Providing Quality Legal Advice Since 1986
A supporter of many local charities, events and sports teams, as well as sponsoring a scholarship at Leduc Composite High School, Jackie, Handerek & Forester has been historically composed of very community-minded people. The three partners have strong community roots in Leduc. John Jackie, B.A., LL.B., Q.C. is a former councilman and mayor of the City of Leduc. David Handerek, B.Sc., LL.B. has practiced here since 1981 and was a very active member of a local service group for many years. Jeff Forester, B. Comm., LL.B., born and raised in Leduc, continues to play as well as coach hockey here.
A Respected Law Firm Since 1986
When Jackie, Handerek & Forester first opened doors, the staff consisted of two support staff. In March 1986, a third position person joined the team as part-time bookkeeper and receptionist.
A Growing Practice, Support Staff & New Partner
In three years, Jackie & Handerek outgrew its first office and in 1989 moved to a newly renovated building on the corner of 48 Street and 50th Avenue in Leduc. To improve the efficiency of client services and file management, the firm added two support staff and a new associate lawyer in 1993. The firm continued to expand, once again outgrowing its offices. In November 2007, Jackie, Handerek & Forester moved into the new JH&F Professional Centre, where they currently occupy the whole second floor.
At our current locations, Jackie, Handerek & Forester continues to serve our clients with associate lawyers. We also offer opportunities to students-at-law and work-experience students in support roles. Our team includes:
Student at law
John William Jackie
Jackie & Handerek was formed on January 1, 1986, when John William Jackie and David Keith Handerek set up their law practice in Leduc. Mr. Jackie was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1977 and is also a member of the N.W.T. bar – currently on the inactive list – and was appointed Queen’s Counsel (Q.C.) in 1998. Although he still acts as senior counsel with the firm, John, who is no longer a partner, is now semi-retired and in the process of winding down his practice.
David Keith Handerek
Mr. Handerek was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1981. After forty years of practicing law as a solicitor, David retired on August 16, 2021.
Jeffrey Michael Forester
Jeffrey Michael Forester joined the practice just after his admission to the Alberta Bar. Jeffrey Michael Forester became a partner on January 1, 1997, and the partnership became Jackie, Handerek & Forester. On September 30, 2020, Jeff became the sole owner of the firm.
Ashley M. Rickard
Assisting the Jackie, Handerek & Forester staff is Ashley Rickard. From Beaumont, Alberta, Ashley received her B.Sc. with distinction in 2008 and Bachelor of Laws in 2012, both from the University of Alberta. Ashley was admitted to the Alberta Bar Association in 2013.
Giovanna Leonor Hinman
Giovanna Hinman was raised in Santiago, Chile. She received her L.D. J.S.S. degree in Chile, where she became a lawyer in a Civil Law Jurisdiction in 2008. In Chile, she worked for the private sector leading mediation between clients and the company. She further pursued her legal education and completed her common-law training at the University of Alberta in 2017.
Giovanna is an articling student at Jackie, Handerek & Forester since July 2019. She is also fluent in Spanish and will gladly assist you in your preferred language.
Shaun Maddex
Shaun grew up in Alberta before attending law school at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. He was part of the 2019 graduating law class and then joined our firm as an articling student in July. Before law school, he received a B.Com degree from Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton and in his spare time, he likes to be active and spend time with friends and family.
Owen Nicholson
Owen Nicholson’s practice is focused on civil litigation, including commercial and contractual disputes, as well as construction law, employment law, and landlord and tenant law. He also practices in the areas of real estate, wills and estate planning, and corporate law.
Owen obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the Campus Saint-Jean of the University of Alberta in 2016 and his Juris Doctor at the University of Ottawa in the French Common Law program in 2020. During law school, he took on roles such as working and consulting for a construction law firm in Vancouver, BC, following an experience with major construction projects, while also advocating for self-represented claimants at the Social Security Tribunal of Canada, in the nation’s capital.
Having grown up on the family farm and playing hockey in Leduc County, Owen completed his articling with Jackie, Handerek & Forester. He was admitted to the Law Society of Alberta in 2021, eager to serve his community.
Owen is fluent in both French and English. He is member of the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Alberta (AJEFA). Owen welcomes French-speaking clients and is happy to assist and provide legal services in their preferred language.
Work With Us
Join our dynamic and reputable law firm today. Below are some of the exciting job opportunities for you to be a part of our organization.
Lawyer - Litigation/Criminal Lawyer
Our law firm has a long-standing, reputable and diverse rural/urban practice in the Leduc, Beaumont, Devon and South Edmonton areas.
We are located in Leduc and need a Litigation/Criminal Lawyer.
If you are a member of the Law Society of Alberta and interested in practising in a diverse practice setting, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Please submit a letter of interest along with a resume in confidence to:
John W Jackie
