While the foundations of residential real estate remain steady, new trends and technologies continue to reshape how lawyers practice real estate law in city centres and rural areas throughout Alberta. We are excited to host the next annual LESA Refresher conference in Banff on April 17–19, 2026. This year’s Refresher focuses on real estate, and we talked with our conference chair, Jason McCulloch (Field LLP), to learn a little more about him, his practice, and the challenges he sees for those working in real estate law as the landscape continually evolves.
Tell us a little about yourself and your career. When did you decide to become a lawyer? What first got you interested in the practice of law? What does your day-to-day work look like now?
I wanted to be a writer, but my dad told me I’d starve to death if I went down that path. I figured a career in law would be a good back up while I waited to sell that first movie/novel. 26+ years later of lawyering in the day and writing in the night … it still looks like my dad was right, but I haven’t given up yet. My average day? It feels a little like the opening 20 minutes from “Saving Private Ryan” — but the bullets and fire are metaphorical (thankfully).
What do you like best about working in real estate law?
It is fast-paced, so that’s good for my limited attention span. I also like the opportunity to engage with clients, especially first home buyers/new Canadians. They are always so excited, and it reminds me to be thankful for my own house.
What kind of challenges do you see ahead for those working in real estate as trends and technologies change and develop (often at a rapid pace)? How will the 2026 Refresher conference prepare practitioners to face those challenges?
I worry a bit about AI. Mostly because I don’t trust the accuracy of it. It’s a long way away from being perfect, but that doesn’t mean that others (clients/other lawyers) won’t try to use it, and it makes it hard to deal with someone when they put blind faith in a tech answer that I know is incorrect. I also worry about sophisticated frauds. Real estate lawyers handle lots of money, and I think we are targets of these criminals. It is difficult to stay ahead of things and stay safe. I think our conference will touch on some of these things and give participants a chance to trade their own war stories and tips, so I’m looking forward to that.
What are you most looking forward to about the 2026 Refresher?
I am excited about learning, as nerdy as that sounds. I selfishly picked topics I want to learn more about, and I think it will be a good conference that will appeal to lawyers at all levels of practice, which is nice. It’s also a nice weekend to catch up with folks we rarely get to see in-person. I can have a file with someone a dozen times but not actually see (or even chat with) them until we both appear at one of these things.
Is there anything specific about the upcoming Refresher that you want people to know about? Why will this be a valuable program to attend? Who will benefit from attending this conference?
I got ahead of myself with the answer in the question immediately above. Matt (at LESA) and the rest of us volunteers have been focused on creating a program that will have a wide range of appeal for all practice levels. I am approaching 3 decades at this job, and, when I chat with the other presenters, I am excited (and a bit scared) about how much stuff there will be for me to learn from them. I think that the format will allow for a bit more interaction with the audience than people are used to, so that will hopefully make it a very special conference for that reason — and one worth attending.
I see from your firm bio that you are involved in quite a lot of volunteer work. Do you have any favorite volunteer activities? What motivates you to volunteer? In particular, what do you like about volunteering for LESA?
I try to give back when I can – and I’m not alone in that at all. As a profession, lawyers are very giving of their time and talents. I usually do volunteer stuff in a non-law capacity, as I like a break from the law: coaching a team, hiding Easter Eggs in our community, or acting in the Players de Novo play (which is one of the most enjoyable volunteer things I have ever done – I highly recommend you go see it if you’ve never been!). As far as my involvement with LESA goes, I have a long history, first as an attendee and then as a volunteer. It’s a good group of people, and they strive to put out a quality product, so it’s always an honor to assist.
Is there anything else you’d like to share, either personally, professionally, or about the Refresher specifically?
Personally, if you know anyone in the film or publishing industry, I could really use a warm introduction. I’d really like to sell something and prove my dad wrong! Otherwise, I’d just like to wish everyone the best. I hope to see as many of you at the Refresher as possible. Thanks, as always, for the opportunity to be involved.
Want to join Jason at this year’s Refresher? Early bird registration pricing is available until January 26, 2026. Click here for more information about the program or to register.
