The March 31, 2026, reporting deadline for client contingency plans is fast approaching!

By Lawyers Practice Management publication equips lawyers with practical guidance and precedents to prepare fully compliant contingency plans and supporting documentation.

Explore the Client Contingency Plan guide in our Practice Management publication now to be prepared for the reporting deadline.

Procedures for divorce proceedings in Alberta have changed significantly under the Family Focused Protocol (FFP). To help law firms confidently manage files through the new procedures, By Lawyers has published comprehensive new guidance and precedents covering the FFP. 

A Mandatory Intake Triage (MIT) Justice is now assigned to the parties to assist them at each stage until their matter is resolved, either by agreement or trial. The MIT Justice plays a central role by addressing interim needs, acting as the Case Conference Justice, and providing ongoing guidance throughout the process.

The Family Focused Protocol establishes 3 streams through which parties may advance their family law matter when filing applications:

1. The Regular Family Process, for matters requiring a final decision on all disputed issues.

2. The Desk Process, which permits certain applications to be filed by email, while others continue under existing desk procedures, such as desk divorce applications.

3. The Urgent Process, for applications that cannot be delayed because of risks of violence, harm, removal of a child, or other pressing circumstances. 

The Family Focused Protocol also expands the Mandatory Requirements provincewide. For non-urgent matters, parties must complete the Parenting After Separation (PAS) seminar, attempt Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), exchange financial disclosure, and, if self-represented, meet with a Family Court Counsellor before seeking court relief. 

At the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference, the parties meet with their assigned Justice to obtain interim relief, procedural directions, and, where appropriate, participate in mediation. 

If the matter does not resolve, the parties proceed to a Settlement Conference. In preparation, they must file a Settlement Conference Memorandum with all required documents. Following the conference, the Court issues a Settlement Conference Report outlining the next steps. 

The Family Focused Protocol represents a comprehensive new approach to family law proceedings in Alberta. It introduces additional procedural steps, forms, and timelines that family law practitioners must understand and implement promptly. 

By Lawyers has updated its Divorce commentary, matter plan, and precedents to assist practitioners in adapting to the Family Focused Protocol efficiently and confidently. The updates include detailed guidance on each step of the Regular Family Process, instructions for completing Desk Process applications, and procedures for bringing an Urgent application both before and after an MIT Justice has been assigned. 

By Lawyers continues to monitor changes in court procedure at the Court of King’s Bench to ensure practitioners have up-to-date resources for family law practice in Alberta. Visit our website to explore all our Family Law (AB) guides.

By Lawyers has introduced new AI prompts to the Corporations, Trusts, Partnerships, and Joint Ventures matter plans, providing practical risk management tools to support accurate and efficient drafting.

The new prompts are designed to compare client instructions with draft documents, helping practitioners confirm that all details are properly reflected before execution. The prompts include:

• Prompt comparing instructions with draft shareholders agreement;

• Prompt comparing instructions with draft partnership agreement;

• Prompt comparing instructions with draft trust deed; and

• Prompt comparing instructions with draft joint venture agreement.

These AI prompts act as an additional layer of review, assisting lawyers to identify inconsistencies, omissions, or unintended departures from client instructions. In doing so, they strengthen risk management processes while saving time in complex commercial matters.

The prompts are available within the relevant By Lawyers matter plans and are designed to work seamlessly with LEAP’s Matter AI. This integration allows practitioners to harness AI functionality directly within their LEAP matter, alongside By Lawyers trusted guides and precedents.

By incorporating these AI prompts into established matter plans, By Lawyers continues to provide best practice processes that help firms work efficiently and reduce risk. Our sequential matter plans guide practitioners logically from instruction to completion, ensuring that no critical step is missed. The addition of AI-powered comparison tools further enhances accuracy and confidence.

These new AI prompts are now available in our Corporations, Trusts, Partnerships, and Joint Ventures publications.