It is with regret we announce that after five years as our Legal Director, Dr. Kim Stanton has resigned from the Women’s Legal Education Action Fund (LEAF) to commence the next chapter of her career at a well-known public law firm in Toronto where she will continue her longstanding work advocating for Indigenous rights. Kim’s commitment to promoting equality rights remains unwavering. She also looks forward to building on her academic work on the institutional design of public inquiries in Canada.
As Legal Director, Kim relentlessly advanced LEAF’s equality agenda in critical areas. She led LEAF’s contribution to a coalition of women’s organizations addressing violence against Indigenous women and girls, and worked closely with Prince Edward Island activists to bring a legal challenge that succeeded in gaining access to abortion rights in that province for the first time since 1982. Kim prioritized LEAF’s development of strong collaborative partnerships, contributing to interventions in high profile appellate cases such as R v. Barton and R v Al-Rawi, as well as the inquiry into the conduct of Justice Robin Camp. In addition to leading LEAF’s litigation work, Kim has confronted gender discrimination by advocating for law and policy reform in federal and provincial arenas. In her role as LEAF’s spokesperson with national and international media, Kim has worked to consolidate the organization’s reputation as a leader in the Canadian feminist movement. She leaves LEAF poised to take on an even bigger role to address ongoing discrimination and violence against women in Canada.
“It has been my privilege to represent LEAF during a time when its mandate has never been more important,” says Dr. Kim Stanton. “I have had an extraordinary opportunity to work with many of the women who have truly shaped the constitutional equality rights law of our country.”
Kim’s last day with LEAF is December 1, 2017. The board of directors wishes Kim all the best in her new endeavour and is working closely with LEAF Executive Director Hailee Morrison to create a smooth transition as we search for a new Legal Director.
LEAF will be launching the search for a new Legal Director in the coming month.
