2013 LEXPERT ZENITH AWARDS
Celebrating Women Leaders in the Legal Profession
The Lexpert Zenith Awards honour women lawyers who have led their clients, firms, companies, departments, faculties, profession, colleagues and/or communities; and have been a role model for other women in the profession.
The University of Alberta Faculty of Law would like to congratulate two of its alumni, Jerri Cairns (Class of 1986) and Patricia Lane (Class of 1982) on being named as two of the recipients of the 2013 Lexpert Zenith Awards.
Jerri Cairns ('86 LL.B.), is the Managing Partner at Parlee McLaws LLP and previously served on the firm's Advisory Committee from 2004 to 2007. Jerri became a Partner in the Edmonton office in 1993. Her practice is focused on civil litigation particularly in the area of insurance defence litigation. Jerri's practice includes products liability, person injury, professional liability and construction law.
Jerri has notable trial experience serving as lead counsel on numerous matters involving large loss claims, coverage issues, products liability, professional liability and personal injury claims. Her experience includes a number of lengthy trials and appearances at all levels of appeal. Jerri regularly appears at seminars to speak on issues related to the insurance sector. She has also volunteered and taught at the Bar Admission program on advocacy topics.
Patricia C. Lane ('82 LL.B.) is the Managing Partner at Taylor McCaffrey LLP. Patricia has served on the Management Committee since 2010. Her practice is mainly focused on family law. Patricia was the recipient of an Alumni Honour Award from the University of Alberta in 2012. She has championed equality in the legal profession. Her work on employment benefits for same-sex couples and their ability to be married in Manitoba permanently changed that province's social landscape. She served on the Collaborative Practice Manitoba Association for many years. She also helped develop the Youth Helping Youth program and, in 2003, the youth involved won the inaugural Sybil Shack Human Rights Youth Award.
Her honours include the 2010 Ally Award, presented by the Canadian Bar Association for work advancing equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and two-spirited people. She is active in programming nationally and in the U.S. on effective conflict resolution communication and has board positions on the Women Lawyers Forum for both.