THE ADVOCATE V O L . 7 9 P A R T 6 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1 819
VOL. 79 PART 6 NOVEMBER 2021
ON THE
FRONT COVER
CLARE JENNINGS
By Lorne Phipps
Clare’s presence is usually announced by a gust of wind as she
comes striding in from her most recent trial success or volunteer
meeting. Her colleagues have become accustomed to her
hurricane energy and the high standards she maintains as a
trial lawyer, organizer, volunteer and teacher. Unfortunately, Clare’s colleagues
have also become accustomed to relying on her to pick up tasks like
writing this article, so we do our best in her absence.
As this year’s CBABC president, Clare has spoken of her goal to make the
legal profession more inclusive and accessible. In sharing with you a bit
about Clare, I think you will see how her life experiences have emphasized
the importance of these values for her. I hope that in addition to giving you
some insight into who Clare is, you also get a sense of who she will be as
CBABC president.
CLARE: THE BEGINNING
Like the great tapestry of the common law itself, Clare hails from many
places. She was born in Smithers, but before she reached the age of ten her
family moved successively to Burnaby, Terrace and Regina. When Clare was
11, her family moved to Ghana, living there for a year and a half. On returning
from Ghana, Clare again lived in Terrace before moving, again, to
Regina. She went to high school in Regina for the most part, splitting up her
time there with a grade 11 exchange to Germany.
Clare found her time in Ghana to be formative. She went to Ghana International
School, and her parents chose to locate in a Ghanaian neighbourhood,
rather than an expat neighbourhood. She tells me that as an 11-
year-old, this experience gave her an appreciation for difference. Because