Paladin Group of Companies is proud to announce that Chelsea Hazewinkel, the Group’s Chief Legal Officer, has received the honourary title of King’s Counsel (KC) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the legal community.
In a personal letter to Chelsea, Mickey Amery, Alberta’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, said: “This honourary title is intended to recognize your professional integrity, exceptional character, and outstanding contributions to both the legal profession and our province. You have demonstrated an enduring commitment to enhancing our province’s justice system and outstanding leadership.”
King’s Counsel candidacies, including letters of support, are reviewed by a committee that includes representatives from all three levels of the court system, as well 
as members of the Law Society and the Canadian Bar Association. The final list is then submitted to cabinet for consideration and approval.
The King's Counsel designation is very prestigious in Canada, the UK, and other Commonwealth countries. It is the highest honour bestowed by the legal profession.
Sharing this honour with my Paladin friends and colleagues has been immensely meaningful. Our company is big in size and scope but feels very small when you are receiving support from across all Paladin banners: Concord, PalAmerican, Risk, Paladin Security and Paladin Airport Security Services, Chelsea said.
Paladin’s culture is built on four values: being curious, accountable, respectful, and exceptional. Chelsea’s alignment with our exceptional value is obvious and her commitment to going above and beyond is something Paladin is very proud of.
In addition to her role at Paladin, Chelsea is a Board Director and Past-President for the Association of Corporate Counsel Alberta, a Board Director for the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF). She is a sought out public speaker including as the keynote at the 2023 National Stepping Up Conference (a leadership program to ready women for C-suite leadership) in Toronto, on the TED Talk stage at the Global Association of Corporate Counsel, and most recently at the Canadian Legal Innovation Forum.
The tradition of appointing lawyers to be King’s Counsel dates to 16th-century England. In Canada, the first King’s Counsel appointees were admitted in Upper Canada in 1841 (before Confederation). The title changes with the monarch and was known as Queen’s Counsel during Queen Elizabeth’s reign. “The King’s Counsel designation is a prized distinction within the Canadian justice system. By making positive contributions to the profession, these honourees represent the legal profession at its best,” said Mr. Amery
Chelsea will be called to the Inner Bar in a formal, robbed ceremony on June 12, 2024.