ALIA bids farewell to two longtime Board Directors, welcomes new Board Chair
ALIA bids farewell to two longtime Board Directors, welcomes new Board Chair
ALIA has three recent changes in the membership of its Board of Directors: the resignations of Don Cranston K.C. (Board Chair) and Dale Spackman, K.C. (Corporate Secretary), and the appointment of Darlene Scott, K.C.
Each of these individuals are pillars of the legal community and have such impressive and lengthy curricula vitae that even a summary of their illustrious careers would take up significant space in the ALIAdvisory, so selected highlights are offered below.
ALIA wishes to thank Don and Dale for their service to ALIA – and, accordingly, the profession – and to welcome Darlene!
Retirement of Donald R. Cranston, K.C.
Don recently retired from the partnership of Bennett Jones LLP, where his practice focused on commercial litigation, professional malpractice, public administration law, and alternative dispute resolution, and has subsequently retired from his role as Chair of ALIA’s Board of Directors.
Don was President of the Law Society of Alberta for the term 2018-2019 and served as Chair of the Board of the Legal Education Society of Alberta, Chair of the Board of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law Alumni and Friends Association and Chair of the Board of the Alberta Law Reform Institute.
Don will be winding down his mediation and arbitration services practice and will be assisting ALIA in its upcoming strategic planning.
Retirement of Dale Spackman, K.C.
Dale acted as legal counsel to the Law Society in establishing the Alberta Lawyers Insurance Exchange and was one of the inaugural Directors of the Alberta Lawyers Insurance Exchange and, as a result of his long service to ALIEX and ALIA, has reached the maximum years of service permitted. Combined, he served on these boards from 2014 to 2024 and for all of this time also served as the Corporate Secretary for the boards. Dale also served on the Audit Committee of ALIEX and subsequently served as the Chair of the Audit Committee of ALIEX and ALIA until his retirement from the board.
Dale served as a Bencher from February 2003 to February 2004 and from February 2005 to February 2012, during which time he served on or chaired many Bencher committees including the Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Audit Committee and Governance Committee and was the inaugural Chair of the Governance Committee. Dale also served on the Law Society’s Insurance Committee from February 2006 to February 2012. He was also instrumental in establishing the investment policy and financial controls for the indemnity program and was instrumental in ensuring its regulatory compliance.
Dale continues to practice in the areas of commercial, general and business aviation, banking and finance, and corporate commercial law with Parlee McLaws LLP. In his corporate commercial practice, Dale provides legal counsel to private and public corporations involved in diverse businesses such as commercial air services, equipment leasing, precious metals investment, communications, resources, manufacturing, professional and amateur sports, construction, and food services.
Appointment of Darlene Scott, K.C.
ALIA is pleased to announce Darlene’s appointment to its Board by the Benchers and her election by the Board as its Chair.
Darlene is a seasoned lawyer who built a distinguished career advising a wide range of institutional and corporate clients on commercial matters. Her expertise includes providing legal guidance on real estate transactions such as sales, leasing, development, and acquisitions, as well as offering counsel on business and share-related issues. She has served in leadership and management positions in the Edmonton office of Dentons LLP and its predecessor firms, including more than 10 years as Chair of the Institutions and Lending group, and as a member of both local and national compensation committees.
Darlene earned her ICD.D designation in 2024. Her extensive board experience includes serving as Chair of the board of directors for KV Mortgage Fund Inc., Alberta Law Foundation, and as a board member for Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation, among others. At the Law Society of Alberta, she served as a Bencher from 2014 to 2022, President during 2021/2022, and was a member of the Executive Committee from 2015 to 2022. Additionally, she has chaired all the major committees of the Law Society.
Darlene has received multiple awards, including the Women in Law Leadership Award “Stronger Together” (2021), the Commercial Real Estate Women’s Inaugural Award for supporting diversity in the real estate industry (2021), and recognition in The Best Lawyers in Canada as “Lawyer of the Year” in Corporate Law (2014, 2018), among others. Darlene received her Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) designation in 2016.