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Most people like to root for the underdog and Meagan Community commitment means a great deal to Swan who serves
Sawn is one of those people. on the board of the YWCA and, more recently, the Cambridge Shel-
ter Corporation.
However, through her litigation work as a partner at Cambridge’s
Pavey Law LLP, the young lawyer has the legal might to do more She joined the latter board earlier this year and relishes the oppor-
than just root. tunity to help those struggling in Cambridge.
“It seems that the general perception in our community is that
“I like advocating for people who are the underdog. I like the de- those who use the Bridges Shelter are either addicted to drugs or
bate and the argument,” she says, seated behind her desk at Pavey involved in crime, but that’s not the case,” she says.
Law’s Cambridge Street office downtown. “I enjoy trying to come to “A large percentage of the people who use the shelter on a regular
a resolution and the work involved in reaching that goal.”

Swan jokes that growing up she was a fan of the crime series ‘Mat-
lock’ starring Andy Griffith as a crusading lawyer. But she says dis-
cussions in her OAC (formerly Grade 13) law class regarding the
wrongly convicted in Canada left an impression and may have in-
spired her to think about a legal career.

“It completely surprised me at how such atrocities could happen,”
Swan says. “How does the system break down and how could this
happen to someone?”

With a master’s degree in sociology under her belt, Swan graduated
from law school in 2008 and began working as an associate at the
Toronto firm Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, where she had also worked during
her summer breaks and articled.
“It wasn’t until I started working in Toronto that I gravitated towards
litigation because again, it’s more about fact-finding and analyzing
problems,” she says. “The reason I wanted to go into law was crimi-
nal based, but I quickly realized that wasn’t for me.” basis are senior citizens who lack affordable housing.”

Swan said she had plans to start a family and that criminal law can Swan says the shelter is only one of many programs offered by
be very demanding. Corporate, commercial and employment litiga- the Cambridge Shelter Corporation to assist those in need and has
tion struck a better balance. turned to her background in sociology to assist her work on the
After marrying her husband, Jason, a Cambridge native, the pair board.
found themselves working in separate cities. Him in London, Ont., “Sociology is all about people and society and how things work to-
Swan’s hometown, and her in Toronto. gether. It delves into the root causes of these social ills,” she says. “I
But that soon changed after the couple made a permanent move live in a great community and I want to make sure we keep trying to
to Cambridge and Jason later taking a job as an operations man- solve problems and not just try to push them away.”
ager at a Kitchener company. Swan went on maternity leave in 2014 Swan has that same passion for the YWCA, which offers program-
and chose not to return to Fogler, Rubinoff, where she was then a ming to ensure girls and women excel.
partner.
“The mission of the YWCA is right up my alley. I have two boys, but
However, only a week after leaving her old firm in September 2015, I still want to be involved in programming that backs girls and hope-
Swan was presented with an opportunity to join Pavey Law as a fully builds up strong women later.”
partner after long-time lawyer Brian Law was set to retire.
Swan credits a former colleague at her Toronto firm as being a
It’s a decision she has embraced as it has greatly helped her work/ strong role model personally and professionally for her when it
life balance. Besides working only a few minutes drive from home, came to balancing motherhood and the field of litigation, which can
working at Pavey Law also allows her the opportunity to be avail- still be a very male-dominated legal field.
able for the couple’s two young sons.
“People think it’s a male job because you’re arguing and debating
“I have the flexibility to work from home if needed. And if I work and that a male is better for it, which is definitely not the case,” she
late, Jason picks up the slack,” she says, adding her in-laws also play says, noting her mentor clearly showed her that.
an important role in the family’s life. “My work/life balance comes
from leaning on others to help.” “I’ve been in a room and have had people not ask for my opinion or
position. You need to take up your space,” she says, adding having
Professionally, Swan says Pavey Law and its clients are a great fit, the confidence and knowledge to back up your argument is key.
noting Cambridge residents are fiercely devoted to local businesses. “Own your space, that’s what she taught me.”
“It’s nice to have that feeling of local commitment by our residents.”

www.cambridgechamber.com 29
Winter 2019