Introduction
From a young age, Deepa Mattoo 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.
During law school, Deepa cemented her love for advocacy. She seized every opportunity to moot and debate. She graduated with honours and received two gold medals.
Following her call to the bar, Deepa’s professional career has centered on highlighting the voices and lived experiences of the communities with which she works.
Today, Deepa is the Executive Director of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic. The Clinic provides legal, counselling, and interpretation services to marginalized and racialized populations of women who have faced violence. In her role as Executive Director, Deepa manages legal, counselling, and interpretation services, including legal interventions in cases challenging Charter protections.
Not-for-Profit Work
Deepa began her career as a criminal defence lawyer in India.
At an early stage, Deepa realized that her passion lies in working with non-for-profits. Deepa saw the potential positive impact and recognized how acutely underfunded and under resourced non-for-profits are in both a local and international context.
After completing her MBA in England and arriving in Canada, Deepa began working for the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario as a project coordinator, staff lawyer, and eventually as Interim Executive Director. Shortly thereafter, Deepa joined the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, where she has worked for the past seven years.