October is Women’s History Month in Canada. It is a time to reflect on the women whose courage, perseverance, and leadership have shaped our profession and our country.
Women have been officially practicing law in Canada since Clara Martin became the first woman lawyer in the British Empire in 1897. Yet women’s contributions to justice long predate that milestone, including the wisdom and advocacy found in Indigenous legal traditions that are centuries old.
As a young woman in the legal profession, the Canadian Bar Association helped me build confidence and find my voice. Today, one of the CBA’s most important roles continues to be creating spaces of mentorship, belonging, and support so that women of every background can thrive in the legal profession and reach their full potential.
I invite all lawyers to honour the women who opened doors for us: Clara Martin; Emily Murphy, who became the Commonwealth’s first woman magistrate in Alberta in 1916; Bertha Wilson, the first woman appointed to Canada’s Supreme Court in 1982; and the trailblazers in your own communities.
When women are able to contribute fully and meaningfully to their firms, their profession, and their country, all of Canada is stronger.
