Ottawa, September 2, 2025 – Bianca Kratt, K.C., begins her year at the helm of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) with a focus on strengthening the resilience of the legal profession. For the Association’s new president, resilience means adapting to change while staying grounded in strong values – and it’s the story of her career.
Bianca Kratt grew up in Saint-Raymond-de-Portneuf, a town 60 kilometres outside Quebec City, in a family with a rich tradition as guides on the region’s lakes and in its forests. Her parents, both teachers, instilled a deep respect for education, hard work, and community. She moved to Calgary, became fluent in English as an adult, and built a successful practice in commercial real estate law. Last year, she joined Borden Ladner Gervais LLP as a partner in the firm’s Calgary Commercial Real Estate Group.
She has held several leadership roles at the CBA, including President of its Alberta Branch and Chair of its Finance Committee. As an active member of the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Alberta, she works to promote access to legal services in French. And, as part of her commitment to empowering women in the law, she serves on the Advisory Council of the International Association of Women Judges, Canadian Chapter.
The CBA’s Vice President for the coming year will be Loreley Chekay, K.C., of Saskatchewan. The Board of Directors welcomes the following new members: Greg French of Newfoundland and Labrador; Ian Scarth of Manitoba; Nerissa Young of Alberta; Heidi Schedler, K.C., of CBA In-House Lawyers; and Etienne Esquega and Ryan Dawodharry as Directors-at-Large.
Board members beginning the second year of their two-year terms are Clare Jennings, K.C., of British Columbia; Kathleen McManus, K.C., of Nova Scotia; John Inglis of the Northwest Territories; Kelly McDermott of Ontario; Suzie Lanthier of Quebec; Tamzin Gillis of Prince Edward Island; Bruce Warnsby of Yukon; Graeme K. Maitland of the Young Lawyers Section; and Robyn P.M. Trask of the National Sections. Carley Parish, K.C., of New Brunswick, has been reappointed for a third year.
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“At the start of my career, the CBA was one of the first places where I really felt like I belonged in this profession. It connected me with mentors and colleagues who believed in me, and it gave me the confidence I needed to get involved, find my voice, and learn to lead.
Now, I’m eager to give back to this community that’s been so important to me, especially in these times of mounting pressure and uncertainty for the legal profession. We need to anticipate and meet new challenges with courage and integrity, champion the rule of law, and ensure that people of all backgrounds and identities can thrive as lawyers in Canada.”
Quick Facts:
- Graduate of Université Laval (civil law) and the University of Manitoba (common law), and has an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall
- Called to the bar in Alberta (2005) and Quebec (2002)
- President of the CBA Alberta Branch in 2021-2022
- Chair of the CBA National Finance Committee in 2023-2024
- CBA Vice President in 2024-2025
- Was the CBA’s nominee on the Independent Advisory Board for Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments in 2023
- Appointed to the Law Commission of Canada’s Advisory Council in 2024
Related links:
The Canadian Bar Association
CBA’s Board of Directors
About the Canadian Bar Association
The CBA is dedicated to supporting the rule of law and improving access to justice. Its members include some 40,000 lawyers, judges, notaries in Quebec, law professors and law students from across Canada.