JUSTICE ELIZABETH A. ROSCOE RECEIVES AWARD
FRANCES LILLIAN FISH On September 10, 1918 , Frances Lillian Fish became the first woman admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar. A few months earlier, she had graduated from Dalhousie University, the first woman graduate of the law school. At the time, women were not considered to be “persons” under the law. Frances practiced law in Newcastle, New Brunswick for 40 years, became the first woman Deputy Magistrate in New Brunswick in 1947 and was appointed a Q.C. in 1972, three years before her death. Frances established herself as a general practitioner, representing those she described as “the poor and oppressed.” She said, “I've never regretted it. If I had to do it all over, I'd still rather have the law than anything else.” Frances Fish was eulogized at her funeral service: Ms. Fish was an amazing person - truly a servant of the people - always doing for others. She was a professional person who practised law not only with her mind but with her heart.. the world has been made better for her having lived.
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The Nova Scotia Association of Women and the Law presents the Frances Fish Women Lawyers' Achievement Award. It honours and celebrates outstanding women lawyers who have achieved excellence in their area of speciality or in the community, and who have demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of women's equality in or through the legal profession. The Nova Scotia Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) is a non-profit women's organization that promotes equal rights for all women through legal education, research, and law reform advocacy.Members include lawyers, academics, students, and others who support its goals and objectives. |
At a ceremony on October 18th, The Nova Scotia Association of Women and the Law presented the 2005 Frances Fish Women Lawyers’ Achievement Award to Justice Elizabeth A. Roscoe of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal and Professor Dianne Pothier of the Dalhousie Law School.
In 1984, Justice Roscoe was the first woman to be appointed to the province's Family Court. She says " ..... although I was the only woman there for a short time, Sandra Oxner, who was then the only woman on the Provincial Court was very kind in welcoming me ...."
Then in 1989 she became the second woman to be appointed to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Trial Division. Three years later, in 1992, 
another first for Justice Roscoe; she was the first woman appointed to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Appeal Division which later became the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.
"I am happy and fortunate," says Justice Roscoe of her current position, "to have as colleagues, three other excellent women judges: Nancy Bateman, Jill Hamilton, and Linda Oland."
Justice Roscoe began her legal career studying at Dalhousie Law School in 1971. "Although it must have been very lonley for Frances Fish as the only woman in her law class," she says, "I have always been fortunate to have been in the company of other women who helped when things were tough ..... There were 25 of us and I think there was strength in numbers."
She practiced for ten years with Blois Nickerson Palmeter & Bryson in Halifax. About her first year of practice she says, "In 1974, there were no women practicing in a private law firm in Halifax. At one interview for an articling position (at a different firm) I was blatantly told that the firm would not hire a woman unless no men applied for the job."
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In announcing its 2005 award recipients, the Nova Scotia Association of Women and the Law organizers said of Justice Roscoe, "Throughout her life, her work in the community and on professional committees has provided many women with opportunities that may not have existed before. Justice Roscoe has clearly gained the respect and acceptance of the legal community with her dedication, drive, and commitment to integrity. She is a trailblazer and a leader for all women."
Justice Roscoe responds, "I did not blaze the trails by myself. I have been blessed by having a supportinve and loving family ....."
"I was not the only trailblazer in that group," she says of her fellow students at Dalhousie Law School, "Many of those women have achieved professional eminence: of our 1974 graduating class, six others were appointed judges ....."
Currently there are 24 female judges in Nova Scotia, approximately 25% of the Judiciary. There are 300 federally-appointed women judges across Canada. "It is my sense", says Justice Roscoe, "that things have improved significantly for women starting out as lawyers these days compared to the 70's when I started" ..... "It is now, I hope, safe to assume that discrimination based on gender within the legal profession is a thing of the past."
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