Education
Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa, Law Society of Ontario, 2024
Called to the Ontario Bar, 1994
LL.B, Queen’s University, 1993
B.A., University of Guelph, 1975
Work Experience
Present
Member, Ontario’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee
Community Research Associate, Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children
Expert Speaker
I am a frequent speaker on national radio and television and at provincial and national conferences on the topic of violence against women and the law. I have developed the curriculum for Legal Aid Ontario’s provincial domestic violence training initiative for family law lawyers. I regularly present briefs to legislative committees at the provincial and federal levels.
Consultant and Trainer
I work as a consultant with a number of women’s equality-seeking organizations, particularly in small and rural communities, on such topics as legal issues faced by survivors of gender-based violence, record keeping, disclosure, duty to report, confidentiality and family law. I provide consultation services to a number of organizations with respect to policy development and have developed and delivered strategic planning to several women’s organizations. In 2015/2016, I worked with a consortium of 52 shelters to write their policies and procedures to ensure they were in compliance with the new provincial standards implemented by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Past Work
Advocacy Director, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre
I led the organization’s systemic advocacy work, including law reform as well as involvement in case interventions, inquests and other legal and quasi-legal proceedings. Much of this work was done collaboratively and in coalition with other feminist organizations in Ontario and across Canada. Coupled with this work, I was the organization’s primary media spokesperson.
Legal Director, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre
I provided legal support to all Luke’s Place programs, ongoing training for the organization’s staff and volunteers and developed resources to support their work. I have developed a series of legal information workshops for women and provide family law training for frontline workers across Ontario, in particular for Ontario’s Family Court Support Workers. I have also developed and delivered in-person and online domestic violence awareness training to Legal Aid Ontario staff, clinic staff and per diem lawyers. As of December 2019, I had delivered this training to approximately 2,500 people. In 2018, I led research funded by the Department of Justice into family violence screening tools for family law practitioners in Canada.
Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission, July 2022.
I appeared as an expert on intimate partner violence in rural communities on a Roundtable during the inquiry.
CKW Inquest, Renfrew County, June 2022.
I prepared an expert report on intimate partner violence and testified at this inquest into the 2015 triple femicide of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam. I was also retained by End Violence Against Women Renfrew County to conduct community consultations and write a report about the impact of the murders on the community and community members’ suggestions for systemic change, which I presented as a witness at the inquest.
Co-chair, Justice Pillar, Women’s Shelters Canada National Action Plan Working Group, January – March 2021.
This working group consisting of anti-violence experts from across Canada developed a National Action Plan on Violence against Women and Gender Based Violence for the federal Women and Gender Equality Department.
Co-chair, Ontario’s Violence Against Women Roundtable
This group of 25 provincial experts provided advice to the provincial government on policy and legislative matters related to violence against women. I co-chaired the Roundtable in 2018, until it was disbanded by the government in October 2018.
Canadian Council of Muslim Women
I provided legal direction, writing and training for a number of national family law projects to raise awareness among Canadian Muslim women about their rights under Canadian family law.
Facilitator, Domestic Violence Rural Forums, Spring 2016.
I worked with the Executive Directors of shelters in three eastern Ontario counties where domestic homicides had occurred in the previous year to organize and facilitate four community forums in which politicians, service providers, police, survivors, family members and community members came together to discuss how to move ahead towards change, empowerment and an end to violence against women.
Curriculum Developer and Project Coordinator, Law Commission of Ontario
I led a project to develop violence against women curriculum modules for use in Ontario law schools.
Member, Domestic Violence Advisory Council, Ontario
I was one of 13 experts appointed by Order in Council to provide expert advice to the Minister Responsible for Women with respect to improving the quality of services for abused women and their children in Ontario. Our report, Transforming our Communities, was used by the government in the development of policies, programs and services.
Member, Management Committee, Family Law Education for Women Project (FLEW)
FLEW is the largest public legal information project of its kind in Canada. It has produced plain language legal information on 12 areas of family law in 12 languages and multiple formats, with a focus on the needs of marginalized and vulnerable women.
Teaching Faculty and Planning Committee Member, National Judicial Institute (NJI)
I worked with senior Justices and NJI staff in the development and delivery of skills development programs for judges on the topic of domestic violence.
Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, YWCA Canada
My primary responsibilities included development of a public policy analysis framework, government relations, an advocacy strategy and research on issues relevant to the equality of girls and women to support national, regional and local advocacy by YWCA Canada and its 35 Member Associations across Canada.
Transitional Executive Director, NAWL
I worked as NAWL’s part-time Executive Director as the organization moved into dormancy mode due to mandate changes at Status of Women Canada that rendered NAWL ineligible for ongoing funding.
Transitional Executive Director, Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC), Toronto, Ontario
In 2001, METRAC began transitioning to an organization with an Executive Director structure. I took on the E.D. responsibilities in a transitional capacity while the organization explored this structural change and sought funding for a permanent position.
Legal Director, METRAC and the Ontario Women’s Justice Network (OWJN)
I was responsible for the organization’s policy analysis and law reform work, as well as training and education, development and delivery of legal information teaching materials for abused women and women’s shelter and sexual assault centre workers,production of legal material for the OWJN website, collaborative work with other anti-violence organizations, media, staff and student placement supervision, preparation of funding proposals and budget management and participation in a wide variety of community- and government- based advisory committees.
Family Law Reform Coordinator, NAWL
I coordinated a national education and lobby campaign focused on family law reform. This work included development of materials, training of activists across the country and development and presentation of an analysis brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. The campaign focused on the impact of custody and access laws on women and children leaving violent situations.
Sole Practitioner, Kingston, Ontario
I had a general practice that focussed on providing legal services to women in or leaving abusive relationships. This was primarily family law, but also included criminal and child protection work.
Selected Publications
Forty-four percent: A short history of intimate partner violence, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, June 2022 https://lukesplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/family-violence-presentation-for-inquest-june-2022.pdf
We Remember: A report from the community for the inquest into the murders of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam, May 2022 https://lukesplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Inquest-report-community-consultations-final.pdf
The Law and Parenting Arrangements After Separation: A toolkit of legal and safety information for women leaving abuse, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, 2021 https://lukesplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Inquest-report-community-consultations-final.pdf
Family Court and Beyond: A Survival Workbook for Women, Luke’s Place, 2021 https://familycourtandbeyond.ca/about-this-site/download-these-resources/
Going the Distance: Supporting Rural and Remote Survivors with Family Law Issues, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, 2021 https://lukesplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Going-the-Distance-August-2021.pdf
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: The importance of family violence screening tools for family law practitioners, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre with Department of Justice, 2018 https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/can-peut/can-peut.pdf
When Shared Parenting and the Safety of Women and Children Collide, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, 2016 https://lukesplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/When-Shared-Parenting-and-the-Safety-of-Women-and-Children-Collide.pdf
Violence Against Women: Health and Justice for Canadian Muslim Women, Canadian Council of Muslim Women, 2013 https://www.ccmw.com/publications/2019/1/22/violence-against-women-health-and-justice-for-canadian-muslim-women
It Shouldn’t Be This Hard: A gender-based analysis of family law, family court and violence against women, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, 2012 https://lukesplace.ca/research/it-shouldnt-be-this-hard/
“Curriculum Models in Ontario Law Schools; A Framework for Teaching About Violence Against Women,” Law Commission of Ontario, August 2012
Towards a Centre of Excellence: A Think Tank Discussion about Violence Against Women and Family Law, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, June 2012
“Justice Done: Crafting Opportunity from Adversity,” Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, 2011
“Who Do You Want to Sue You? Confidentiality and Community Risk Management Research Report and Recommendations,” Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, July 2011 https://lukesplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Pamela_Cross-Confidentiality_and_Risk.pdf
