Christian Banks is a lifelong resident of Alberta and 2018 marks his twentieth year as a barrister and solicitor. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, he attended the University of Ottawa Law School, graduating with honours in 1997. From there he articled and went on to practice at a criminal defence firm in Edmonton.

In 2000, he began practicing more heavily in the South Peace Region with an office in Grande Prairie. In 2007 he went out on his own, still practicing criminal and quasi-criminal defence work exclusively, maintaining a strong presence in the Grande Prairie area, including Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, British Columbia.

In 2009, Christian moved himself and his law practice to Grande Prairie, where he continues to service the area, while maintaining a presence across Alberta.

From law school on, his focus has remained on criminal practice and procedure, and defence of individual rights in the face of government intrusion on those rights. He has handled cases all over Alberta and British Columbia exclusively defending people charged with criminal, traffic and other provincial offences. He has handled matters on the whole range of the criminal spectrum, from shoplifting to murder.

Currently, the majority of Christian’s practice focuses on defending people charged with sexual offences. Both young people and adults alike are being charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, sexual touching and sexual exploitation at an alarming rate. Christian has had excellent success defending people charged with these types of offences, due in large part to the sheer number of trials he has run and the level of preparedness and diligence he brings to every case, whether they be in front of a judge alone or with a jury.

Christian is also an active volunteer in the legal community. He is currently a member of the Law Society of Alberta’s Mentorship program, giving advice to newly minted lawyers in need of guidance in their practice. He gives pro bono legal advice in Grande Prairie to those charged with criminal offences who cannot afford a lawyer and are not eligible for funding through Legal Aid, through the Grande Prairie Legal Guidance office. He is also a member-at-large of Legal Aid Alberta’s Appeals panel, which hears appeals of those in need of legal advice who have been initially denied lawyer funding by Legal Aid Alberta.”