Harjot Kaur Dosanjh

Lawyer

Harjot Kaur has a passion for advocating for the rights of vulnerable communities. She’s the first lawyer in her family and currently serves as Litigation Counsel for the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. Harjot Kaur regularly appears in court to represent mentally incapable adults across the province in a wide range of legal issues, including family law litigation, child protection matters, estates matters and civil proceedings. Her practice goes beyond the courtroom to connect clients with social supports and to help create systemic change. Harjot Kaur’s other legal experiences include human rights advocacy, policy work, international development work, and public legal education. From working for the Legal Aid of Cambodia to participating in an immersive expedition to the Arctic on a ship, Harjot Kaur actively pursues experiences that take her outside of her comfort zone. She would describe the value of these experiences as follows:

When I chose to take on an unpaid position with the Legal Aid of Cambodia, my travel experiences consisted of a trip to India in my late teens. Through advocating for secure land tenure for Indigenous and impoverished communities in Cambodia, I gained skills that would later assist me in my professional work, while also being challenged in ways I never would have been challenged at home. When I was selected to join the Canada C3 expedition on a journey in the Arctic, I had the opportunity to engage in critical discussions around issues of reconciliation, diversity & inclusion, and the environment while living on a ship and being welcomed by remote northern communities. Such experiences have had a deep and meaningful impact on both my professional and personal life, and have helped me become a better lawyer, a better ally to Indigenous peoples & other marginalised communities, and a better ally to our earth.  Many of our youth shy away from these sorts of experiences for many reasons - from it being unpaid, our parents saying no to the unfamiliar, fear of the unknown, lack of travel experience, and so on. My advice is take chances - get out of your comfort zone and take part in experiences even if no one you know has ever done something similar!