Feminist legal association - unb
1. What is your society's overview and impact?
The Feminist Legal Association (FLA) at UNB Law is a student-run initiative that engages with feminist issues in the law school and the greater community in a fun, inclusive, and accessible way. Whether we are organizing fundraising campaigns for local women-focused charities, leading feminist art workshops, or hosting speaker panels, the FLA aims to make an impact both within the law school and in the greater community.
2. What social issues are being highlighted right now and how is your group addressing them?
The FLA is aimed at promoting and bringing awareness to equality in the legal profession. This March, our FLA team is hosting the #LawNeedsFeminismBecause Conference in hopes of bringing together students, professionals and the legal community to talk about why #LawNeedsFeminism!
The #LawNeedsFeminismBecause Project began in 2018 as a national movement involving law students and legal professionals. This project included an annual conference hosted by different law school feminist associations across Canada. The conference served as a fun and educational platform for participants to engage with pressing feminist issues facing the legal profession. Unfortunately, like many initiatives, the pandemic put an end to the conference and has laid dormant since 2020. However, our FLA at UNB Law intends to change that. On March 21, 2025, our FLA team will be hosting the revived #LawNeedsFeminismBecause Conference.
The Conference will include focused conversations with feminist legal experts, opportunities to socialize with students, legal professionals and academics, and information for furthering the FLA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Beyond the #LawNeedsFeminismBecause Conference in March, the FLA uses our society to bring students together for fun and educational activities, such as a self-defense class, charity auctions, fundraisers for local women shelters, and golf lessons to female law students, all in an effort to close the gap of inequality and lack of female representation in the legal profession.
3. How does your society hope to impact the members' futures?
The Feminist Legal Association (FLA) at UNB Law hopes to impact its members' futures by fostering a deeper understanding of the critical intersection between law and feminist principles. As future lawyers and legal professionals, members are encouraged to recognize the importance of feminist perspectives in shaping legal systems, advocating for gender equity, and driving social change. Through our initiatives the FLA creates a platform to not only engage with these crucial issues but also to bring awareness to them within the law school community. By getting involved, both our executive members and participants contribute to a culture of advocacy and inclusion, generating a ripple effect that extends beyond our school. These experiences help equip members with the knowledge and passion to incorporate feminist values into their future careers, ensuring that they are well-prepared to influence the legal profession in meaningful ways.
4. Why is female representation so important in law and government?
Female representation in law and government is crucial for ensuring that legal systems and policies reflect the diverse needs and experiences of society. Historically, women have been underrepresented in both legal professions and government decision-making, leading to policies and practices that may not adequately address gender-specific issues. Women bring unique insights into matters such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, gender-based discrimination, and workplace equality—issues that disproportionately affect women but can often be overlooked by a predominantly male-dominated legal and political structure. Additionally, female representation in government ensures that women's voices are included in the formulation of laws and policies that affect everyone. The Feminist Legal Association at UNB Law recognizes the importance of this representation, and through our initiatives, we aim to inspire and empower future female legal professionals to enter and thrive in these spaces, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and representative legal system for all.
5. Who is your greatest female influence in law/government?
One of the greatest female influences in law and government for us is Bertha Wilson, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1982. Her appointment was historic, occurring the same year the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was enacted, marking a turning point in our legal landscape. Wilson’s trailblazing career exemplified dedication to justice and equality, and she was particularly known for her progressive rulings on women's rights and gender equality within the legal system. Her legacy serves as a constant reminder that women's voices are vital in shaping the law.
Alongside her, Louise McKinney—a key member of the Famous Five—is another towering figure who profoundly impacted Canadian law and politics. McKinney was the first woman to be appointed to a government position in Canada, and she played a crucial role in the Persons Case, a landmark legal battle that determined women were "persons" under Canadian law, allowing them to hold public office. Her pioneering work helped lay the foundation for gender equality in Canadian government and legal institutions. Together, Wilson and McKinney represent the power of perseverance, courage, and vision, inspiring us to continue working toward a future where women’s contributions in law and government are the norm, not the exception.
