The Women’s Legal Mentorship Program (WLMP) National Student Program Leaders Circle is comprised of strong talented feminist leaders and future legal leaders. They are leaders who are passionate and focused on creating lasting change in their communities and the broader Canadian legal community.
All WLMP National Student Program Team Leads not only take part in the strategic planning at the WLMP’s National level, but also devise a two year plan and guide the work of their committees.
As the Co-Leads for the WLMP’s Virtual Events, Aimee Dezeure and Aria Kamal combined their strengths to develop and generate new ways of connecting with WLMP members, whether law students or lawyers across Canada. Plus, they’re exploring a new virtual versions of the WLMP’s popular Legal Leaders Breakfast.
Aria and Aimee not only oversee all WLMP National Student Program events, but they also work with individual members of the WLMP’s Equity & Leadership Advisory Group who may be collaborating with partners on other mentoring and professional development events.
Meet Aimee Dezeure Co-Lead for Virtual Events, WLMP National Student Program
Aimee is a second-year student at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. Prior to law school, she obtained an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in History, focusing primarily on the history of women in Canada.
While in law school Aimee volunteers as a Senior Caseworker with Community Legal Aid Windsor. She is also actively involved in the Windsor branch of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) as an executive member.
Aimee is passionate about mentorship. Currently, she mentors two first year law students at the University of Windsor and Ryerson University. As part of the leadership group for the WLMP’s National Student Program, Aimee is eager to contribute to advancing the WLMP’s innovative mentoring experience across Canada.
Why do you feel there is a need for a National Women’s Legal Mentorship Program?
A National Women’s Legal Mentorship Program is needed because self-identifying women law students need a safe space to ask questions and learn essential practical skills that they don’t necessarily teach us in law school such as confidence, leadership, and adaptability.
Also, having a national mentoring and networking platform enhances accessibility and maximizes opportunities for women in the legal profession across Canada.”
Meet Aria Kamal Co-Lead for Virtual Events, WLMP National Student Program
Aria Kamal is a JD candidate at Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. As the daughter of Afghan immigrants, Aria is actively involved in advancing women and refugee rights within her community.
Prior to attending law school, Aria obtained an Honours Bachelors degree in Law and Society from York University. She has a great passion for student mentorship, social justice, human rights and family law.
As part of the leadership group for the WLMP’s National Student Program, Aria is excited about the WLMP’s National Student Program and creating a national community space connecting self-identifying female law students and lawyers in mentorship.
Why do you feel there is a need for a National Women’s Legal Mentorship Program?
Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law without discrimination”. Section Fifteen of the Charter promises every individual equality without discrimination. Despite this however, discrepancies between equality in the Charter and its social implementation continues to be experienced in the contemporary context.
At first glance, one may notice a gradual increase in traditionally underrepresented populations within the legal sphere. This is reflected in any law school’s graduating class compilation photos within recent years. Despite this however, the diversity in our recent law school graduates is not accurately portrayed within the legal profession itself. Despite growing diversity in our law schools, women are still mistaken as the “client” instead of the lawyer in courtrooms and represent approximately 4% of existing partners at leading firms across the nation. For these reasons, the glass ceiling has not yet been shattered.
I believe that a National Women’s Legal Mentorship Program is vital to help reshape the future of the legal landscape and bridge existing barriers for female-identifying law students of today and lawyers of tomorrow. Women’s Legal Mentorship on a national level can prove extremely beneficial in catering to the unique nature of each law school’s legal curriculums.
At Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, our innovative integrated practice curriculum requires a distinct form of mentorship, one that allows students to obtain practical advice and experience within the inner workings of our legal system.
Now more than ever, I believe that a National Women’s Legal Mentorship Program will allow students to become more well-equipped in identifying existing barriers in their legal trajectories and develop personalized solutions for these issues. Indeed, the ability to obtain valuable mentorship, guidance and support at a national level will undoubtedly prepare students to overcome systemic barriers in the profession for generations to come.
If you’re a WLMP member and have an idea for an interesting event, a law firm who would like to support one of the WLMP National Student Program Events, then email them at: NatlStudent@wlmp-pmdf.ca