Women leaving criminal defence law due to discrimination, new report says

March 7, 2016

Jessyca Greenwood

With over fifteen years of experience, Jessyca Greenwood stands out as a nationally acclaimed criminal defence lawyer, with a wealth of experience in criminal and civil litigation. Her career is marked by a deep commitment to supporting individuals facing significant legal challenges. She is often sought out to provide strategic advice to corporations, businesses, and advisory boards in relation to ethics, regulatory obligations and best practices and workplace policies.

Link: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-march-7-2016-1.3478812/women-leaving-criminal-defence-law-due-to-discrimination-new-report-says-1.3478945

CBC Radio

The Criminal Lawyers Association have released a report suggesting women are leaving the practice at a higher rate than men.

The trend has been persistent. A study in Ontario in 2008 reported the profession was losing some of its best and brightest, as women left “in droves.”

This new research wanted to get a better understanding of why that was, and what could be done to reverse the trend. It found problems ranging from pay, to parental leave, to outright sexism.

Criminal lawyers play a crucial role in the justice system. The Current convened a panel to discuss the workplace conditions for women lawyers and why they are leaving law.

Guests in this segment:

Breese Davies, vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers Association. She’s also the founder of Breese Davies Law.
Jessyca Greenwood, criminal defence lawyer, Greenwood Defence Law.
Jordan Furlong, partner at Edge International.

This segment was produced by The Current’s Leif Zapf-Gilje and Marc Apollonio.