Class of 1972
Challenges? Balancing practice and family life, raising two children as a sole practitioner, with no maternity leave/benefits - no income for the eight weeks I took off for each child. Challenges of major health issues for one child, while juggling the office, teaching in the Bar Ad, sitting on the OBA family law executive, writing
etc. etc.Successes? Clearly, most significantly, being appointed to the bench in 1999.
As one of the few women who went into litigation, there were no role models, so I had to create my own style. A benefit was that with so few women litigators, one stood out, and was remembered. It became an advantage in a sense. The climate was so different - I remember being told in an articling interview "But we've made an offer to a woman already!", or wanting to go into insolvency law, and being discouraged with "But it's very rough and tumble - not really appropriate for a woman. You should consider real estate, or estates, or perhaps family
." So, I went into family law, because at least I could understand what the fight was about - and had a very satisfying career, in a time when the practice changed from cutthroat litigation, to a resolution-oriented settlement based practice. It was very rewarding. I am particularly proud of being at the forefront of providing mediation/arbitration services through a company I co-founded, called Resolutions Inc.
