Alexi Wood
Associate, Davis LLP
Called to the bar in 2007
For Alexi Wood, advocating for social justice wasn’t so much a calling as a compulsion. “It’s something that’s just ingrained in my fabric,” she says.
Consider her current case. Almost three years ago, Clare Endicott filed a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, saying the police violated her privacy when they misled her neighbour to believe she was about to commit suicide. Endicott’s complaint was dismissed, so she asked the Canadian Civil Liberties Association to appeal. The CCLA asked Wood to seek a judicial review, pro bono, as lead counsel. But before the case was heard, something strange happened: the director refused to disclose any information — emails, meeting notes — related to the decision.
So, Wood had to convince the court she had a right to that information. She won. And then won again at the Ontario Court of Appeal, triggering a decision that will have sweeping implications. “On the surface, it seems like a dry, picky case of administrative law,” says Wood. “But at its core, this case is about the public interest and accountability of our regulatory bodies.”
Wood has a hard time not lending her support to a worthy cause. While earning her undergrad (a BA in history), she volunteered with Planned Parenthood. In law school at the University of Cincinnati, she interned at the United Nations’ High Commission for Human Rights. She’s also on the board of directors for the Starfish Greenhearts Foundation, a non-profit that helps children impacted by AIDS in South Africa.
Now an associate at Davis, Wood remains passionate about social justice, but is equally passionate about litigation. “I love the law and love what I do,” she says. Her contributions to the profession are many, including teaching, mentoring and judging moot courts.
And if her arsenal of experience weren’t intimidating enough, consider the leisure-time activity she recently took up with
her partner: fencing. “It’s a great cardio workout,” she says. “Plus, it’s just cool to have swords in your house.”
Don’t forget to read about our other spectacular winners — and have a look at our behind-the-scenes pics from the cover shoot.
Photography by Anya Chibis; Hair and makeup by Shawna Lee; Shot on location at Lightform, Toronto