Jessie N Ramsay (JD ‘14) is one of two Allard alumni to win the prestigious BIV 2024 Forty Under 40 Award at celebratory event last month. A partner at Baker Newby LLP, Ramsay was recognized for her community service, including her work as a board member with the Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation, Chilliwack Community Services and Stó:lō Service Agency. Dedicated to family, community, and her home of Chilliwack, Jessie looks forward to expanding her legal practice and continuing to give back.
1. When we last spoke with you, you had just graduated from Allard Law and begun your legal career as an Associate at Baker Newby LLP. How has your work evolved in the interim?
I have remained at Baker Newby LLP and was fortunate to join the partnership in 2019. Becoming a partner shifted my outlook on my career as my focus expanded beyond my personal practice to include the overall operation of the firm. This was an exciting change and one that I value every day. I am extremely honoured to be surrounded and supported by my fellow partners.
2. Your identity as a Métis has clearly shaped both your education choices and your career path. Tell us about your journey and the challenges you overcame along the way. Has there been a memorable moment that either shifted or cemented your career path?
Being Métis has informed my career as well as my involvement in the community. After being called to the bar I knew I wanted to work with Indigenous people whether in my capacity as a lawyer or through my involvement in the community. This desire came from learning about and observing the injustices and poor treatment that the Indigenous people in Canada have and continue to experience. While there have been many memorable moments, a notable one was a matter in which we successfully and positively influenced the federal and provincial governments to change their approach to claims involving loss of culture and historical abuse. What was once a very clinical experience transitioned into one incorporating cultural practices and traditions.
3. You are very generous with your time, serving on the boards for both Stó:lō Community Futures and Chilliwack Community Services. Tell us about your work with these organizations and why it’s interesting and important to you.
I truly value giving back to the community and I am currently on the board of directors for Stó:lō Service Agency, Chilliwack Community Services and the Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation. The work for all of these organizations is interesting and important as it impacts the daily lives of numerous people within Chilliwack. Being part of these organizations allows me to help ever so slightly in making a change in their lives which is extremely rewarding.
4. Chilliwack is clearly a very special place for you! Tell us about why you are so proud to call Chilliwack your home and why others should consider practicing law in a smaller community.
I am proud to call Chilliwack my home, not only because it is where I grew up, but because it is a supportive, inclusive and beautiful community. On a daily basis I am surrounded by people who want to make a difference and work to improve the lives of others. What more can someone ask for?
5. You graduated 10 years ago; what people and/experiences at Allard Law still inform your life and career today? If you were to go back and give yourself one piece of advice in law school, what would it be?
It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years. There are numerous people and experiences that have and continue to inform my life and career. These include Professor Benjamin Goold, our wonderful small group leader, my role as fist year social representative for the student body, my involvement in the Indigenous Law Students’ Association and my participation in the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic, to name a few.
The advice I would give myself is to have as much fun as reasonably possible and make the most of the law school experience.
6. You have accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. What are you most proud of and what future goals do you still have for yourself?
I am most proud of becoming a mother in 2023. From my career standpoint, I am most proud of becoming a partner of Baker Newby LLP. Becoming an “entrepreneur” was not something I anticipated in my career path but it is something I cherish. Moving forward, I want to continue to grow my alternative dispute resolution practice and the firm.