Alumna Patricia Hebert, QC, honoured for outstanding commitment to access to justice

Earlier this year, sessional instructor Patricia Hebert, QC, ’90 BA, ʼ94 LLB, received the Beverley McLachlin Access to Justice Award from the American College of Trial Lawyers.

The prestigious international award is named in honour of alumna and former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin of the Supreme Court of Canada. It celebrates a judge or member of the bar in the United States or Canada who has made exceptional contributions to creating and promoting access to justice.

“It is wonderful to have some feedback that the work I have been doing is meaningful to others,” said Hebert. “And it is wonderful to have an opportunity to talk about our shared obligation to advance access to justice, so that perhaps others can be inspired!”

Early in her career in family law, Hebert discovered a passion for addressing issues related to access to justice. “It did not take me long to understand that, as much as it is important to help each individual client or family in the best way that I could, the systemic issues needed to be addressed,” she said.

Through her teaching, writing and volunteer work over the last 25 years, Hebert has actively sought to bring about meaningful changes when it comes to ensuring equal access to justice for all.

“No one I know comes close to possessing the selfless, dedicated and deep personal commitment shown by Trish Hebert over many years to the cause of enhancing access to justice, and helping make the big systemic changes that we need,” said Marie Gordon, QC, ʼ79 LLB, who nominated Hebert for the award.

Hebert is a founding member of the Alberta chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, an association dedicated to the resolution of family conflict. She also serves as chair of the “Thought Leadership Table on Family Law” with the National Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters.

As a member of the Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) National Access to Justice Committee, Hebert contributed to the “Reaching Equal Justice” report. She also previously chaired the CBA’s family law section and helped develop a number of resources for parents and lawyers on family law.

In 2014, Hebert was recognized for her service to the community with an award from the non-profit Women in Law Leadership. She was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 2016.

Hebert currently practises as a family lawyer and mediator with Bruyer & Mackay LLP in Edmonton. She has served as a sessional instructor with the Faculty since 2006.

“I encourage students to get involved in organizations that can help them find their passions, and find a place to use their unique skills and capacities to promote positive change,” she said. “I hope to plant the seeds of both a love of family law, and a desire to look beyond the individual client to the system and community that is affected.”