Author: Kourtney Pratt

Rani Wong, K.C. Racialized Lawyer Membership Fee Waiver for 2025

AWL has established a membership fee waiver program for ten racialized lawyers annually, called the Rani Wong, K.C. Racialized Lawyer Membership Fund. This was done in recognition of the more than two decades of service to the AWL by Rani Wong, K.C., a former AWL President and Board Member, and a champion for equity and inclusion in the profession for racialized women lawyers.

The Rani Wong, K.C., Racialized Lawyer Membership Fund will cover 10 memberships for the 2025 year. The fee waiver be a one-time only opportunity for any qualifying lawyer. Please note, previous recipients of the fee waiver are not eligible to apply a second time.

If you are interested in membership and identify as a racialized lawyer, please email us today. We expect the 10 memberships will be allocated in short order. Don’t delay in sending us your interest.

We encourage AWL Members to share this opportunity with their networks.

To apply for the one-time fee waiver please email kpratt@lawsonlundell.com. Please include your name, year of call, firm, and practice area in your interest email. AWL will be in touch with all the applicants.

Firm Memberships 2025 – Membership Discounts

AWL brought back its Firm Memberships in 2024 and was very successful having 19 firms sign up their women lawyers to be AWL Members. We are again offering Firm Memberships for the 2025 year. AWL has tried to directly contact many Calgary firms about this opportunity, but wanted to highlight this offer to our current membership.

As a Firm Member of AWL, the firm will receive a discounted membership rate for all women lawyers of the firm who wish to become members of AWL. The Articling Student membership will remain free.

Our regular membership costs are increasing in 2025 to $40 for under 5 years of call and $60 for 5+ years of call. Should your firm choose to become a Firm Member, your firm’s women lawyers will receive a discounted rate. Firms that sign up 10 or more women lawyers to be AWL Members will pay $30 per women regardless of year of call. Smaller firms that sign up 9 or less women will pay $40 per woman regardless of year of call.

To become a Firm Member, please provide us with a list of the all the women lawyers in your firm who wish to become AWL members (or maintain their membership), along with their emails, year of call and a cheque for the total amount of membership dues per women in your office (other payment options can be arranged, like an e-transfer). At your request we can also prepare an invoice for the owing membership dues. Once we receive your list and dues we will then sign up the indicated women lawyers as AWL members and they will begin (or continue) to receive our email notifications of all upcoming events. AWL memberships run from January 1 to December 31 of the calendar year. We are reaching out for the 2025 calendar year.

If you have any questions about the Firm Memberships, please do not hesitate to contact our Membership Co-Chair – Kourtney Pratt at kpratt@lawsonlundell.com. Please send all membership lists of your firm members to Kourtney as well.

We look forward to another exciting year in 2025!

2024 AWL Annual Golf Tournament

Welcome to the 2024 AWL Annual Golf Tournament!

Get ready to tee off at the Lynx Ridge Golf Club for a day of fun, competition, and camaraderie. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a novice golfer, this event is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a day out on the course.

No previous golf experience is necessary. Again, we will have a stream for experienced and non-experienced golfers.

Mark your calendars, gather your golfing buddies, and get ready for a memorable day at the 2024 AWL Annual Golf Tournament. We can’t wait to see you on the green!

Format: Details to be provided

Dress Code: Golf attire or team costumes are strongly encouraged

Registration Includes

18 holes of golf with a power cart
Use of the driving range before the tournament
Lunch and welcome beverage
Tee gift
Dinner banquet
Prizes
and so much more….

Other Details

PRIZES. PRIZES. PRIZES – score, team name, team costumes, decorated cart, longest drive, most putts to make it to a hole, and many, many more fabulous prizes!
Photo booth
Please indicate at the time of registration if club rental is required
Please visit the Lynx Ridge Golf Club website for further details regarding the course rules and etiquette.
Sponsorship opportunities, please email Emily at EPaplawski@osler.com or Ellen at embury@emburywest.com
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Event Link and Sign Up: https://2024AWLAnnualGolfTournament.eventbrite.ca

ANNOUNCEMENT – Rani Wong, K.C. Racialized Lawyer Membership Fee Waiver

In January 2023, AWL passed a resolution to establish a membership fee waiver program for ten racialized lawyers annually, called the Rani Wong, K.C. Racialized Lawyer Membership Fund. This was done in recognition of the more than two decades of service to the AWL by Rani Wong, K.C., a former AWL President and Board Member, and a champion for equity and inclusion in the profession for racialized women lawyers.

