Controversial former judge Robin Camp seeks to practise law again in Alberta

The controversial former judge who asked why a woman didn't keep her knees together to prevent an alleged rape wants to practise law again in Alberta.

The Law Society of Alberta has scheduled a reinstatement hearing for Robin Camp later this month.

"That's what he knows how to do," said Camp's lawyer, Alain Hepner. "He was, as I understand, an excellent lawyer, he did largely construction law."

"He wants to get back into the practice of law in Canada."

• Justice Robin Camp resigns after judicial council recommends removal

Camp resigned from his position as a federal court judge in March after the Canadian Judicial Council unanimously recommended he be removed from the bench following an inquiry into inappropriate comments he made during a 2014 sexual assault trial while he was an Alberta provincial court judge.

During the complainant's testimony, Camp told the young woman that "pain and sex sometimes go together" and asked why she didn't just keep her "knees together."

In its ruling, the judicial council wrote that Camp's comments during the trial were"profoundly destructive of the concept of impartiality, integrity and independence of the judicial role."

Camp has publicly apologized several times for the comments he made during the trial.

He also soughtcounselling and education in the aftermath.

"It's a difficult time for him, over the last two years with what's been going on," said Hepner.

• Justice Robin Camp tells inquiry he's learned from 'hurtful' comments he made at sex assault trial

Camp, who got his law degree in South Africa in 1975, was originally admitted to the Alberta bar in 1999.

He most recently worked as a lawyer at JSS Barristers in Calgary.In 2012,Camp was appointed as a provincial court judge in Calgary.

The trial, which led to the judicial council hearing and ultimately Camp's resignation, took place in 2014.

The Alberta Court of Appeal ordered a new trial after reviewing transcripts, which revealed Camp's controversial comments, but the judge had already been elevated to the Federal Court by then-Conservative justice minister Peter MacKay.

Camp had to resign from the law society when he became a member of the judiciary.

The good-character hearing will be presided over by three appointed benchers on Nov. 14.