Fiona M. Kay

Dr. Fiona M. Kay is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at Queen’s University, specializing in inequality, professions, and law. Her research examines gender, race, and ethnicity in workplace dynamics, particularly in legal and professional service sectors. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Key projects include longitudinal studies on Canadian lawyers’ careers, jurisdictional boundaries among legal professions, and paralegal education and regulation. Her work is funded by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and other organizations.

Teaching focuses on sociology of law, professions, gender and crime, and research methods. She collaborates with institutions like the Law Society of Ontario and the Canadian Bar Association. Awards include the Lorne Tepperman Teaching Award (2024) and the Chancellor A. Charles Baillie Teaching Award (2022). Her research has been featured in outlets like American Sociological Review and Law & Society Review.

Recent publications explore corporate client influence on gender equity in law firms, pro bono work among lawyers, and racial diversity initiatives. Current projects address law firm culture, access to justice, and legal education reforms. Dr. Kay actively mentors students in work and occupation studies, encouraging applications for research assistant roles.