I articled to my father, Bruce Gunn, who practiced exclusively in criminal defence. I was admitted to the Law Society of Alberta in 2002 and to the Law Society of the NWT in 2008. When my father suddenly passed away in 2006, the office needed someone to take charge. I instantly stepped up as managing partner of the firm. In 2016, I took sole control of the office.
In 2017, I could see important changes coming to impaired driving litigation that would have a very significant impact on my firm. I decided we would proactively branch out into Family Law and received my designation in Collaborative Family Law in 2018. I very much enjoy my collaborative practice.
In 2020, the changes to impaired driving that I foresaw in 2017 came into effect. When police began foregoing criminal charges in favour of administrative sanctions, I also pivoted, and our firm began working intensely in administrative law. Through judicial review and appeals, the last 5 years became an era of law-making, and we were at the forefront of it.
In 2011, I created the Alberta Court Interpreters Course and was in charge of it for roughly 11 years. In 2013, I took on the two-year position of President of the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association. Between 2022 and 2024, I was Co-Chair of the Association of Collaborative Family Professionals (Edmonton).
I am fluent in French and English. I have conducted trials and appeals in both official languages at every level of Court in Alberta, as well as in the Supreme Court of Canada. My last two appearances in the Supreme Court of Canada were both in French.
I live in Lac Ste Anne County, and though my practice had mainly been out of Edmonton, our office expanded. In 2024, in addition to maintaining the Edmonton location, Gunn Law Group officially opened our location in Hinton.
To promote the Hinton office, I began acting as Duty Counsel. However, I ended up enjoying it far more than I expected. In addition to Hinton, Edson, Jasper and Grande Cache, I began eagerly picking up shifts in Barrhead, Westlock, Mayerthorpe and Evansburg for the sheer fun of it. As a result, my practice now has a distinctly rural feel.
I am running for Bencher because I see a lot of challenges ahead for the Law Society of Alberta. At the top of the list are the advancement of AI; regulatory independence; and ensuring the protection of the public by maintaining high standards for all practicing lawyers and students.
When I recently told my mother I was putting my name forward for Bencher, she shared with me that my father had expressed a similar wish shortly before he passed away. I did not know that. But it did not surprise me either. My father had a passion for the rule of law and upholding the administration of justice. I like to think the apple did not fall far from the tree.
