Former Alberta premier Rachel Notley joins labour-focused law firm

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley makes her last speech as the party leader in Calgary, on Friday, June 21, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dave Chidley

Former Alberta premier Rachel Notley is returning to her legal roots, joining western Canadian law firm Southern Butler Price.

Notley, who was the NDP premier from 2015 to 2019, resigned her seat in the legislature at the end of 2024 after close to 17 years.

Before entering politics, she was a labour lawyer. That included a stint with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, where she handled workers' compensation cases.

Notley said on social media Monday she’s “thrilled” to join Southern Butler Price, which offers workplace-related services like mediation, arbitration and workplace investigations.

“(The firm) shares my passion for fairness, solving tough problems and supporting positive change,” Notley said.

“I can’t wait to bring my experience to this exciting new chapter.”

Southern Butler Price, which has offices in Vancouver and Calgary, said in a statement Monday that Notley’s previous experience as a lawyer and her record as an elected official aligns with its mission and practice.

“Notley brings a wealth of experience in leadership, governance and conflict resolution to (Southern Butler Price), reinforcing the firm’s commitment to accountability, fairness, and respect,” it said.

“She has shown incomparable leadership in Canada, and her commitment to equity and fairness is a perfect fit for the work we do helping some of the country’s largest employers navigate complex problems,” Nicole Price, the firm’s managing partner, said in the statement.

The firm said Notley is to take cases related to conflict resolution, leadership and governance, investigations and more.

Shortly after Notley resigned from the legislature, her successor as NDP leader announced his intention to run in her former Edmonton riding.

Naheed Nenshi, who served as the mayor of Calgary for more than a decade before taking the party reins this past summer, said earlier this month that he already splits his time between Alberta’s two major cities and his plan doesn’t mean he’s leaving Calgary behind.

A byelection for Edmonton-Strathcona hasn’t been called yet, but Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s deadline to do so is the end of June.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.