Yewande Esan

Yewande Esan
Director

Yewande Esan is a lawyer in the power sector industry and is currently a legal counsel at TransAlta Corporation (TransAlta). Prior to being called to the Alberta Bar in June 2022, she practiced law in Nigeria where she gained legal experience in real estate, mortgages, and board experience when she acted as secretary to the board of one of the organizations she worked in. She also worked as a corporate paralegal in two Calgary-based law firms prior to her call to the Alberta Bar.

When she immigrated to Canada in April 2018, she joined one of CIWA’s job readiness program, “Bridge to Success for Professional Immigrant Women”. This program provided her with practicum experience at Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP (BDP). Yewande is passionate about CIWA because it was the organization that served as her network to gain the required Canadian experience in Canada. CIWA’s partnership with BDP to provide practicum placements for internationally trained women is what made it possible for her to secure articles with BDP which led to her secondment to TransAlta, being called to the Alberta Bar, and being retained to work as legal counsel at a great organization like TransAlta.

She recalls fondly the amazing people who helped her navigate through her career and settlement at CIWA when she first landed in Canada, including her instructors and program coordinator. Yewande’s legal experience in Nigeria and Canada is an addition to the CIWA board. Yewande lives in Calgary and enjoys spending time with family, binge-watching favorite movies, and dancing.