Bio
Shannon Dean has served the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for more than two decades and was appointed as the 9th Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on May 24, 2019.
Since joining the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1996, Shannon has served as a legal and procedural advisor to the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly. She is an expert in parliamentary law and procedure, notably serving as a Table Officer in the Assembly for over 23 years.
Beginning as Parliamentary Counsel, Shannon quickly took on more executive management roles in the delivery of legal and administrative services as Senior Parliamentary Counsel in 2000 and then as Senior Parliamentary Counsel and Director of House Services in 2011. She has a proven track record in providing legal and strategic advice and resolving complex issues under sensitive political constraints. In 2016, she was appointed Law Clerk and Executive Director of House Services where she became the chief legal advisor to the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Now as Clerk, Shannon is the chief executive and procedural officer for the Legislative Assembly Office. She oversees a $67 million budget with a staff complement of approximately 500 employees.
Shannon is a member of several professional associations including the Association of Clerks-at-the-Table in Canada and the Association of Parliamentary Counsel in Canada. In addition to attending annual business sessions and being an executive member on various committees at these Associations, she has also presented on topics such as the “Value & Ethics for Clerks” and “Parliamentary Privilege Implications of the Actions of Independent Statutory Parliamentary Officers.” Shannon is currently serving as Secretary with the Alberta branch of the Canadian Parliamentary Association as well as being a member of the Editorial Board of the Canadian Parliamentary Review. She has also played a key role in the development and delivery of the Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Legislative Drafting at Athabasca University and has an ongoing commitment as an instructor with that program. In March 2020, Shannon was appointed as Queen’s Counsel, an honour that recognizes her many achievements and standings in the legal profession.
Shannon was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1992. She received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta (1987) and a Bachelor of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School (1991). Prior to her career at the Legislative Assembly, she practiced with an international law firm, Blake, Cassels & Graydon. Shannon has diverse experience working with the Government of Alberta as a Legislative Advisor in the Department of Municipal Affairs (1995-96), a Research Consultant with the Department of Treasury (1989) and as a Legislative Assistant with the Department of Consumer & Corporate Affairs (1987-1988).