A high-profile separatist lawyer is facing professional misconduct allegations from Alberta's legal regulator. Jeffrey Rath has been issued three citations under the Legal Profession Act, including claims that he communicated with a client and a fellow lawyer in a manner that was abusive, offensive, or otherwise inconsistent with the tone of professional communication expected from a lawyer.
Rath is also accused of abusing a tribunal process by instituting proceedings clearly motivated by malice or brought with the intention of injuring the other party, as well as failing to cooperate with a lawyer who replaced him on a file. The citations, dated May 12, were posted to the Law Society of Alberta website last week and deal with a complaint filed in 2023. The citations do not go into detail about the allegations, which remain unproven pending a hearing. Rath did not respond to requests for comment.
Background on Jeffrey Rath
Rath, who has been a lawyer in Alberta since 1991, is a leading figure in the Alberta separatist movement. He claims to have met with Trump administration officials about Alberta separation, and last month represented independence petitioner Mitch Sylvestre in a pair of First Nations legal challenges of the citizen initiative process.
Court of King's Bench Justice Shaina Leonard ultimately sided with the First Nations, finding that the government had not met its duty to consult Indigenous groups before issuing the petition. The ruling effectively ended hopes of a fall separation referendum via citizen initiative.
Reactions and Further Actions
Rath has since called Premier Danielle Smith a quisling and called for her ouster over her plan to hold a fall referendum on whether to put a binding separation question to a vote at a later date. On X, he called Smith the most dishonest and corrupt premier of his lifetime and said delaying a vote would give Prime Minister Mark Carney too much time to flood Alberta with third worlders and then pass a citizenship bill giving them voting rights.
Sylvestre, a United Conservative Party (UCP) constituency association president, said he plans to challenge Smith's leadership or force the party to demand a different referendum question. Both Rath and the Alberta government say they will appeal Leonard's decision.
Law Society's Position
In an email, a law society spokesperson declined to comment on the citations against Rath. By statute, complaints and investigations are confidential, starting the minute the society receives an expression of concern about a lawyer. When issues or complaints about lawyers are brought to their attention, they assess each matter according to a process that is fair and consistent for both the lawyer involved and those providing the information.
