Articles

Each month we will introduce a different member of the Women Lawyers Forum Executive. Learn a little bit about us, why we joined the executive and what we love about being a lawyer.

Last week, I topped my list of nerve-wracking, new-lawyer moments when, heart pounding, I telephoned the Honourable Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 1987 to 2002 and the second woman in Canadian history to be appointed to that position. I was calling to see if Justice L’Heureux-Dubé would speak with me about her experience receiving the OBA's Women Lawyers Forum's Award of Excellence in 1996, its inaugural year.

A compilation of links to articles, podcasts, and videos that may be of interest to members of the OBA Women Lawyers Forum. Have suggested content for this feature? Email the link to Justine Johnston at justine.johnston@blakes.com.

A compilation of links to articles, podcasts, and videos that may be of interest to members of the OBA Women Lawyers Forum. Have suggested content for this feature? Email the link to Justine Johnston at justine.johnston@blakes.com.

A compilation of links to articles, podcasts, and videos that may be of interest to members of the OBA Women Lawyers Forum. Have suggested content for this feature? Email the link to Justine Johnston at justine.johnston@blakes.com.

In Canada, for every dollar a second-year male associate earns, his female counterpart earns roughly 93 cents. A recent survey, published by the University of Toronto, showed that second-year male associates earn $5,500 more than their female counterparts largely due to differences in bonuses. This article explores the current pay gap that exists in the legal profession, some of the reasons for the gap, and suggested solutions to address the issue.

I met my husband in a modern-day fairy tale setting: on a Facebook thread discussing Canadian immigration. While he wooed me, I was figuring out how to get licensed to practice law in Canada. And now, whenever a foreign-qualified lawyer tells me that they are ready to give up on the accreditation process, I take a deep breath and say, “Let me tell you about my journey as a foreign qualified lawyer…”

Welcome and thank you for staying current with the Women Lawyers Forum. The Women Lawyers Forum's newsletter contains articles on topics important to women lawyers, including a recent article on sexist language in the profession (That’s Not My Name - Advice for Responding to Sexist Language in the Practice of Law). Our goal is to engage women and facilitate discussions about the benefits and challenges of being a female lawyer.

“Because it’s 2015.” It has been almost one year since PM Justin Trudeau’s simple explanation for gender parity in his first Cabinet. This decision was hailed as an important and long-overdue step towards substantive gender equality, but we are hardly living in a post-gender world - in politics or in law.