Life Beyond Shelter: Toward Coordinated Public Policies For Women’s Safety and Violence Prevention, YWCA Canada, October 2009
A Girl’s Guide to Knowing Her Rights, YWCA Canada, October 2009
Fresh Start, YWCA Canada, November 2009
Not in the Best Interests of Women and Children: An Analysis of Bill 422: An Act to Amend the Divorce Act, National Association of Women and the Law, 2009
“The Vengeful Cunt Asked for it: Constructions of Women as Evil in our Analysis of Rape,” co-authored with Dr. Donnalee Iffla for presentation at Feminine Interdisciplinary Conference, Budapest, Hungary, May 2009
“Private Member’s Bill Would Erode Women’s Rights,” Herizons Magazine, Fall 2009
Through the Looking Glass: The Experiences of Unrepresented Abused Women in Family Court Final Report and Recommendations, Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre, March 2008
“Representing the Abused Immigrant Woman”, Citizenship and Immigration, Ontario Bar Association, Volume 12, No. 1
Muslim and Canadian Family Laws: A Comparative Primer, with Dr. L. Clarke, Canadian Council of Muslim Women, October 2006
Ontario Women’s Justice Network, where I wrote the legal and political analysis from 1998 – 2006
“Should different kinds of people living in the same province be governed by different kinds of laws?”, Dossier 27, Women Living Under Muslim Laws, December 2005
“Bill C-22: What Now?”, Jurisfemme, National Association of Women and the Law, Volume 23, Number 1, Winter 2004
Preliminary Analysis of Bill C-22, An Act to Amend the Divorce Act, with Andree Cote, National Association of Women and the Law, March 2003
“Children’s Safety: Contradiction in the System”, Domestic Violence, Action and Resource Magazine, Domestic Violence Resource Centre, South Brisbane, Australia, Issue 12, December 2001
“Family Law: A Canadian Perspective”, Domestic Violence, Action and Resource Magazine, Domestic Violence Resource Centre, South Brisbane, Australia, Issue 12, December 2001
Brief to the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Family Law Committee on Custody, Access and Child Support, National Association of Women and the Law, 2001
“In Whose Best Interests?” Jurisfemme, National Association of Women and the Law, Volume 20, Number 4, Spring/Summer 2001
Selected Conference Presentations 2008-2022
2024
Panelist: Because of You: A gathering on the second anniversary of the CKW inquest verdict
Witness: Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Bill C-332, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code: coercive control of intimate partner
Panelist: Rural Municipalities of Ontario Annual Convention: Responding to intimate partner violence
2023
Keynote speaker: 16 days of activism, Cape Breton University
Guest speaker: The Walrus Talks: Gender-based violence
Panelist: Keira’s legacy of hope: Judicial education on family violence, Family Violence Family Law, Western University
2022
Expert witness: Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Inquiry
Expert witness (presentation) and external consultant (related report): Inquest into 2015 triple femicide of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam in Renfrew County
Witness: Bill C-233 Hearing, submission to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women
Guest Lecture: Family law and violence against women, University of Windsor, Faculty of Law
2021
Guest Lecture: Family law and violence against women, University of Windsor, Faculty of Law
Panelist: Intersections of domestic and sexual violence in criminal and family law, University of Windsor Sexual Assault Awareness Committee
Panelist: Impact of screening for traumatic brain injury on family law cases involving family violence, SOAR Conferene: Moving Ahead
Keynote speaker: Language matters when we talk about violence against women, Dufferin Caledon Domestic Assault Review Team Annual Conference
Keynote speaker: Changes to Canadian Family Law: What supervised visitation providers need to know, The Supervised Visitation Network Conference
Speaker: numerous webinars relating to changes in Canadian family laws for Women’s Shelters Canada
Keynote speaker: Responding to sexual assault survivors, Cadillac Fairview national security team
Keynote speaker: Systemic changes within the legal system, Chatham Kent Sexual Assault Centre Annual Conference
2020
Keynote speaker: When Law Does Not Equal Justice: Family law and violence against women, PATHS Promoting Access to Justice for Survivors Conference, Saskatchewan (delivered electronically)
2019
Keynote speaker: Will Canada’s new Divorce Act keep women and children fleeing abuse safe?, Diverse Voices Conference, Edmonton
Panelist: Reaching just outcomes while avoiding rabbit holes in family violence cases, National Judicial Institute B.C. family judges’ seminar, Kelowna
Keynote speaker: When shared parenting and the safety of women and children collide, Muskoka DART Annual Conference, Port Carling, Ontario
