Donna Purcell, K.C.

LAWYER & CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER

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My Assistant

Amanda Clark, Executive Assistant

Caitlyn Knight, Litigation Legal Assistant

Mary Miernik, Litigation Legal Assistant

Jessica Elliott, Litigation Legal Assistant

Cassandra Wattenbarger, Litigation Legal Assistant

DONNA PURCELL, K.C.

Biography

Donna was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec and currently lives in Calgary and Red Deer, Alberta. She is the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Donna Purcell QC Law, with offices across Alberta. A legal tech evangelist for over two decades, she advocates for the digital transformation of the legal system to improve access to justice and lawyer retention. Her firm is paperless and in the cloud, but maintains a hybrid existence to accommodate the needs of all clients, regardless of their capacity to access digital services.

Donna practices mainly in the areas of serious personal injury and fatalities, insurance, business (focused on innovation and technology) and employment law. A 2021 graduate of the Harvard Business Analytics Program, she values the gathering and analysis of data to improve the delivery of legal services. She was selected as a 2021 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyer (Changemaker) by Canadian Lawyer Magazine and the 2022 Business Leader of the Year in central Alberta. She is a recipient of the Gary J. Bigg Champion of Justice and President’s Awards from the Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association and a Women In Law Leadership (WILL) Award for Leadership in the Community.

She continues to spend half her working hours in non-billable and philanthropic endeavours, especially as they relate to access to justice, diversity and inclusivity, technology, youth and the arts. She and her two daughters (her superpowers) have recently established their Breaking the Mould Foundation. She is a regular columnist as “Lady Justice” and her extra-curriculars include travelling, fitness training, and performing and competing in various styles of hip hop.

Education

  • Harvard University, Harvard Business Analytics Program
  • University of Calgary, Faculty of Law, Juris Doctor
  • University of Calgary, Faculty of Psychology (Honours) Program, First Class Standing
  • Legal Education Society of Alberta training in the Mediation of Civil Disputes (I and II) with extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution

Memberships & Licenses

  • Law Society of Alberta
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Central Alberta Bar Society (Board of Directors)
  • Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association (Sustaining Member)
  • Advocates’ Society
  • Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors)
  • Red Deer Downtown Rotary
  • American Bar Association
  • Association of Women Lawyers (Calgary)

Publications & Presentations

Awards & Recognition

  • Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association, President’s Award, 2023
  • Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year, 2022
  • Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canadian Lawyer Magazine, Changemaker Category, 2021
  • Selected for the Top 50 Professional Women Magazine (North America), 2020
  • Selected for the Top 100 Attorneys Magazine (North America), 2020
  • Selected for the Top 100 Canadian Professionals Magazine, 2020
  • Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association, Gary J. Bigg Champion of Justice Award, 2018
  • Women in Law Leadership, (WILL), Award Recipient, Leadership in the Community, 2015
  • Queen’s Counsel Appointment, 2011
  • Prism Award for outstanding commitment to pro bono legal services, 2011
  • Various academic scholarships including:
    • University of Calgary Scholarship in Law
    • Louise McKinney Scholarship in Law (for Highest Academic Standing)
    • Louise McKinney Scholarship (for Exceptional Academic Achievement)
    • Calgary Herald Scholarship in Social Sciences
    • Alexander Rutherford Scholarship
    • Texaco Merit Scholarship

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