BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Karen Snowshoe is currently an elected Bencher of the B.C. Law Society (County of Vancouver). Ms. Snowshoe was born and raised in Vancouver and obtained her law degree from UBC. She has also lived and worked in the Yukon and NWT for 14 years and is a member of the Tetlit-Gwich’in of Fort McPherson.
Ms. Snowshoe has worked in diverse practise areas for 15 years including Arbitration, Mediation, Administrative law, and Indigenous Issues.
Since 2009, Ms. Snowshoe’s focus has been on providing Adjudication services hearing claims of first instance and appeals across Canada. Her clients have included the Indian Residential School Adjudication Secretariat, the Northwest Territories Human Rights Adjudication Panel, the Workers’ Compensation Tribunal of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and two Federal Land Claim Arbitration Panels.
Ms. Snowshoe has held over 150 hearings across Canada and has written 100+ decisions, giving her the ability to fairly and impartially participate in Law Society hearings and conduct reviews.
Ms. Snowshoe also served as Senior Counsel with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Karen’s volunteer interests have included leadership with the CBA National Aboriginal Section, fostering indigenous children, and supporting animal welfare organizations.

Re-Elect Karen Snowshoe for
B.C. Law Society Bencher

(Polls Open Nov. 1-14, 2019)

Please help re-elect Karen Snowshoe. Her voice at the Bencher table is important and valuable. By voting for Karen, you will help advance the following:

  • Good governance
  • Increasing Access to Justice
  • Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the profession
  • Implementing the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 27

ELECTION STATEMENT

In May 2018, Ms. Snowshoe was elected as a Law Society Bencher (County of Vancouver). Since then, Ms. Snowshoe has made valuable contributions to the overall governance of the Law Society. She brings a unique and reasoned perspective to the following Committees: Equity & Diversity, Access to Justice, Truth & Reconciliation, Credentials and Practise Standards. Karen also actively supports the Lawyers Assistance Program and the Law Society’s Mental Health Task Force.
Ms. Snowshoe is passionate about issues of diversity, fairness, reconciliation and good governance.
In terms of diversity, Karen is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity at all levels of the legal profession. Karen brings valuable experience (and perspective) as an Indigenous women who has overcome challenging life circumstances. Karen’s success as a lawyer, arbitrator and mediator is in large part due to mentoring from senior members of the Bar as well as members of the Judiciary.
Karen is known nationally as a fair and impartial decision maker. As a Bencher, who has presided over Law Society hearings and Conduct Reviews, Karen brings a wealth of experience. To this end, she has presided over 150 hearings across Canada and written 100+ well-reasoned decisions (first instance and appeals) giving her the ability to fairly and impartially participate in Law Society hearings and conduct reviews.
In terms of reconciliation, Karen is committed to advancing the Law Society’s work of implementing relevant recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. To this end, Karen brings a wealth of experience, having worked locally, nationally and internationally on Indigenous issues. Most recently, Karen heard direct testimony of Indian Residential Schools survivors as well as Indigenous women and girls who have experienced violence (MMIWG Inquiry).
Ms. Snowshoe is proud to oversee the governance of the B.C. Law Society. She takes this role seriously and offers a practical and balanced perspective as well as Indigenous values. Ms. Snowshoe is always “on call” in terms of receiving calls on a confidential basis from lawyers, articling students and law students. Ms. Snowshoe encourages mentorship of new lawyers and meets on a regular basis with articling students to discuss the various law society supports.
Karen is committed to health and wellness. Karen has benefited “first-hand” from the Lawyers Assistance Program in terms of learning tools to support a “balanced” lifestyle. Some of Karen’s “personal tools” include pet therapy (she has three rescue pups), marathon training, martial arts, golf and laughter. Karen is committed to supporting the Law Society’s efforts on promoting wellness within the legal profession, specifically relating to mental health and addictions.