The use of Pronouns within Government and Courts
October 12, 2021 | 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Eastern
Zoom Meeting
The presentation is intended to initiate the conversation around the use of pronouns and form of address. It will also tackle the implementation of pronouns policies and practice directives within governments and the Court.
Moderator
Will Randall, General Counsel, Advisor Office for Alberta Workers' Compensation
Speakers
Joel Lebois, Legal Counsel, University of Manitoba
Joel Lebois is in-house Legal Counsel for the University of Manitoba, providing litigation support, guidance and legal expertise on a broad range of Human Rights and Accessibility issues, including policy, sexual violence, workplace investigations, and legislative compliance strategies. Joel earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa, and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 2009. Joel is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and has provided French language seminars and training across Canada to judges, lawyers, probation officers and court staff with the Centre canadien de français juridique.
Lisa M.G. Nevens (Mx/they/them)
Lisa M.G. Nevens (Mx/they/them) is an out and proud non-binary and trans civil litigator for the Department of Justice in Vancouver. They are an elected Director on the Board of the Canadian Bar Association BC and have co-chaired its Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community section for several years. They also co-chair the Department of Justice’s national SOGIE advisory committee and the BC region’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Committee. In their other spare time, Lisa is an aspiring powerlifter and board member of a wonderful little queer theatre company.
The Honourable Michael J. Wood, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia and Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal
The Honourable Chief Justice Michael J. Wood is a graduate of Acadia University and received his law degree from Dalhousie University in 1982. He practiced civil litigation and administrative law in Halifax, Nova Scotia until his appointment to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in 2011. He was appointed as the twenty-third Chief Justice of Nova Scotia in April 2019.
Chief Justice Wood is active in legal education, including as a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice. He has lectured for many years at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and is a frequent contributor to education programs for lawyers and judges.
