Shadaye Cousins is an articling student with DD West LLP, studying in particular the areas of Wills and Estates, Family Law and Litigation.

Shadaye graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2013. She then completed her Master of Arts in Criminology at the University of Toronto in 2014 and returned to McGill University to finish her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Civil Law in 2022.

Shadaye has more than a decade of experience in community engagement, leadership, advocacy and working with marginalized groups. During her legal studies, she worked as a student advocate for the Legal Information Clinic at McGill and volunteered as a peer mentor. She also served as a Student Ambassador for the Faculty’s Law Education Connection (LEX) outreach program, inspiring at-risk minority youths to consider pursuing a legal education at McGill University. Shortly after completing her BCL/JD’22, Shadaye’s passion for access to justice and dismantling systemic barriers to legal education, led her to join McGill Faculty of Law’s administration team as Acting Assistant Dean (Admissions and Recruitment) in 2023.

Shadaye relocated across the country to Calgary in the early months of 2026 to be closer to family and pursue career opportunities that awaited her in the West. Outside the classroom or the courtroom, Shadaye enjoys whipping up culinary masterpieces in the kitchen. After a long day of litigating, she has been known to unwind in front of her easel with some fresh acrylic paints or putting her pen to paper writing poetry.