Lerners LLP Women in Law Lecture

Monday, February 9, 2026 at 4:30pm
Moot Court Room, Faculty of Law
Lecture Title: From Isolation to Autonomy: The Power of Community in Your Legal Journey
Reception to follow

Justice Mandhane will chart her journey by showing how every stage of her legal career was shaped by community. Drawing on Jennifer Nedelsky's theory of relational autonomy, Anishinaabe teachings on reciprocity, and her own experiences of mentorship, allyship, and sponsorship, she will argue that autonomy is not achieved alone but created through the relationships that sustain us.

The Lerners LLP Women in Law Lecture series was established in 2024 to inspire current and future women leaders in the legal profession. We hope to create a supportive community where women can share their aspirations, challenges, and experiences.

Zoom details for virtual attendance: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/96167038496?pwd=I5QGYLoDTUYBGbqNbPdOtl2FJAh9qV.1 (Meeting ID: 961 6703 8496, Passcode: 428385)

Madam Justice Renu J. Mandhane serves on the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Brampton, hearing cases across all areas of law and appeals to Divisional Court. Her rulings have clarified legal issues around intimate partner violence, racial profiling, and harsh prison conditions.

An expert in constitutional and human rights law, Justice Mandhane began her career as a criminal defence lawyer, before leading the University of Toronto’s International Human Rights Program. She was later appointed Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, where she exposed the prolonged solitary confinement of Adam Capay, prompting reforms to segregation in Ontario prisons.

Justice Mandhane’s contributions have earned national and international recognition, including honours from the International Commission of Jurists, South Asian Bar Association of North America, the Correctional Investigator of Canada, Excellence Canada, and Canadian Lawyer Magazine. In 2018, she was gifted an eagle feather for her work advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.