Leading with Pride: Judge Saukalaskas

Amy Saukalaskas currently presides over the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia and the Metro Domestic Violence Court Program and serves as President of the International Association of LGBTQ Judges. She has built a distinguished career, previously practicing child protection law and serving as President of the Canadian Bar Association–Nova Scotia Branch, as well as National Chair of the Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Forum of the Canadian Bar Association.

In conversation with the IAWJ as part of the organization’s Justice Beyond the Bench podcast, Saukalaskas discussed what inspired her to pursue a career in law, the role of the International Association of LGBTQ Judges in creating a vital community space—especially at a time when LGBTQ+ communities remain under attack—the importance of community more broadly, and her personal experiences being out as a judge, including the positive, the difficult, and the complex.