Women Lawyers Forum Award of Excellence

CBABC congratulates the recipient of the 2023 Award, Myrna McCallum.

As the founding lawyer of her practice, Myrna conducts workplace investigations into sexual misconduct, gender-based violence, bullying, harassment and human rights complaints. She is an expert on trauma-informed practice and hosts her own podcast entitled “The Trauma-Informed Lawyer”.

Myrna’s podcast reaches a wide audience, helping future and existing lawyers meet their clients needs with empathy, understanding and much-needed humanity.

Nominations for this award will open in 2025

The WLF Award of Excellence celebrates the accomplishments of a woman who has succeeded in breaking new ground for women in the legal profession in British Columbia. The Award recognizes an exceptional woman who has taken risks, fostered change and ultimately opened doors for women lawyers. In this award, we are not only celebrating the woman’s distinguished career achievements, but her outstanding contributions to women in the legal profession as a change agent, leader and mentor.

Eligibility

Nominees must be CBABC members but cannot be members of the WLF National or Branch Executives. Nominees must have more than 10 years of call. WLF welcomes and encourages the nomination of any lawyer who is a woman (both cisgender and transgender).

CRITERIA

Consideration will be given to candidates who have:  

  • Successfully advanced changes in the practice of law for women lawyers, including, but not limited to leadership, mentoring, education, writing, the development of policies, systems, development of new firms, as well as committee work that has enhanced the practice of law for women.  

  • Worked on issues related to the practice of law for women, issues of retention, upward mobility, firm culture and general advancement of women in law.  

  • Succeeded in breaking new frontiers for women lawyers, including, but not limited to positions in professional associations (such as the CBA, LSBC, TLABC, VBA, etc.); appointments to boards and commissions; and leadership roles in government and/or business.  

NOMINATION & SELECTION  

Nominations are accepted for a minimum of 60 days between November and January. There must be three nominators, one of which must be a CBABC member. Further nomination requirements are included in the nomination form. Submitted nomination packages are valid for two consecutive award periods. 

The award is granted at the discretion of the WLF Selection Committee, formed for that purpose by the current WLF Chair and including the WLF Past Chair and CBABC President. Nominators cannot be members of the current year’s Selection Committee.   

PRESENTATION 

This award is presented every two years at the WLF Awards Gala. The award is a metallic minimalist sculpture of a figure with its arms aloft.   

Previous Recipients

2023 - Myrna McCallum

2019 - Kasari Govender

2017 - Linda K. Robertson

2015 - The Honourable Judge Patricia L. Janzen

2013 - Jan Lindsay, QC

2011 - Margaret Ostrowski, QC

2010   Kathryn Berge, QC

2009   The Honourable Madam Justice Maria Morellato

Names, designations and honorifics are reflected as they were when the award was presented.

Additional Information 

CBABC Awards
604.687.3404 or 1.888.687.3404
awards@cbabc.org