The Alberta Law Libraries (ALL) Board is responsible for making recommendations about ALL, setting policy governing the operation of ALL, and for overseeing the operation of the library system.
Current Board Members:
Barbra Bailey
Barbra is the Manager, Education at the Law Society of Alberta. She oversees a team working in the areas of professional development and lawyer competence, resource development, equity, diversity and inclusion and Indigenous initiatives. The work of this team also aims to enhance well-being amongst the legal profession in Alberta and provides internal educational opportunities at the Law Society.
Barbra grew up in rural Saskatchewan and received both her BA and JD from the University of Saskatchewan. She has been a member of the Saskatchewan bar since 2009 and the Alberta bar since 2019. Barbra has been working in lawyer regulation since 2011 (first at the Law Society of Saskatchewan and now at the Law Society of Alberta), in the areas of policy, strategic initiatives and education.
Luke Bendkowski
Luke was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta where he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in philosophy and previously served on the Lethbridge Public Library Board. He then obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Manitoba in 2021, and moved back to his home province of Alberta where he was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 2022 and continues to practice as a litigation lawyer. In his legal practice, Luke focuses on obtaining business oriented solutions for his clients and their dispute in all levels of court.
Luke has long had a keen interest in publicly funded libraries and institutions, access to justice, and public policy. Luke wants to use his love of libraries, policy experience, and legal skills to continue giving back to the community. In his spare time, Luke enjoys reading literature and all types of non-fiction books, playing chess, enjoying coffee, and volunteering.
Sarah Klein (Chair)
Sarah is the Canada Director, Privacy and Risk Operations for Dentons Canada LLP. In this role, Sarah is responsible for regulatory compliance, health and safety and cybersecurity. In this role, Sarah collaborates with lawyers, senior leaders, and business services teams across the Firm to implement risk management initiatives and support Dentons’ commitments to regulatory bodies while allowing the Firm to provide legal services in safe, innovative ways.
Prior to her current role, Sarah spent three years in a talent leadership role at Dentons where she created the Firm’s national professional development function and built out processes that formalized and enhancing learning opportunities across the Canada Region and with other Dentons Regions. Sarah was previously a practicing lawyer with Dentons and another global law firm.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University (Kingston), an LL.B from the University of Victoria, and an LL.M from the University of Toronto, where she was a fellow of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Sarah articled with the Court of Appeal of Alberta and was called to the bar in 2008. She has published on topics including health law and civil procedure.
Jennifer Perry
Jennifer is a Senior Manager of Forensic Services at PwC. She assists clients and legal counsel both through investigating fraud, and mitigating fraud risks before they occur. Prior to her time at PwC, Jennifer was a Senior Investigator at the Canada Revenue Agency, where she conducted investigations into criminal tax evasion. Her experience at the CRA fueled her passion for public service, and her role at PwC has allowed her to work closely with legal professionals.
Jennifer was born and raised just outside of St. John’s, Newfoundland, where she obtained her B. Comm (Co-op)(Hons) and her CPA, CA designation. She now calls Calgary home. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys teaching fitness classes, playing soccer, and curling up with a good book from the library. Jennifer brings her passion for reading, her public service background, and her work with legal matters to the Board.
Ramona Robins
Ramona Robins grew up in Northern Alberta but moved south to Medicine Hat in 1998 after graduating from the University of Alberta. She worked in private practice as a family lawyer for four years before joining the Medicine Hat Crown’s office in 2002. She became Chief Crown Prosecutor in 2009 and worked for many years creating efficient systems for the management of large volumes of files in addition to handling some of the most infamous and complex homicides in Medicine Hat area. In 2021 she took on a new position as Associate Chief Prosecutor, Regional Prosecutions. In this position she works with each of the 13 regional offices throughout Alberta providing them strategic support, advice on major files and suggestions for improving office systems. Out of the office Ramona has been a long-time library supporter, starting on her first library board in Grande Prairie when she was just 13. In 2021 Ramona was elected as a City Councillor in Medicine Hat and she represents Council on the Medicine Hat Public Library Board.
Yasifina Somji
Following receipt of her Bachelor of Science (Hon) in Environmental Resource and Science from Trent University, Yasifina obtained her law degree from the University of Calgary. In 2001, she began her legal career at Alberta Crown Prosecution Service as a prosecutor where she assumed the day-to-day conduct of criminal trials. After 15 years of prosecuting serious and complex offences under the Canadian Criminal Code and other provincial statues, Yasifina joined the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) as Senior Litigation Counsel where she specialized in prosecutions of securities offences. Yasifina has appeared as counsel before the regulatory tribunal of the ASC, the Alberta Superior Court, the Court of King’s Bench and the Court of Appeal of Alberta. Currently, Yasifina is the Senior Enforcement Counsel at the ASC. In this role, she is responsible for providing leadership and supporting the Director, Enforcement and the Enforcement team, in all aspects of the ASC’s administrative and criminal related matters.
Yasifina is also very passionate about giving back to her community. She has her Qualified Mediator designation, volunteering as a mediator for over 20 years dealing with high conflict families as well as complex and multifaceted matters. Yasifina co-chairs the Conflict Resolution Day Alberta Committee which she has been a part of since 2018. She is also an instructor with the Foundation of Administration Justice.
Vacant
Do you have a keen interest in issues relating to access to legal information, and are excited to help strengthen, support and re-define law libraries in Alberta?
The Board is seeking an individual residing in Alberta to join us and participate in establishing and fulfilling the strategic direction of ALL for a term of up to two (2) or three (3) years.