Mandate

The Women Lawyers Forum is aimed at promoting the stature and influence of women in the profession, as well as developing assistance programs, networking opportunities and mentoring programs.

The objective of the Women Lawyers Forum is to provide:

Personal and Professional Development

• develop mechanisms to assist women in the legal profession to enhance their professional opportunities; and
• develop business and professional confidence for women in the practice of law, including private practice, public service, and in-house counsel, and in community leadership.

Networking, Mentoring and Liaising Opportunities

• provide a forum for networking, education, mentoring and information-sharing for women in the legal profession;
• co-ordinate a mentoring system and other resources for mentoring of women in the legal profession; and
• liaise and share resources with other legal jurisdictions, women in the judiciary, other professions, and organizations of professional women; and
• work and liaise with other Canadian Bar Association Conferences, Sections and Committees, particularly the Standing Committee on Equity, on matters of mutual concern.

Resources

• develop communications tools to assist women lawyers in identifying and making contact with available resources.

Leadership

• to encourage and support CBA Branches to form similar Forums in each of their respective jurisdictions, with the goal of sharing information and promoting their programs.

Origin

The Women Lawyers Forum was established at the 2005 Mid-Winter Meeting of Council, as part of the CBA's ongoing mandate to enhance the professional interests of its members.