Sandra Petersson, KC

Thank you for reviewing candidate information for the 2026 Bencher election. The Law Society of Alberta is our legal regulator and the Benchers are its board of directors. I believe that the public interest is best served by an independently regulated legal profession. In 2023, only 45% of eligible lawyers voted. Make your voice heard and support candidates who you think will best contribute to the effective governance of our profession and safeguarding the public interest.

I am a strategic, innovative thinker and a reflective listener who brings a balanced perspective. With professional training in leadership and governance, I value the benefits that flow from having people with different experiences and perspectives working together to solve complex problems. My strength is in making sure that we understand the actual problem that needs to be solved which may not be the problem as initially presented.

In my time as a Bencher, I have applied my skills on committees dealing with policy and regulatory reform, finance, and strategic planning. All Benchers also serve on regulatory and disciplinary committees. The adjudication work has deepened my understanding of the multiple challenges that lawyers face in day-to-day practice. Ours is not an easy career path and no one graduates from law school with a plan to end up in the disciplinary process. That said, protecting the public interest is paramount in disciplinary matters.

For most of my own career, I have worked at the Alberta Law Reform Institute – first as legal counsel and now executive director. I am passionate about ensuring that the law makes sense and keeps pace with societal change. I have facilitated law reform training for lawyers across Canada and for lawyers from Samoa, South Sudan and Trinidad and Tobago. On the personal side, I prefer knitting over working out and reading fiction over case law. I live in Edmonton with my husband, our daughter and a menagerie of dogs and cats.