Post

Submission Guidelines

Archives

Categories

Online Tools

  • Search
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use

Quick Links

  • About Us
  • LSS Initiatives
  • For Lawyers & Students
  • For the Public
  • Regulation
  • CPD

Subscribe Now

Subscribe for the latest news from our blog "Legal Sourcery".

Stay Connected

Twitter
Facebook
Linkedin

© 2022 Law Society of Saskatchewan. Website & Hosting by OmniOnline