WiCCD reaches new milestone – 700 STRONG!!

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Anita Szigeti

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WiCCD WOMEN DEFENCE LEGAL PROFESSIONALS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN IN JUST A SHORT 3 YEARS

40 months into our young organization’s existence we are suddenly 700 members strong!!

I couldn’t be more proud of The Amazing Women on our Volunteer Executive and Admin Staff

On our 3rd birthday in January of 2025 we reached 600 members following a membership drive.

Recently we decided to include Licensed Paralegals in our membership and just over this past weekend determined to permit paralegal students to join us as well.

With explosive growth as a result, we added 100 new members in 4 months and welcome 35 new members in the last two days.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WiCCD Executive MEMBERS

Maya Shukairy – President

Kyla Lee – VP British Columbia

Sarah Rankin – VP Alberta

Amanda Ross – VP Ontario

Cassandra DeMelo – Treasurer

Anita Szigeti – Secretary

Sweta Tejpal – Assistant Secretary

Hamna Anwar and Tonya Kent – Membership and Diversity Co-Chairs

Neha Chugh – Chair – Media Relations

Megan Stephens – Chair – Litigation and Advocacy

Breana Vandebeek – Recorder

For a summary of our first three years, here are some blog entries with our history and progress

WiCCD Closes Out Our 3rd Beautiful Year – 2024 Update – WiCCD by the Numbers Jan 4 2025
WiCCD Welcomes New President and New Director of Litigation and Advocacy – Jan 19 2025
WiCCD’s New Executive Takes on Their Official Roles – Jan 30 2025

Thank you to our Admin Staff for all your Support as well

Alex Pummer and a whole team — Jesica, Elham, Gabby, Sarah, Cecilia et al!

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About Anita Szigeti

• Called to the Bar (1992) • U of T Law grad (1990) • Sole practitioner (33 years) • Partner in small law firm (Hiltz Szigeti) 2002 - 2013 • Mom to two astonishing kids, Scarlett (20+) and Sebastian (20-) • (Founding) Chair of Mental Health Legal Committee for ten years (1997 to 2007) * Founding President of Law and Mental Disorder Association - LAMDA since 2017 * Founder and Secretary to Women in Canadian Criminal Defence - WiCCD - since 2022 • Counsel to clients with serious mental health issues before administrative tribunals and on appeals • Former Chair, current member of LAO’s mental health law advisory committee • Educator, lecturer, widely published author (including 5 text books on consent and capacity law, Canadian civil mental health law, the criminal law of mental disorder, a law school casebook and a massive Anthology on all things mental health and the law) • Thirty+ years’ experience as counsel to almost exclusively legally aided clients • Frequently appointed amicus curiae • Fearless advocate • Not entirely humourless
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