A three-member committee representing the Law Society of Alberta has approved Robin Camp’s application to be permitted to practise law in the province of Alberta more than a year after the former justice resigned from the Federal Court of Canada.
In March 2017, Camp tendered his resignation following the Canadian Judicial Council’s recommendation that he be removed due to his questionable comments during a case he heard in Calgary as a provincial court judge.
Camp had questioned why the victim of an alleged assault at the hands of Alexander Wagar in 2011 was unable to keep her knees together during the alleged attack and referred to the victim as ‘the accused’ on several occasions during the proceedings.
Camp acquitted Wagar but an inquiry into Camp’s conduct resulted in a new trial.
The former judge applied for reinstatement to the Law Society of Alberta in November 2017 indicating that he planned to practise commercial or environmental law, not criminal.
Camp’s application was approved on Tuesday, May 22, 2018.
In a statement released by the Law Society of Alberta, the committee’s decision stated that ‘Mr. Camp has learned from his mistakes’ and emphasized that the committee ‘does not condone Mr. Camp’s conduct in the Wagar trial or that carried through to his written decision’.
According to the Law Society of Alberta, former judges are not permitted to appear in court without the society’s approval and, as of May 23, 2018, Camp has not sought the approval.
