Articles

About Articles The following articles are published by the Women Lawyers Forum of the Ontario Bar Association. Members are encouraged to submit articles.

Editor: Ashley Seely

Today
Today
illustration of barbara findlay wearing court robe with pride-flag cape standing beside an open law book

The “Lesbian Lawyer”: barbara findlay, K.C.

  • June 12, 2024
  • Tamara J. Sylvester (one/they/them)

The courtroom is not where one expects to encounter a superhero. Lawyers, even the great ones, have yet to inspire such a characterization, in fiction or in fact. Until now! barbara findlay KC has earned the right to be revered as such. After all, a superhero, simply put, is a human being who uses their unique abilities to make the world a more just and humane place. barbara wields her pride in her lesbian identity as a superpower to achieve equal rights and justice for the 2SLGBTQ+ Community.

Women Lawyers Forum, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum
audience seated in rows in a meeting room listening to presenter at podium against backdrop of screens with " 50 50" and "NAWL's 50th Anniversary Reception" written on them

Celebrating NAWL's Five Decades of Feminist Law Reform in Canada

  • April 02, 2024
  • Angela Ogang, Vice-Chair, OBA Women Lawyers Forum

Last month, the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) celebrated five decades of feminist law reform advocacy in Canada at a reception and awards ceremony on Parliament Hill. Among the esteemed guests were Algonquin Elder Annie Smith-St-Georges, who led the opening prayers, the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and the Honourable Justice Freda M. Steel of the Court of Appeal of Manitoba, who delivered the keynote address.

Women Lawyers Forum, Student Forum
photo of Mohsen Seddigh and Dr. Shirin Ebadi speaking over Zoom

Hard Conversations: Dr. Shirin Ebadi's Perspectives on Theocratic Dictatorship and Women's Rights in Iran

  • June 15, 2023
  • Angela Ogang

In March 2023, the OBA's Hard Conversations Series featured Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Iranian Judge turned human rights activist Dr. Shirin Ebadi. Dr. Ebadi provided us with valuable insights into the Islamic Republic of Iran and the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution that emerged as a response to institutional discrimination faced by Iranian women in their day-to-day lives.

Women Lawyers Forum, Student Forum
photo of award winner, Deepa Mattoo

Deepa Mattoo: Centering the Voices and Lived Experiences of Communities that are Underserved and Discriminated Against

  • May 30, 2023
  • Myra Sivaloganathan

From a young age, Deepa Mattoo, this year's recipient of the OBA Award of Excellence in the Promotion of Women's Equality, knew that she wanted to pursue law. She marvelled at the power of law to be a force of change, particularly the law’s ability to challenge the systemic issues of misogyny, oppression, and violence that were pervasive in communities that surrounded her. 

Women Lawyers Forum, Student Forum
Cover image of book: Just Pursuit

Legal Reads: A book review of "Just Pursuit"

  • March 27, 2023
  • Matilda Lici

“The pursuit of justice creates injustice.” Thus opens the memoir of Laura Coates, a Black former federal prosecutor in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice during the Bush and Obama years. Through a series of vignettes, she peels back the curtain to expose the inner workings of the criminal justice system, and lays bare the ways in which a system ostensibly set up to secure justice often fails those who become wrapped up in it.

Criminal Justice, Women Lawyers Forum, Student Forum
photo of Christine Roth with contact info for Roth Law Offices

Christine Roth: A force to be reckoned with

  • February 25, 2023
  • Angela Ogang, AngeLAW

Last year, just a few days before Christmas, I sat down with my fellow OBA WLF Exec and OBA Council member Christine Roth to talk about her career path, personal motivators, and passion for Indigenous rights and access to justice. I was surprised to learn that she grew up in Iran and was one of the first people to be blacklisted during the Islamic coup d’état. As our discussion drew to a close, I was left feeling that I had barely scratched the surface of her complex and rich experiences.

Women Lawyers Forum, Student Forum
photo of Nandi Deterville

Executive Profile: Introducing Nandi Deterville

  • February 24, 2023
  • Angela Ogang, Newsletter Editor, OBA Citizenship & Immigration Law Section

Here at the OBA Citizenship & Immigration Law Section, we are proud of our volunteers and we are constantly looking for ways to highlight their work and achievements. Member-at-Large Nandi Deterville was born and raised in the sunny Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia. She was called to the Bars of England & Wales and Saint Lucia in 2008 and practiced in a small general practice firm before immigrating to Canada. Read on to find out what motivated her to join the OBA and our Section Executive.

Women Lawyers Forum, Citizenship and Immigration Law, Student Forum
photo of author Julie DeWolf

Julie DeWolf: an Unsung Legal Hero

  • November 18, 2022
  • Tamara J. Sylvester (one/they/them)

It is often said that “the wolf does not walk alone; she always carries her pack.” Indeed, one is left to wonder whether Julie DeWolf, the SOGIC Executive’s outgoing Chair, derives her unwavering commitment to service to the legal and broader community as well as her democratic and affiliative leadership style from her surname!

Women Lawyers Forum, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law, Student Forum

Truth and Reconciliation in the Legal Profession: A Primer on How to Be a Better Ally Regardless of Your Practice Area

  • October 21, 2022
  • Karlie Nordstrom and Leslie Anne St. Amour

On September 30, 2022, in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the authors spoke at a webinar titled "Reconciliation in the Legal Profession". During the event, they shared insights on a range of questions surrounding truth and reconciliation in the legal profession, to equip legal professionals in all practice areas with the knowledge necessary to play a more active role in truth and reconciliation. This article summarizes some of the key takeaways.

Women Lawyers Forum, Sole, Small Firm and General Practice, Student Forum and 1 more..., Young Lawyers' Division

9 Questions Between Generations

  • March 04, 2022
  • Jennifer O'Dell

In our third installment of 9 Questions Between Generations we asked Erica Baron and Bonnie Greenaway from McCarthy Tétrault LLP about their experiences in Health Law.

Women Lawyers Forum, Health Law, Student Forum