The Rani Wong, K.C., Racialized Lawyer Membership Fund will begin offering covered memberships for the 2024 year and this program will be offered yearly. The fee waiver be a one-time only opportunity for any qualifying lawyer.

If you are interested in membership and identify as a racialized lawyer, please email us today. We expect the 10 memberships will be allocated in short order. Don’t delay in sending us your interest.

We encourage AWL Members to share this opportunity with their networks.

To apply for the one-time fee waiver please email kpratt@stikeman.com. Please include your name, year of call, firm, and practice area in your interest email. AWL will be in touch with all the applicants.

Rani Wong, K.C.’s Biography

Rani Wong, K.C., practices family law as a sole practitioner in association with Calgary Family Law Associates. She began her legal career 25 years ago as a commercial and finance lawyer, practicing with some of Canada’s top national law firms. She articled with Davis & Co. (now DLA Piper) in Vancouver and practiced in the financial services group with Osler Hoskin Harcourt in Toronto before moving to Singapore to do financial restructuring, debt financing and project financing work with the New York firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. Rani then returned home to practice with the commercial energy group at Stikeman Elliott in Calgary after a brief in-house counsel stint.

After more than a decade in commercial and finance, Rani decided to change her practice completely and jumped into family law. She practices in a wide variety of areas within family law and is a trained mediator and arbitrator.

Rani is a strong proponent of giving back to the legal profession and community, especially in matters involving equity, diversity, and inclusion. She served in many capacities with the Association of Women Lawyers, including as its President, a member of its Board of Directors for more than 15 years, and chair of its Membership Committee for many years. In 2012, she developed AWL’s inaugural Mentoring Program for Women Lawyers in Calgary. More recently, she helped initiate the AWL Racialized Women Lawyers Mentoring Dinners, providing mentoring, support and encouragement to racialized women lawyers in Calgary.

She has also volunteered extensively with the Canadian Bar Association. She is the past Co-Chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and Diversity Section in Alberta and was a member of the National CBA Equality Subcommittee. She previously sat on the CBA Alberta Provincial Council and participated in the Legal Education and Training Working Group of the CBA Legal Futures Initiative.

In 2022, Rani was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Alberta for the Promotion of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Profession, and was appointed King’s Counsel.

AWL 2023 Annual General Meeting

AWL 2023 Annual General Meeting

The annual general meeting of the members of the Association of Women Lawyers (Calgary) will be held in-person as follows:

December 12, 2023
12:00 PM
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Brookfield Place, Suite 2700, 225 6 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta

All AWL members are encouraged to attend and will be provided access to the Minutes from the 2022 AGM (to be approved) on the AWL website through their accounts prior to the AGM. Lunch will be served.

Call for Applications for 2024 AWL Board of Directors

The Association of Women Lawyers (Calgary) is currently accepting applications for membership to its Board of Directors for 2024. 

Please send a brief resume or biography, along with two (2) references to Tami Prince at tprince@cassels.com by no later than 4pm on November 17, 2023. 

All AWL members are welcome to apply!

Updated 2023 Event Calendar

2023 EVENTS CALENDAR

MARCH

  • Mothers in the Law In-Person Playdate (March 19, 2023) – The AWL Mothers in the Law Group aims to connect and support mothers who are currently practicing law and mothers who are on maternity leave. Bring your child(ren) or come on your own for the playdates. All are welcome!
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

APRIL

  • Mystery Lunch (April 19, 2023) – join 5 other members for lunch at a mystery restaurant for an opportunity to meet and network with other women lawyers in a variety of practice areas and stages.
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

