Several alumnae of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law gathered at the Law Centre on November 19 to celebrate the official launch of a book about being a woman in the male-dominated law profession.
Truth Be Told: An Anthology of Inspirational Stories by Women in Law, features short pieces from 114 women - many of those alumnae - and covers personal anecdotes drawn from their careers as lawyers and members of the judiciary.
Many of the contributing writers, including Alberta's Chief Justice Catherine Fraser, 70 LLB, of the Court of Appeal, and Chief Justice Mary Moreau of the Court of Queen's Bench, read their contributions aloud. UAlberta Law Professors. Annalise Acorn and Catherine Bell also read their personal stories. The event was co-emceed by fellow contributors Justice Sheila Greckol, '75 LLB, of the Alberta Court of Appeal, and Patricia Paradis, executive director of the Centre for Constitutional Studies at the University of Alberta.
Others sharing their perspectives of the legal profession in the book include criminal lawyer and UAlberta Law sessional instructor Mona Duckett, QC; ethics commissioner of Alberta Marguerite Trussler QC; the Honourable Joanne B. Veit and Danielle Bourgeois, '09 LLB, star of the Pandas Hockey team that won seven national university championships.
The book is the result of a project started by Edmonton lawyers Teresa Haykowsky, Jeananne Kirwin, QC, and Sarah Eadie, '03 LLB, who used their own funds to produce it with the intent of inspiring the next generation of female law professionals.
They chose the title because truth is an essential foundation of justice and the law, and because the virtue Veritas (truth) has typically been portrayed as a young woman, they said.
The book is expected to be of interest to law firms, law libraries, other Canadian faculties of law and high schools.
The book is available for purchase at Audreys and at www.actla.com/truthbetold.