A distinguished leader in legal education and a champion of access to justice in French, Justice Magnan’s appointment reflects her deep expertise and commitment to linguistic rights and constitutional law.
A Career Dedicated to Legal Excellence and Bilingualism
Before her appointment to the bench, Justice Magnan was Director of the Certification de common law en français (CCLF) program, a groundbreaking initiative of the French common law program (PCLF) with contributions of the Department of Justice. Under her leadership, the CCLF has expanded access to French-language legal education across Canada, providing students from the law faculties of the Universities of Saskatchewan, Calgary, Alberta, Lakehead, and Toronto Metropolitan with the tools to offer legal services in French. In 2022, in recognition of its contributions to linguistic justice, the CCLF received the Boréal Rapprochement Award from the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes du Canada.
Justice Magnan also served as counsel at Power Law, providing strategic legal advice on language rights, Indigenous rights, and complex constitutional and administrative law issues. Her work has had a significant impact on landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court, and appellate courts across the country.
Her legal journey began with a clerkship for the Honourable Michel Bastarache at the Supreme Court of Canada, followed by roles as legal counsel at the Alberta Court of Appeal and as a tax lawyer in Calgary. In addition to her LLB from the University of Ottawa, she holds an LL.M. from Harvard University as a Fulbright Scholar and Baxter & Alma Ricard Foundation Fellow.
Recognized Leadership and Impact
Justice Magnan’s contributions to the legal profession have earned her numerous accolades, including the 2024 Prix Bastarache-Charron, that honours members of the Francophone legal community for their commitment to language rights and improving access to justice in French. She has also been recognized for her excellence in legal education, receiving teaching awards from both the University of Calgary Faculty of Law and the University of Ottawa.
Beyond her legal practice and teaching, Justice Magnan has been an active member of the legal and Francophone communities, serving on the Advisory Board of Jurisource.ca, the Board of Directors of the Refugee Hub, and the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française du Canada.
The Common Law Section extends its heartfelt congratulations to Justice Caroline Magnan as she embarks on this new chapter of her distinguished career.
Félicitations, Justice Magnan!