Yellowknife lawyer Karen Wilford is the recipient of the nationally recognized Legal Aid Leader Award, handed out by the Canadian Bar Association.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was very surprised,SA国际影视传媒� she said of last weekSA国际影视传媒檚 announcement. SA国际影视传媒淚 had not been aware that I had been nominated, so when the announcement came out, it took me aback quite a bit.SA国际影视传媒�
Wilford, the executive director of the NWT Legal Aid Commission, received the award for SA国际影视传媒渓ong-term commitment to legal aid and to providing accessible and affordable legal services to the population.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 feel very humbled by being the recipient,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭here are many, many people across the country who work away at legal aid, whether itSA国际影视传媒檚 frontline counsel or within management or support staff. There are a lot of people out there who do this work. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 really important work.SA国际影视传媒�
The accolade also serves as recognition of legal aid lawyers who have made a significant contribution in providing access to justice for people in need.
WilfordSA国际影视传媒檚 career started during her time in Ontario, where the firm she worked for was SA国际影视传媒減rogressive and community minded.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭his worldview matched my own upbringing, which included a strong commitment to giving back and lifting up those less fortunate,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淓ven though the work was significantly less remunerative, it has always been important to me to bring action to those values.SA国际影视传媒�
Overall, she has been involved in legal aid for more than 30 years.
SA国际影视传媒淚 have practised legal aid work in one form or another my entire career,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o when I was in private practice back in Ontario, I always made sure that a certain percentage of my work was dedicated to clients who were on legal aid certificates. And then in 2004, I moved from Ontario to Nunavut and, at that point, I became a full-time legal aid staff lawyer and worked within the Nunavut legal aid program until 2012SA国际影视传媒� and here in Yellowknife, ISA国际影视传媒檓 a staff lawyer for legal aid. For about two years, I was the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 childrenSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer and then I got enticed back to legal aid in the current role as its director.SA国际影视传媒�
Since moving to Yellowknife in May 2012, Wilford has served as the executive director of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories for four years, including as president.
As well, Wilford is an NWT council member with the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, where she has served as co-chair of the federationSA国际影视传媒檚 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Advisory Committee.
