Emma graduated from law school in 2006 and articled with Nova Scotia Legal Aid before being called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2008. She went on to work with Nova Scotia Legal Aid and later served as the Equity and Access Officer for the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. Since 2017, she has been the Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, where she leads work rooted in community, advocacy, and support for women and gender-diverse people affected by criminalization and systemic inequality.

Emma’s career has been shaped by a belief that legal work should not only respond to individual injustice, but also challenge the systems that allow it to continue. Her leadership at PATH grows out of that commitment: to create a legal practice that is compassionate, strategic, collaborative, and grounded in the experiences of the people it serves.

Over the years, Emma has been recognized for her contributions to human rights, restorative justice, equity, and access to justice. In 2011, she was named Woman of the Year by Chatelaine Magazine for her work in restorative justice. She received the Canadian Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference Ally Award in 2013, was inducted into the Bertha Wilson Honour Society in 2018, and received the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022. In 2023, she accepted the Nova Scotia Human Rights Group Award on behalf of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia.

Emma recently completed her Master of Laws at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law, where she also teaches criminal law. Whether she is leading organizations, representing clients, mentoring staff, teaching students, or supporting community partners, Emma is known for bringing compassion, encouragement, and a steady sense of purpose to everything she does.