The Law Society of Alberta has announced that the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta (the “Rules”) regarding Client Identification and Verification (“CIV Rules”) will be amended.
The current CIV Rules do not require that a lawyer be in their client’s physical presence when verifying a client’s identity using the government-issued photo ID method. In this, lawyers are permitted to remotely verify clients through videoconference technology. Under the upcoming amendments, lawyers can no longer remotely verify a client’s identity. The use of an agent to verify the identity of a client will also no longer be mandatory for specific situations.
The CIV Rules have been amended to align with the Law Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s Model Rules, which are intended to safeguard clients, their money, and prevent money-laundering. On January 1, 2025, the amended CIV rules come into effect. Read the complete notice here for more information on these upcoming changes. In the coming months, a more detailed overview of the amendments to the Rules will be provided. LESA will continue to monitor developments regarding the CIV Rules and provide updates on the LESA blog.
