The top women's law associations in Canada

• Association of Women Lawyers (Calgary) (AWL) 
• Black Female Lawyers Network (BFLN) 
• Canadian Association of Muslim Women in Law (CAMWL) 
• National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) 
• Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) 
• Women General Counsel Canada (WGCC) 
• Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD) 
• Women in Law Leadership (WILL) 
• Women’s Law Association of Ontario (WLAO) 
• Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF) 
• Young Women in Law (YWL) 

This is not an exclusive list of lawyers’ associations in Canada, as this article is dedicated in highlighting the groups for women in the legal profession. 

We’ll discuss each of them below. You can use our table of contents above to navigate this page or directly skip to any of these groups. 

Association of Women Lawyers (Calgary) (AWL) 

The AWL is a non-profit society that is made up of women lawyers in Calgary, regardless of specialty and seniority. Its goals are to:  

• connect women lawyers with each other 
• help in advancing their careers 
• provide programs on professional development, networking, mentoring, and career-building 

Registering with the AWL (Calgary) 

For those who are interested in joining the AWL, below are the Membership Levels and the fees they need to pay: 

• Individual Patron: $100 
• 5+ Years of Call: $60 
• Under 5 years of Call: $40 

Both law students and articling students can also join the AWL, free of membership fees. 

Black Female Lawyers Network (BFLN) 

A not-for-profit Toronto-based women’s law association established in 2006, the BFLN is the network for Black women lawyers in Canada. The BFLN provides opportunities for career development and community engagement. In all, it offers Black women lawyers with a space to convene, share, and learn from each other. 

BFLN membership 

Membership and their annual fees with BFLN fall only within these two categories: 

• Professional Member: $50 
• Student: $25 

BFLN members will have exclusive access to its special events, along with special member-only prices for these events. It will also grant access to its exclusive member directory and career posting pages. 

Canadian Association of Muslim Women in Law (CAMWL) 

The CAMWL is the women’s law association for Muslim women in Canada. Its mandate is to educate and do advocacy work to advance the rights and interests of Muslims in the country, along with other marginalized and equity-seeking groups. CAMWL also does mentorship and camaraderie for Muslim women in the field of law. 

National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) 

Founded in 1975, the NAWL is one of oldest women’s law associations in the country. It’s currently composed of around 1,000 women lawyers, law students, and legal professionals in different practice areas and related fields. 

NAWL seeks to:  

• promote the understanding of feminist legal issues 
• do research to examine laws, policies, and proposed for its reforms 
• eliminate sexual discrimination, especially in the legal profession 

The NAWL organizes the NAWL Outstanding Member Award every year for their members’ exemplary contributions to the organization: 

Check out our page on Rankings and Special Reports, which features the best lawyers in the country, grouped according to their practice areas and other demographics. 

Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) 

The NWAC is the national organization of Indigenous and native women in the country. Organized in 1974, the NWAC is composed of and amplifies the perspective of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse (WG2STGD+) people. They’re also inclusive of those who are from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. 

Although not specifically a legal organization, the NWAC is an association where women lawyers in Canada can join. Through the NWAC, women lawyers can both learn more and help in the areas of Indigenous law, social development, and economic development. 

Women General Counsel Canada (WGCC) 

The WGCC is a women’s law association, founded in 2016, that represents senior women in general counsel and executive leadership positions in Canada. Through their goal of supporting women in-house lawyers, the WGCC creates programs that revolves on networking, mentorship, and professional development. 

Becoming a WGCC member 

There are four membership levels to choose from for those who want to become a member of WGCC: 

• Regular 
• Fellow 
• Emeritus 
• Senior Legal 

Membership fees, which are paid annually, depend on these membership levels.  

WGCC membership benefits 

Regardless of one’s membership level, members in good standing can take advantage of the following benefits: 

• Professional Development (PD) events 
• Annual Conference and Networking Circles, with opportunities to earn CPD credits 
• access to a confidential, members-only, discussion forums 
• access the Crowd Source Discussion Page, which works like a listserv 
• general counsel mentorship programs 
• law firm-sponsored resources 

Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD) 

WiCCD (pronounced “wicked”) is an organization that represents lawyers who identify as women or gender non-conforming in the field of criminal law. It now has around 600 member-lawyers. 

Background of WiCCD 

Cassandra DeMelo, Treasurer of the WiCCD Executive, says that the need for WiCCD became clear for two reasons: 

1. women and gender non-conforming folks needed a place that was just ours  
2. women wanted this space to celebrate wins, provide support to each other, seek support from others, and to get to know our colleagues across the coast (as opposed to just within our city centres, or perhaps at most, provincially or territorially) 

Benefits of joining the WiCCD 

DeMelo says that WiCCD is a very inclusive space for women and gender non-conforming criminal defence lawyers.  

