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SPECIAL REPORT 34 www.canadianlawyermag.com TOP 25 MOST INFLUENTIAL Human Rights, Advocacy and Criminal ELAINE CRAIG Associate law professor, Dalhousie University, Halifax In one of society's most significant failures, the treatment of victims of sexual violence, Professor Elaine Craig has done more in her professional career than almost anyone else to shed light on those failures. Craig's research and writing, specifically her 2018 book Putting Trials on Trial, has caused the most honest and widespread discussion ever held in Canada on the topic of how victims of sexual violence are treated during trials. Her research has directly led to better education for judges and lawyers and widespread discussions across the country about the need for better law and practices and a heightened sensitivity to victims. In 2018, she co-founded and is the inaugural research director of CCLISAR, a national non-profit aiming to address the gap between Canada's seemingly progressive legal regime and its effects on the social problem of sexual harm and the experiences of survivors of sexualized violence. Changemakers JULIE GIRARD Partner, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Montréal Julie Girard played a pivotal role in changing the way Canadian amateur athletes are supported and protected. Her work in representing, on a pro bono basis, four women who were among the young sexual assault victims of convicted former ski coach Bertrand Charest led to the introduction of provincial and federal policies for sport bodies. Amélie- Frédérique Gagnon, Gail Kelly, Anna Prchal and Geneviève Simard engaged Girard to represent them. Girard advised and supported her clients through their decision to disclose their identities and demand changes by sports organizations and governments. The following week, the federal government unveiled policies requiring all national sport bodies to immediately disclose any allegations of abuse, harassment or discrimination to the sports minister's office and to make provisions for an independent third party to investigate the allegations. The Quebec government acceded to the request made by Girard's clients for the development of a government plan (which should be implemented by 2020) to prevent all forms of sexual, physical and psychological abuse in sport. Changemakers TRINA FRASER Partner, Brazeau Seller LLP, Ottawa More than five years ago, Trina Fraser formed and now leads BSL's CannaLaw group. Since then, her advocacy has had a significant impact upon the development and implementation of cannabis legalization in Canada. Fraser represents licensed cannabis cultivators, processors, medical sellers, adult-use retailers and ancillary cannabis industry service providers. She currently sits on the board of directors of Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana, which advocates for improved patient access to medical cannabis, as well as Ottawa-based children's charity The Snowsuit Fund. In the fall of 2017, Fraser was invited to provide testimony to the Standing Committee on Health on Bill C45. In her testimony, she argued that in order to achieve the legislative objective of displacing the illicit market, Canada's legal cannabis framework would have to permit participation by non-violent individuals who previously participated in the illicit market.