Canada 19 www.lawyer-monthly.com Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Awards 2025 through difficult times in my own life, including a divorce, illness and the loss of my father and grandparents within a short period of time. These personal experiences have shaped the way I enter conversations, and also given me perspective on what is truly important in life. I often joke that I use my psychology degree more than my law degree – many times, I am hired simply to provide a space of calm and to facilitate difficult conversations. I am a direct person, and I have always been comfortable asking questions and addressing the elephant in the room. I thrive off of helping people see their value within a situation, and also finding common ground. As a woman who has built a successful career in a traditionally maledominated area of law, what have been some of the key lessons or experiences that shaped your journey? For many years in the early stages of my career, I was often the only woman in the room. I had clients refuse to work with me because of my gender. When I first became partner, I was the only woman on the partnership at my firm. I am really proud to be a woman in tax. I approach things differently, and my personality is the key to my success. Instead of focusing on my gender, now I focus on my personality and my strengths – as those are the things which make me successful in my practice and in business. I used to try to be like everyone else, and now I just focus on being myself. I also have no problem addressing discrimination or inappropriate behaviour head on. Mentorship is especially important for supporting women in law. Have you been involved in mentoring other women in the profession, and what advice do you find yourself sharing most often? I feel that professionals tend to look at mentorship so formally – that you have to be a part of a formal “mentorship program”. Mentorship opportunities exist all around you – it can be as simple as sitting down next to someone you do not know at an event and introducing yourself, or making sure that a new member of a committee feels heard. I love meeting new people, and in addition to informal mentorship of other women in the profession, I also love creating opportunities to connect people. Looking ahead, what emerging trends or challenges do you see shaping the future of tax and estate law in Canada? Lawyers are concerned about the advent of AI – I agree that it will have an impact on the way we practice law. However, I also believe there will be an increased need for bespoke/ customized service. Lawyers (particularly in tax and estate law) will be utilized less for transactional work, and more as trusted advisors, helping business owners navigate through complex rules, and plan for the future. “I see myself as a guide and a teacher – not a decision-maker for my clients. My goal is to empower them to understand the tax system and take control of their financial decisions.” Q Q Q www.shtb-law.com
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