“We offer educational/professional programing, formal and informal support, a listserve for members to seek answers to pressing questions, and a whole variety of other services.”  

Eligible lawyers can join WiCCD through this link. 

Women in Law Leadership (WILL) 

WILL is a not-for profit women’s law association established in 2009 for women lawyers in the provinces of Alberta and Ontario (for now). The organization focuses on two main activities: 

• honors women lawyers in Alberta and Ontario through the WILL Awards and WILL Stronger Together Awards 
• organizes the Women in Law Leadership Academy, an education program for professional development of women lawyers 

As a display of inclusivity, WILL includes women who are cis, non-binary, transgender, and others who identify as women in all its activities. To become a member of WILL, interested women lawyers can simply contact one of the Co-Chairs or email them to get in touch with their Board Members. 

Women’s Law Association of Ontario (WLAO) 

The WLAO is a not-for-profit women’s law association that advances the issues and causes relevant to women in the legal profession. Aside from education and awareness programs, the WLAO organizes networking opportunities for their members.  

Established in 1919, it’s one of the oldest legal associations in Ontario. While it was only established as an association for women law students in Toronto, it later took up women lawyers to become its members from across the province. 

Joining the WLAO 

Women lawyers, members of the judiciary, and articling students can become members of the WLAO. Membership with the WLAO is divided into different categories: 

• Annual Membership (GTA; Non-GTA; Not-for-Profit, Legal Clinic, and Retired) 
• LSO Licensing Candidate 
• Law Student 

Membership fees will depend on the category chosen by the applicant.  

Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF)   

LEAF is an organization founded in 1985. It focuses on three areas: litigation, law reform, and public education. It has intervened at the appellate level in numerous cases in the past, and continues to do so, especially when the case involves substantive equality rights.  

Through its volunteers, LEAF conducts various law reform initiatives and educational programs at the grassroots level. 

Learn more about LEAF with this video, which premiered at LEAF's 2022 Equality Day Gala: 

Bookmark our Practice Areas page for regular updates on statutes and case law among the different areas of law in Canada. 

Joining the LEAF 

There are several ways to join the LEAF and be a part of the different advocacies and work that they engage in: 

• joining a branch: volunteers can join a LEAF branch (which is akin to becoming a LEAF member); it’s the branches that do public education programs, events in communities, and law reform initiatives at the local level 
• become a LEAF Pro Bono Lawyer: aside from volunteering at a LEAF branch, women lawyers can also do pro bono work for a Board-approved case (e.g. case where LEAF intervenes), working alongside a case committee 
• donating to LEAF: as a smaller organization, LEAF relies on the funds that it raises and those that it receives from different donors 

Young Women in Law (YWL) 

Katrina Kairys gave the following insights about Young Women in Law (YWL). She is YWL’s director of marketing and communications and is also a lawyer at Patel Kairys Law. 

YWL is a not-for-profit organization that aims to provide young women lawyers in their early stages of practice with a platform and tools to: 

• connect with other lawyers  
• enhance their skills 
• give back to their community 

YWL also provides support to young women lawyers as they navigate their career, seek to make transitions, and strive to balance work with their personal life. 

Benefits of joining the YLW 

YWL hosts networking events throughout the year, Kairys says. “This is to provide YLW members with opportunities to meet and establish connections with other YWL members and to help them develop and enhance life and career skills.” 

YWL's website features educational and wellness resources, as well as a job postings board with Canada-wide opportunities, she adds. 

Also, YWL organizes a charity gala each spring with a keynote speaker. The event is the biggest of the year and boasts a magnificent venue, music, wine and appetizers, silent auction and swag bag. 

Membership with YWL can help young women lawyers enhance their career and hone their skills, Kairys says. “We are committed to giving you the resources you need to improve your financial well-being, work life balance, networking skills, social intelligence and much more.” 

Other benefits of joining the YLW include: 

• access to Members Only events and the YWL Coaching Program  
• significantly reduced fees in YWL events 
• community volunteering opportunities 
• subscription to the YWL Scoop 
• promotional benefits from YWL partners and sponsors 

Process of joining the YLW 

To join the YWL, interested lawyers can register by visiting their website, under its membership application page at any time. The annual membership fee is $100, with no automatic recurring payments. 

YLW membership is open for: 

• female lawyers who are qualified to practice anywhere in Canada 
• female candidates of National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) 
• articling students who are in the process if being accredited as a lawyer anywhere in Canada 

Women's law associations: helping women in the legal profession 

The different women's law associations across Canada are reflections of the long history of women supporting themselves, especially in times of need. With the different membership benefits that these groups offer, they do not only provide solace for women but are also sources of professional growth. 

For more resources similar to women’s law associations, check out our Professional Regulation page.