This release was issued under a previous government.
Schaffter was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1980 after obtaining her Law degree at the University of Alberta in 1979. She worked in Camrose until 2001, focusing on the areas of family law, personal injury and wills and estates. She then began working with the Family Law Office in Edmonton, a program of Legal Aid Alberta that provides comprehensive family law services to individuals who otherwise would not be able to afford them. Schaffter continued to work for this program until 2007, when she became the president and CEO of Legal Aid Alberta.
“Ms. Schaffter’s work with Legal Aid Alberta shows she is dedicated to ensuring all Albertans have access to the justice services they need. I am delighted to appoint someone to the bench who is so committed to helping Albertans.”
The Alberta Judicial Council screens all candidates for Provincial Court appointments and forwards a list of recommended applicants to the Provincial Court Nominating Committee. The committee then interviews candidates from the list and recommends the names of those appointees felt to be of the highest calibre to the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General.
The Provincial Court Nominating Committee was established in 1999. The 11 members are appointed by the Minister of Justice and represent the Alberta Provincial Court, the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta Branch), and other members from the legal profession and the public. The Judicial Council has representatives from the Alberta Provincial Court, Court of Queen’s Bench, Court of Appeal and the Law Society of Alberta. It also includes two people appointed by the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General.
Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.
Note: the effective date was corrected to December 4.