Martin, Sheilah (1957-…), became a puisne << PYOO nee >> (associate) justice of the Supreme Court of Canada in 2017. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed her to the court. Prior to her appointment, Martin served as a judge on the courts of appeal of the province of Alberta , the Northwest Territories , and the territory of Nunavut . She was also a deputy judge for the Supreme Court of Yukon . Before serving as a judge, Martin was a law professor. She has worked extensively in the fields of equality rights and Indigenous rights. Her pro bono (free of charge) work included acting for the Alberta Association of Sexual Assault Centres and the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund in cases heard by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Sheilah Louise Martin was born in Montreal , Quebec , in 1957. In 1981, she earned bachelor degrees in civil law and in common law, both from McGill University in Montreal. She received a master of laws degree from the University of Alberta in 1983. Martin was admitted to the Alberta bar (body of lawyers licensed to practice law in the province) in 1989. She received a doctorate in juridical science from the University of Toronto in 1991.
From 1982 to 2005, Martin taught courses on such subjects as constitutional law, commercial law, and feminist legal theory at the University of Calgary . She became acting dean of the University of Calgary law faculty in 1991 and was dean from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she won the Law Society of Alberta Award for Distinguished Legal Scholarship. From 1996 to 2005, she also did some work at private law firms in Calgary .
Martin served as a justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta from 2005 to 2016. The court hears both civil and criminal trial cases. From 2009 to 2017, Martin was also a deputy judge for the Supreme Court of Yukon, the second highest court in that territory. In June 2016, she was appointed as a judge of the courts of appeal of Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
