CL Talk

From academia to the bench: Justice Sheilah Martin's path to the Supreme Court of Canada

Jul 08, 2025

Justice Sheilah Martin has served on the Supreme Court of Canada since 2017, following appointments to the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench and the Alberta Court of Appeal. Trained in civil and common law, she built her career across academia, private practice and the judiciary, focusing on constitutional law, criminal justice and equality rights. In this episode, Justice Martin discusses the value of legal education, the evolving role of judges, and the responsibility of law to reflect fairness in a country as diverse and complex as Canada. In 2014, she was named one of Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers