Elaine Cummings, LLB

Year of Graduation: 1997
Double Major: Women's Studies and Philosophy

Current Occupation: Lawyer

I graduated from the U of R in 1997 with a double major in Women's Studies and Philosophy. My main area of interest was biomedical ethics, particularly new reproductive technologies. The first year after graduation I didn't have any luck finding work (other than bartending), so on the advice of one of my philosophy professors, Dr. Eugene Bertoldi, I decided to attend law school. I chose Dalhousie Law School because, at the time, it was the only school to offer a specialization in Health Law and Policy. I felt that by taking this specialization, I could combine my interest in women's health issues with the study of law. The faculty in the Health Law Institute at Dalhousie are fabulous, and I was very pleased to find that they shared many of my research interests. I graduated from law school in 2001 and was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2002. Although I am originally from Regina, I have remained in Halifax where I live with my husband and 18-month old daughter (baby #2 on the way next month).

While my current position with the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society (NSBS), the governing body for lawyers in Nova Scotia, does not have any direct connection to my Women's Studies degree, I do have the opportunity to flex my feminist muscles on occasion. Women are leaving the legal profession at a much higher rate than men. Despite the fact that women comprise, on average, 51% of every graduating law class, they make up only a small fraction of practicing lawyers. This is an issue that the Gender Equity Committee of the NSBS (of which I am a past-chair) is studying and hopes to find ways to address. This has been a long and ongoing project, and one that does not have an end date in sight. Connected to the issue of retention of women in the profession are issues of gender bias etc that are almost inherent, particularly in traditionally male dominated professions. Many women, myself included, leave the private practice of law for in-house counsel or public law positions in an effort to find a work-life balance.

I am very proud of my degree from the U of R, and feel that I obtained an excellent education. During my time at the U of R, the Women's Studies students struggled with misogynist attacks through the Carillon (some individuals thought it was funny to characterize in cartoon the women in the Women's Centre as man-haters with brush cuts and combat boots, among other negative imagery), fought to have condoms placed in first-year orientation kits (a battle we lost) and tried desperately to protect the Women's Centre from invasion by men who claimed the right to volunteer in the Centre. There were struggles, but we were a small, close group which made it easier. We started SAGE (Students Advocating Gender Equity) and put on the first annual Women's Mosaic. I'm not sure what became of this event, but it was a huge success the first time around! We were led, at the time, by Dr, Barbara Powell. I had not seen her for several years prior, but was very saddened to learn of her passing.