Speaker: The new Divorce Act and the safety of women and children fleeing abuse, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Ontario Annual Conference, Hamilton
2018
Guest Lecture: Family law and violence against women, University of Windsor, Faculty of Law
Keynote speaker: When Shared parenting and the Safety of Women and Children Collide, Lennox and Addington Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee Annual Conference, Trenton
Workshop co-presented with Claire Farid, Department of Justice: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: the importance of family violence screening tools for family law practitioners, Canadian Domestic Violence Conference, Halifax
Keynote speaker: Speaking up, speaking out, staying safe, Young Women’s Empowerment Conference, Malvern Collegiate Institute, Toronto
Workshop: Family Court and Beyond, National Shelters Conference, Ottawa
Workshop: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: the importance of family violence screening tools for family law practitioners, National Family Law Program, Vancouver, Co-presenter with Claire Farid, Department of Justice
Panelist: Summing Up Domestic Violence Screening, Ontario Bar Association, Bread and Butter Issues for Family Law Lawyers, Toronto (also webcast)
Speaker: Family Violence, Screening and Family Mediation, Ontario Association for Family Mediators Annual Conference, Toronto
Speaker: Family court challenges and strategies for family violence survivors, Leeds and Grenville Domestic Violence Awareness Training, Spencerville
Speaker: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: the importance of family violence screening tools for family law practitioners, Law Society of Ontario, Six-Minute Family Law Lawyer, Toronto (also webcast)
2017
Speaker: Advocacy, Assessment and ADR in Cases Affected by Domestic Violence, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Ontario Conference, Toronto
Speaker: Best practices using technology to support survivors and their advocates in rural and remote communities, Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Conference, London
Keynote speaker: Shared parenting vs the needs of women and children, Diverse Voices International Family Violence Conference, Edmonton
Keynote speaker: Family court challenges and barriers for women leaving abusive relationships, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee
Keynote speaker: It Shouldn’t Be This Hard: Family law and violence against women, Waterloo Region Domestic Assault Review Team Annual Conference, Waterloo
Speaker: Trauma informed practice in family violence: family law perspective, Department of Justice Canada webinar, national
2016
Keynote speaker: From Ghomeshi to Ururyar: sexual assault as seen through two criminal cases, Sexual Assault: Be Part of the Solution Conference, Fort Frances
Speaker: Monument to Survivors of Sexual Violence Unveiling, Eganville
Keynote Speaker: Take Back the Night, Petawawa and Eganville, Ontario
Keynote speaker: The Power of our Voices, Women’s Sexual Assault Centre of Renfew County Annual General Meeting
Performer: Anybody can be Pussy Riot, Storefront Festival, Kingston
Keynote speaker: When shred parenting and the safety of women and children collide, WomanAct Annual Conference, Toronto
2015
Speaker: When shared parenting and the safety of women and children collide, Canadian Domestic Violence Conference, Toronto
Keynote speaker: Violence against women in custody and access cases, Office of the Children’s Lawyer Spring Training Conference, Toronto
Keynote speaker: Crafting effective solutions for women leaving abusive relationships, WomanAct Annual General Meeting, Toronto
Speaker: Understanding the spectrum of abuse and safety planning, 311 Jarvis Street Family Court Open Bar, Toronto
Keynote speaker: Why we need to teach violence against women in law school, Greenberg Lecture, Ottawa University Faculty of Law
2014
Presenter: Providing family court support to survivors of domestic violence. Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Conference, Navigating the waters of Shared Parenting: Guidance from the Harbor
Panelist: Supporting victims of domestic violence from collectivist communities, Conference for Domestic Violence Crown Attorneys and V/WAP leads, Ontario
2013
Panelist: Strategies to address policy and practice gaps between criminal and family justice systems, Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children Conference: “Children Exposed to Domestic Violence, Reducing harm and preventing tragedies, London, Ontario
Keynote address: Connecting the dots: the implications of violence against women for supervised access,. Supervised Visitation Network International Conference, Toronto, Ontario
2012
In whose best interests? A feminist examination of Ontario family law: public lecture, Guelph, Ontario
Keynote address: Violence against women and family law: a gender analysis, Spotlighting Peel Family Mediation Services Community Conference