6. What changes are you hoping to see throughout your careers in law/government?
As future legal professionals, we are excited to see the continued evolution of a legal landscape that values inclusivity, equity, and diverse voices. While we certainly hope to see significant milestones in gender equality within law and government, we believe that the small, incremental changes—like growing the number of members in organizations like the Feminist Legal Association, hosting more conferences, and fostering more meaningful conversations about gender in the legal field—are just as vital. These everyday actions build momentum for lasting change, and they lay the groundwork for a future where feminist principles are seamlessly integrated into legal practice and governance. We are inspired by the progress we’re already seeing within our community at UNB Law and beyond, and we are committed to creating a world where the FLA is not the exception, but the norm. Every initiative we lead, every conversation we have, and every action we take is a step toward making that vision a reality, and we are optimistic that our efforts today will pave the way for a more inclusive, representative, and just future in law.
Feminist legal Collective - mcgill
1. What is your group’s overview and impact?
The Feminist Legal Collective (FLC) is a grassroots organization based out of McGill University’s Faculty of Law. Founded in August 2024, our team of seven students volunteer to serve women and gender-diverse people of Montreal. We approach our projects holistically and by centering lived experiences.
We noticed a gap in legal education for women in housing precarity because legal information was not adequately circulated in shelters. As such, we launched a program in collaboration with Chez Doris, a Montreal women’s shelter, to offer legal information workshops on police interactions and family law. The topics of our legal education workshops are guided by the clients of the shelter– we let clients choose the topics that concern them, rather than imposing our own ideas on what they should learn. Our organization also aspires to bridge the gap between law school and community advocacy. As such, we host on-site events at McGill law, inviting community advocates across Montreal to speak on the extra-legal impacts of the legal system and foster connections between each other.
2. How does your group hope to impact the members’ futures?
To the FLC, feminism is intersectional. Our overarching goal is to help achieve a world where all women and gender-diverse people have equitable access to legal knowledge. We believe that when we empower the women and gender-diverse people in our community, we empower our entire community.
3. Why is female representation so important in law and government?
Female and gender-diverse representation is important in law and government because diverse voices in leadership positions enrich the direction and approach of the legal system to make it more just and equitable. Law that reflects the needs of female and gender-diverse people has the power to be transformative and support a community where all members can thrive. Representation is also inspiring. It motivates the next generation of future leaders to set goals that are unimpeded by overarching societal norms. This is why we prioritize networking events at our law faculty with community activists with diverse voices, perspectives, and stories. By facilitating connection, students feel inspired and are exposed to different areas of the law, moving away from traditional legal approaches.
4. Who is your greatest female influence in law and government?
While we do not have a particular female influence, we are always inspired by our peers and fellow advocates in the community. What we are doing is not new, there have been hundreds of advocates in the legal space who have been pushing the needle forward for feminist law. We credit our early success to the people who have collaborated with us and peers who continue to teach us about effective advocacy like the staff at Chez Doris. To build a strong movement or platform requires collaboration. We are nothing without our community, which is why we put our best efforts into giving back to our community as much as we can.
5. What changes are you hoping to see throughout your careers in law and government?
We hope to see legal empowerment for all. Legislators should use the law as a tool to empower all people from different races, classes, genders, religions, and sexual orientations, such that they can equitably participate in society. We hope to transform who occupies positions of leadership within political and legal systems. More female and gender-diverse leadership should occupy positions of power, such that these diverse voices lead conversations on the future of justice. Finally, we hope to see inclusive justice for all genders. We advocate for a legal system that will be inclusive of all genders, and challenge gender norms and biases. While this is a large systemic issue, the work starts in our local communities. We devote our resources, energy, and time to the women and gender-diverse folks in Montreal by supplying them with legal information and hosting teach-in circles to allow clients the opportunity to let us know what they need from us.
women in law - tru
1. What is our group’s overview and impact?
We are your fellow TRU Law students who are working together to empower women in the legal field. With only 37% of lawyers in BC being women, there is an apparent need for more resources to support women in this industry. TRU Women in Law works to counter this by creating opportunities to connect with others and build a supportive community.
What we do:
Through events, mentorship opportunities, and panels about leadership and your future legal careers, we work together to create a safe space to ask questions and provide support.
