Author: Amanda Baretta

Applications for, and the involvement of, independent legal counsel for children have become increasingly common in both the Court of King’s Bench and the Court of Justice. This paper explores a child’s right to be heard in judicial proceedings, the role of the child’s counsel, qualifications to become a child’s counsel, the court application process, appointments and retainers, expectations and limitations of a child’s counsel, and the role of a child’s counsel in mediation and arbitration.

This paper is part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Chambers and Practice Pointers program in Edmonton on January 28, 2025.