MAY

  • Racialized Lawyer Dinner Series (May 1, 2023) – AWL introduced this dinner series to provide mentorship, support and camaraderie to women lawyers from racialized or marginalized groups. The dinners are open to all AWL and CMLA members and friends who identify as a member of a racialized/marginalized group, as well as members who would like to provide mentorship and support as allies.
  • Networking Night (May 24, 2023) – AWL is hosting a networking event for members at Rodney’s Oyster House (355 10 Ave SW). Come and enjoy great conversation, some tasty appetizers and a cocktail/mocktail (or two) with fellow AWL members!
  • Mothers in the Law In-Person Playdate (May 27, 2023) – The AWL Mothers in the Law Group aims to connect and support mothers who are currently practicing law and mothers who are on maternity leave. Bring your child(ren) or come on your own for the playdates. All are welcome!
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

JUNE

  • Allyship, Diversity and Inclusion Series (June 1, 2023) – AWL is excited to continue its Allyship, Diversity and Inclusion series launched in 2021. The first topic of the 2023 will be Trauma Informed Lawyering and Reconcilitation with Sarah Sinclair.
  • RiverWalk Stroll (June 3, 2023) – join fellow members for a morning walk along the RiverWalk to reconnect with AWL colleagues and meet new ones (weather permitting).
  • Book Club (June 7, 2023) – join other members in a quarterly book club to read and discuss an agreed-upon reading list, meet new people, and share new perspectives.
  • Spring Celebration (June 14, 2023) – a night to celebrate new women lawyers that joined the Calgary bar during 2022. Come join us in celebrating our newest members.
  • Mystery Lunch (June 21, 2023) – join 5 other members for lunch at a mystery restaurant for an opportunity to meet and network with other women lawyers in a variety of practice areas and stages.
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

JULY

  • RiverWalk Stroll – join fellow members for a morning walk along the RiverWalk to reconnect with AWL colleagues and meet new ones (weather permitting).
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

AUGUST

  • RiverWalk Stroll – join fellow members for a morning walk along the RiverWalk to reconnect with AWL colleagues and meet new ones (weather permitting).
  • Golf Tournament (August 11, 2022) – Join AWL for the Annual Golf Tournament! Every year this event provides a great opportunity to get outdoors, network with clients and colleagues, and enjoy a fun day of golf. The golf tournament is one of AWL’s longest standing and most successful annual events.  Members are invited to play and to invite colleagues and clients to join them. 
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

SEPTEMBER

  • RiverWalk Stroll – join fellow members for a morning walk along the RiverWalk to reconnect with AWL colleagues and meet new ones (weather permitting).
  • Book Club – join other members in a quarterly book club to read and discuss an agreed-upon reading list, meet new people, and share new perspectives.
  • Mystery Lunch – join 5 other members for lunch at a mystery restaurant for an opportunity to meet and network with other women lawyers in a variety of practice areas and stages.
  • Racialized Lawyer Dinner Series – AWL introduced this dinner series to provide mentorship, support and camaraderie to women lawyers from racialized or marginalized groups. The dinners are open to all AWL and CMLA members and friends who identify as a member of a racialized/marginalized group, as well as members who would like to provide mentorship and support as allies.
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

OCTOBER

  • Allyship, Diversity and Inclusion Series – AWL is excited to continue its Allyship, Diversity and Inclusion series launched in 2021. Topic and speaker(s) to be announced.
  • Networking Evening – AWL is hosting a networking event for members at a locally owned business to support Calgary-owned small businesses and provide an opportunity for members to network with others in the legal community.
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

NOVEMBER

  • Racialized Lawyer Dinner Series – AWL introduced this dinner series to provide mentorship, support and camaraderie to women lawyers from racialized or marginalized groups. The dinners are open to all AWL and CMLA members and friends who identify as a member of a racialized/marginalized group, as well as members who would like to provide mentorship and support as allies.
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

DECEMBER

  • Book Club – join other members in a quarterly book club to read and discuss an agreed-upon reading list, meet new people, and share new perspectives.
  • Mystery Lunch – join 5 other members for lunch at a mystery restaurant for an opportunity to meet and network with other women lawyers in a variety of practice areas and stages.
  • Mothers in the Law Online Zoom Playdate – the last Tuesday of every month, Wilma Shim hosts a play date by Zoom from 1 to 2 pm. Members are welcome to bring their children or join on their own.

JANUARY (2024)

  • Canmore Retreat (January 26 – 28, 2024) – join the AWL Board and members for a weekend of professional discussion, relaxation and great company.