CBABC members honoured by YWCA

At the annual YWCA Women of Distinction Awards event on May 17, 2001, six extraordinary women lawyers were recognized for their community contributions. Among the winners of the prestigious Awards were Kerry-Lynne Findlay, QC, a former president of the CBABC, and future lawyer Miranda Lam, recent recipient of a CBABC Student Scholarship Award.

Kerry-Lynne Findlay received the Woman of Distinction Award for the Management, Professions and Trades category. Kerry-Lynne is well known for her contributions to the legal profession and her active involvement in community affairs. She has worked tirelessly to give the legal profession a higher public and media profile, in order to encourage greater public understanding of the justice system and the role of lawyers. She has promoted public discourse and debate on issues relating to equality and access to the justice system, funding of legal services for poor and marginalized people, and the role of courts and lawyers in today’s society. Kerry-Lynne has dedicated countless hours to CBA national and branch committees and initiatives designed to improve the association’s relationship with its members, and the profession’s relationship with the public.

Miranda Lam received a Young Woman of Distinction Award. Miranda has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to the principle of public service, and has been very active in the Youth Parliament of BC, as well as promoting and modeling the benefits of volunteerism in the community. A second year UBC law student, Miranda is working at Davis & Company in Vancouver as a summer student.

Thelma O’Grady was nominated in the Education, Training and Development category, in recognition of her career with the Continuing Legal Education Society. A longtime proponent of continuing education, Thelma is responsible for CLE’s curriculum of more than 80 courses annually, and in the last 10 years has personally delivered 300 courses, workshops and conferences.

Nancy Cameron, Valli Chettiar and barbara findlay were all nominated in the Social Action category. Nancy is a specialist in collaborative family law, and has helped pioneer the development of a multi-disciplinary approach to help avoid litigation for families undergoing divorce and separation. Valli has dedicated herself to creating positive change in the legal community, to bring about equality and social justice. A longtime CBABC volunteer, she has championed and participated in numerous equality and diversity initiatives within and outside the legal profession. barbara findlay has a long and celebrated history of contribution to the law and to the community in pursuit of equality and justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

“We are proud of all the women lawyers who were nominated for these distinguished awards,” said CBABC President Margaret Ostrowski, QC. “Each of their singular contributions are worthy of recognition, and together, they highlight the exceptional good that lawyers do every day in BC.”

This article was published in the June 2001 issue of BarTalk. © 2001 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.