Paper presentation: Context Is Everything: Balancing cultural rights and gender protection: Applying international standards to changes to Ontario’s Arbitration Act, the NS case and the citizenship oath, Women, the Charter and CEDAW in the 21st Century, Queen’s University
2011
Speaker: Human Rights, Domestic and Sexual Violence: A Cross-Border Perspective, American Bar Association Annual General Meeting
Lecture: Not in the best interests of women and children: Making women’s reality invisible through the custody and access provisions of the Divorce Act, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University, Feminist Speaker Series
2010
Keynote speaker: Challenges with family court for women leaving abusive partners, Hamilton Family Court Conference, Hamilton, Ontario
Speaker: Perspectives on Procedural Reform in Family Law Matters, Warren Winkler Lecture on Civil Justice Reform, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, Ottawa, Ontario
Speaker: Communicating Risk to Family Court and Family Court Related Services, Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children Threat Assessment Conference, London, Ontario
Keynote speaker and full-day co-presenter with Dr. Linda Baker: Violence Against Women, Separation and Children: A Volatile Mix. 2010 Northern Child Abuse Conference, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Keynote speaker: CEDAW, Family Law and Women’s Equality, Lahey Feminist Speaker Series, University of Windsor Faculty of Law
2009
Lecturer: Mothers on Trial, Remember Resist: 20th Anniversary Memorial for the Montreal Massacre, Vancouver
Panelist: Pros and Cons of Mediation and Arbitration in Family Law, Third Annual Warren Winkler Lecture on Civil Justice Reform, University of Ottawa
Presenter with Dr. DL Iffla: The Vengeful Cunt Asked for it: Constructions of Women as Evil in our Analysis of Rape, Evil, Women and the Feminine Interdisciplinary Conference, Budapest, Hungary
2008
Keynote speaker: Ending Rape: Wall of Silence Conference: A National Symposium to End Sexual Violence in University and College Communities, Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario
Keynote speaker: Inventing a Future of Peace, Inter Pares Annual General Meeting, Ottawa
Prizes, Awards and Scholarships
DOCTOR OF LAWS HONORIS CAUSA, LAW SOCIETY OF ONTARIO, 2024
THE J.A. CORRY DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD, QUEEN’S LAW
Recipient 2020 for career excellence outside the traditional practice of law.
THE GUTHRIE AWARD, LAW FOUNDATION OF ONTARIO
Recipient 2019 for “exceptional access to justice advocacy on behalf of women.”
THE LAURA LEGGE AWARD, LAW SOCIETY OF ONTARIO:
Recipient 2019 for “extraordinary achievement and leadership in the advancement of women’s equality in Canada.”
MINISTRY OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL VICTIM SERVICES AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Recipient 2015 for exceptional achievements in supporting survivors of male violence, in particular, work supporting women who had been subjected to domestic violence.
YWCA TORONTO WOMAN OF DISTINCTION 2006
For Legal Reform. The YWCA noted, in particular, work on a national level for custody law reform, leadership role in the No Religious Arbitration Coalition in Ontario, work providing legal information to isolated and marginalized women and mentorship of young women law students, “whose moral compasses have been set working under her tutelage.”
“Ms Cross is equally approachable and wise as a colleague as she is sharp and determined on the finer points of legal education and law reform. Generous with her time and knowledge, warm-hearted and blessed with a wickedly dry wit, Ms Cross has many admirers both in legal reform circles and among isolated women experiencing violence whose lives have been literally saved by her interventions.”
LINDA CLIPPINGDALE AWARD, 2001
One award made annually by the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women for “her commitment to feminist change, by her spirit, energy and good judgment.” The Institute commented particularly on my mentoring role for young women.
A.A. HEAPS SCHOLARSHIP
One scholarship awarded nationally by the Canadian Labour Congress for a student in any discipline at the undergraduate or graduate level who “through their work or their involvement in the community has demonstrated maturity and commitment to the social ideals which characterized the life of A.A. Heaps.”
AIRD AND BERLIS PRIZE
Offered by Aird and Berlis, for a student completing second-year law school with high academic achievement in more than one course.
REUBEN WELLS LEONARD PRIZE IN CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Awarded for the top mark in criminal procedure.
REUBEN WELLS LEONARD PRIZE IN MENTAL HEALTH LAW
Awarded for the top mark in mental health law.
P.E. NEWBURY PRIZE IN FAMILY LAW
Awarded for the top mark in family law.
DAVID SABBATH PRIZE
Awarded for outstanding achievement in health law.
DAVID WARREN RUTHERFORD BURSARY
Awarded to a third-year student with a record of strong academic performance.