We strive to promote gender equity in the legal profession and support female law students. Our club has had a lasting impact, helping its members by providing career advice, networking opportunities, increasing confidence, and mentorship.
2. How does your group hope to impact the members’ futures?
Our club hopes its members will become advocates for gender equity in the legal profession and continue to inspire the next generation of female lawyers. We want to encourage our club members to become leaders and continue to foster professional development opportunities.
3. Why is female representation so important in law and government?
An equitable legal system requires the inclusion of all groups in society, including women, to ensure the diverse needs of the population are accounted for. With more female representation in law and government, policies are likely to reflect gender biases and prioritize issues such as healthcare, childcare, and gender-based violence.
4. Who is your greatest female influence in law/government?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is one of my greatest female influences in law. She is inspirational for many reasons, but especially because she litigated landmark gender discrimination cases that led to an increase in equity. She has inspired generations of women, including myself, to pursue careers in the legal field and has helped break barriers for future generations.
5. What changes are you hoping to see throughout your careers in law/government?
I would like to see legal workplaces that value caregiving responsibilities and overall family-friendly policies. As a woman in law, I would also like to see more legal reforms that protect and promote women’s rights, especially for marginalized and underrepresented groups. Additionally, I hope to see an equal number of female partners in law firms.
women of colour collective - mcgill
1. What is your group's overview and impact?
The Women of Colour Collective of McGill Law (WOCC) aims at building community and solidarity at McGill Law and beyond. It provides a supportive space for women from racialized backgrounds, including Indigenous, Black, Immigrant and trans people of colour at McGill’s Faculty of Law. WOCC aims to understand, unpack and highlight the intersectionality of our lived experiences, and respect the way in which gender (gender identity, sexual orientation), race, class, LGBTQIA+, dis/ability, migration status and religion, among other identity markers, produce different outcomes for us all.
2. How does your group hope to impact the members' futures?
By providing cultural, social, professional, educational, and community service programs, the WOCC advances the needs of women and trans people of colour, thereby enriching the educational experience at McGill Law. WOCC co-creates workshops with law firms in Montreal and builds mentorship networks between its members and alumni to support students to find jobs. Further, by hosting regular meetings, WOCC creates a space where students can feel a sense of community between women of colour at McGill Law, helping build relationships that last a lifetime.
3. Why is female representation so important in law and government?
Representation alone won’t change the systems that create and maintain inequality, but more women of colour lawyers can at least open the door to a more equitable future. The incredible professors we have at McGill that are women of colour are all fighting for social justice in different ways - whether through international development, constitutional law, racial capitalism, or transnational labour law. Thinking about law in a corporate setting, more women of colour in partner positions shows a commitment to fostering and supporting diverse young lawyers. Building connections and mentorships are essential to changing the image of what a typical “lawyer” looks like. WOCC’s core priority is community because the relationships we build in law school help guide our experiences well into our careers.
4. Who is your greatest female influence in law/government?
WOCC greatly looks up to the work of Judge Corrine (Connie) Sparks. Justice Sparks was the first Black judge in Nova Scotia and the first Black woman to serve on the bench in Canada. She contributed to substantive diversity in the justice system through her willingness to enact change and consider the experiences of racialized members of the community. A milestone of her legacy was her decision in R v. S (RD) which required the Supreme Court of Canada to grapple with the reality of anti-Black racism in Nova Scotia.
5. What changes are you hoping to see throughout your careers in law/government?
Throughout our careers in law, we hope to see young women/gender diverse folk of colour respected and valued in their place of work regardless of what field of law they have entered into. In the Big Law realm, firms are generally still lagging behind on promoting diversity within their firms. We recommend reading McGill alum’s essay in the Globe and Mail which articulates the experience of being Black on Bay Street. We hope to see legal institutions like the traditional law firms evolve to celebrate everyone’s identity regardless of identity markers and be welcoming space for all. For the countless law students entering with the aim of social justice work, we hope to see law schools highlight more opportunities outside the corporate law structure. WOCC aims to connect law students with alum to build a collective of women of colour and other diverse people to ensure there is space of dignity and respect for our members in whatever career opportunities they pursue after law school.
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