Sadly, Rose-Marie Perry recently passed away, at the age of 92, but the memory of her perseverance and determination to defy expectations leaves an impressive legacy.
In 1957, when Perry sought admission to the Common Law program, she encountered a stark reminder of the prejudices women faced. Program administrators were reluctant to “allocate a valuable seat” to a woman, fearing that she would ultimately abandon the profession for marriage and family life.
In a 2007 speech given at the University of Ottawa titled “50 Years in Common Law 2007 Tea and Talk for Women”, Ms. Perry described her intake interview with Father Lorenzo Danis, the member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who had been primarily responsible for establishing and administering the Common Law Section.
“He told me at that time that I was taking a man’s place, that I would marry and have children and never practice law. I stand before you as witness that I have worked my entire life to prove Father Danis wrong. I was admitted. I took a man’s place.”
Perry earned her place in a class of over 40 students, the sole woman among them, and proved her doubters wrong at every turn.
Her success was no accident—it was a continuation of a lifelong pattern of defying expectations. Before law school, she had already been the only woman in a three-year science program at St. Patrick’s College. Although she later reflected that being the lone female student felt “different,” she was accustomed to the experience.
However, the barriers she faced were not simply about numbers. Women at uOttawa during that era encountered ingrained biases from both faculty and male students. A Fulcrum article from the time surveyed male attitudes towards female students, exposing a troubling reality: women’s intellectual abilities were frequently dismissed, and their presence on campus was often met with mockery rather than support.
Yet Perry persevered. She graduated in 1960 as one of only 22 students from her cohort to complete the program. She then went on to carve out an extraordinary career in intellectual property law, an area in which she would become a leading expert.
In 1964, she joined the firm now known as Gowling WLG. Over time, she built an impressive practice focused on trademark, copyright, and industrial design litigation, earning the trust of multinational clients.
Perry’s expertise and leadership did not go unnoticed. In 1974, she became a partner at Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, a significant achievement at a time when few women held such positions in large law firms.
Her contributions to the profession were formally recognized in 1985 when she was appointed Queen’s Counsel. In 2008, the Common Law Section was delighted to induct her into the Honour Society, the most prestigious alumni distinction presented by the Faculty and in 2012, Perry received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal. She retired from Gowling WLG in 2012 after a long illustrious career.
Beyond her legal work, Perry played an influential role in the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), serving on numerous committees and participating in global conferences. Her contributions helped shape the field and connected her with a network of international colleagues who respected her not just for her legal acumen, but for her warmth and generosity.
Despite her demanding career, Perry made time for a rich personal life. She was a dedicated volunteer at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church and provided pro bono legal counsel to the charity, Les Servites de Marie d’Ottawa.
She found joy in gardening and caring for her beloved dogs. A proud Italian-Canadian, she frequently traveled to Italy, embracing her heritage with passion. She is remembered for her generosity, and her legendary hospitality.
Perry’s achievements paved the way for generations of women in the legal profession. When she entered law school, women comprised a minuscule fraction of Canadian law students. It wasn’t until 1973 that women made up more than 20 per cent of law school enrollments nationwide. Today, women represent the majority of law students at many institutions, including ours, a testament to the path forged by pioneers like Perry.
No seat in a law school, courtroom, or boardroom should ever be considered too valuable for a woman. Rose-Marie Perry leaves a legacy of breaking barriers and demonstrating the boundless potential of women in the legal profession.