Beverley McLachlin | Supreme Court Judge

Beverley McLachlin

Born: September 7, 1943
Place of Birth: Pincher Creek, Alberta

Beverly McLachlin was the first woman to ever be appointed to the role of Chief Justice of Canada.
She grew up in a ranching community and describes herself as a "farm girl".
McLachlin received her formal post high school education at the University of Alberta.
After qualifying for her BA and MA degrees, McLachlin went on to obtain her LLB in 1968.
By 1971, she had been accepted to practise law in two provinces, Alberta and British Columbia.
Over the next few years, she joined law firms in Fort St. John and Vancouver.
In 1974 she began teaching at the University of British Columbia.
She continued her work at UBC and later was made a full professor; a position she held until 1981.
During these years, McLachlin authored several articles for publications dealing with law and the court system.
She was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1981 and was made Chief Justice of that court in 1988.
McLachlin was the first woman to ever be given this position in British Columbia.
In 1989 she was called upon by PM Brian Mulroney to sit as a judge in the Supreme Court of Canada.
McLachlin made decisions from a libertarian point of view.
Based on merit, McLachlin, in the year 2000, was appointed Chief Justice of Canada by PM Jean Chretien.
She has had to make difficult decisions on cases such as same-sex marriage and rape shield laws.
Over the years, Beverly McLachlin has received numerous awards and honorary Doctorate degrees.

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