Black History Month
Every February, Canadians across the country are invited to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities.
Here, at the Legal Archives Society of Alberta, we are acknowledging the transformative work of Black lawyers and judges, past and present, whose achievements and contributions to their communities make Alberta the culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous province it is today.
Kene Ilochonwu
In 2020, Kene Ilochonwu became the first Black Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta in its 113-year history.
Kene was born and raised in Nigeria. He received his law degree from the Abia State University in 1997 and obtained his law license from the Nigerian Law School Abuja in 2000. Kene then relocated to Scotland where he studied for and obtained a Master of Laws degree in Information Technology and Telecommunications Law from the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, Scotland in 2004.
Thereafter, Kene relocated to Calgary and sat the National Committee on Accreditation exams. After passing those exams and after working for a period of time as a supply chain professional, Kene completed his Canadian articles at DLA Piper Canada and Imperial Oil. Upon completion of his articles, Kene joined Blake, Cassels and Graydon as an associate in 2017. After a year with Blake, Cassels and Graydon, Kene moved to his current role as legal counsel with Parkland Corporation. At Parkland, he is involved in supporting various business initiatives and assisting with commercial agreements about the safe transportation and marketing of hydrocarbon commodities.
Kene prides himself on giving back to the legal profession and to the community at large. In particular, Kene volunteers with the Civil Claims Duty Counsel Project with Pro Bono Law Alberta. He is also active with the Black Law Student’s Association of the University of Calgary, and he mentors students and internationally trained lawyers through the Canadian Bar Association mentor program and Global Lawyers of Canada. Kene is also a board member with Pro Bono Law Alberta, Calgary Black Chambers, Global Lawyers of Canada, and Our Saviour Anglican Church Calgary.
Shortly after his election as a Bencher, Kene told the Law Society of Alberta in an interview that, “I advise and mentor a lot of internationally trained lawyers. Coming here as a lawyer from another country, you start over again. I went through that myself. I had a lot of mentors and I still have a few, so the least I can do is send the elevator down to bring people up and pay back the benefits I had as an internationally trained lawyer. Without my mentors, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Kene was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer Magazine in 2021.
