Congratulations Grace Ajele
We are pleased to announce that Grace Ajele, Membership Counsel at the Law Society of Alberta, is this year’s recipient of the Women in Law Leadership (WILL) Tomorrow’s Leader Award. This recognition is awarded to someone who has demonstrated significant growth, development, and initiative throughout her first years of practice, and shows great promise for superior legal capability and leadership potential through her actions and attitude.
While Grace never knew exactly what kind of law she wanted to go into as a student, she always had a passion for human rights, particularly focusing on marginalized populations and how she could support them through the law. She articled at Calgary Legal Guidance (CLG) where she gained a wide array of experience working with underprivileged populations in criminal, family, immigration and wills and estates law, to name a few. Following her call to the bar in 2019, a permanent position opened up at CLG and she returned again, this time as a staff lawyer in the domestic violence family law program.
“This position was really interesting because I learned a lot about big picture, systemic issues and how they all fit together. I saw how complex problems can be and the deep intersections between family, child welfare and criminal law.”
After some time in this position, Grace proposed a new program to the Executive Director when she noticed a gap in the system. This led to the creation of the Pre-Apprehension Child Welfare program, which provides legal advice and support to families interacting with the child welfare system prior to their child(ren) being apprehended. This was the first program of its kind in Alberta, looking at proactive ways to help families avoid a child apprehension, rather than simply providing legal advice after the fact. Grace led the program through its pilot phase, and it has since become part of CLG’s ongoing programming.
“Early on in my career, I was never sure where I fit in when it came to the legal community. Proposing the new CLG program felt like affirmation that yes, I can do this, and I can do it in a way that feels authentically me. Part of the reason I was able to do this was because I’ve been surrounded by really strong women in law who excelled by showing up just as they were, and they gave me permission to do the same. I’m honoured to receive the Tomorrow’s Leader award – it’s validation that even if my career has looked different than some of my peers, I can still be recognized the way that I am,” Grace says.
In October 2023, Grace joined the Law Society as Membership Counsel, reviewing complex applications from lawyers and students in all manner of areas. This includes applications to become a student-at-law, be called to the bar in Alberta, transfer as a lawyer to Alberta, reinstate after an absence, become a principal, create a Professional Corporation or Limited Liability Partnership and more.
“I came into this role thinking it was a great opportunity to learn more about the behind-the-scenes systems of how the law is regulated in Alberta. I’m excited to be a part of something where I can continue to be involved in systemic change, especially where it affects marginalized groups,” she says.
Grace’s talents have not gone unnoticed at the Law Society.
“Grace continues to contribute meaningfully to our work and brings a unique perspective that we greatly value. We are proud to have her as part of the team and can’t wait to see where her career takes her at the Law Society,” says Andrew Norton, Chief Information Officer and Director, Business Operations at the Law Society.
The Law Society would like to extend our most sincere congratulations to Grace and the other WILL award winners for 2024:
- Lifetime Achievement Award Winner – Eileen Sasakamoose IPC
- Leadership in the Community – Cindy M. Marshall, KC
- Leadership in the Profession (Private Practice) – Leanne C. Krawchuk, KC
- Leadership in the Profession (Broader Roles) – Kendall Moholitny
- Leadership in the Profession (In-House / Government) – Jennifer Rees, KC