Career and work
Beattie was called to the Ontario bar in 1994. She has worked in private practice, in-house and in government, including as senior counsel with Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General in health law. [8]
She has helped organize mental-health initiatives within the legal profession and co-edited The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in the Legal Profession. [1][4]
In 2022, the Law Society of Ontario awarded her the Law Society Medal. She was also recognized by Canadian Lawyer as one of the profession’s most influential lawyers in 2025. [9][10]
What has been publicly discussed
- Beattie has said that in 2002, when she was 35, she experienced a manic episode with severe psychosis. She was hospitalized at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for about two weeks and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. [2][1]
- She has subsequently identified her diagnosis as bipolar I disorder. [6]
- For many years afterward, she kept the diagnosis largely private within her professional life. She has said that she feared stigma and the possible effect disclosure could have on her career. [2][3]
- In 2017, she began speaking publicly about living with bipolar disorder. Since January 2018, she has been a Friend of Bell Let’s Talk. [11][2]
- Beattie has described receiving psychiatric treatment and using medication to manage her bipolar disorder. [3]
- Beattie continued practising law after her diagnosis and went on to hold senior legal positions. [8]
- She has become a prominent advocate for better mental-health support within the legal profession and has spoken openly about the possibility of maintaining a demanding professional career while living with bipolar disorder. [9][5]
- Beattie has argued that stigma and fear can make lawyers reluctant to disclose mental-health problems or seek help. [13]
- She has helped organize Law Society of Ontario mental-health summits and has spoken at professional events about mental illness, disclosure and support within the legal profession. [7][4]
- She also co-edited The Right Not to Remain Silent, which brings together accounts of mental-health and addiction experiences from members of the Canadian legal profession. [1]
“The profession is in desperate need of role models.”
— Beth Beattie [5]
Sources and other resourcesExpand to view the sources used in this profile and resources to learn more.
Sources used for this profile
The following sources contain information that supports the claims made on this page.
Canadian LawyerBeth Beattie on mental health in the legal profession Covers Beattie's manic episode, hospitalization, diagnosis, disclosure, legal career and advocacy.
article or webpageToronto Metropolitan UniversityBeth Beattie Summarizes her hospitalization, years of nondisclosure, 2017 public disclosure and Bell Let’s Talk involvement.
article or webpageLexpert“Hypocrite, Heretic or Heroine?” Beattie's first-person account of bipolar disorder, stigma, medication and fears about her career.
article or webpage
View all 13 sources
Law Society of OntarioLaw Society of Ontario Documents Beattie's professional mental-health work and summit leadership.
article or webpageCanadian Lawyer“Mental health and civility in the legal profession” A first-person article by Beattie about mental-health support, disclosure and the need for professional role models.
article or webpageCBC IdeasDreaming of Better Includes Beattie's first-person identification as living with bipolar I disorder.
podcast or transcriptFOLAFOLAarticle or webpage Canadian LawyerCanadian Lawyerarticle or webpage Canadian LawyerCanadian Lawyerarticle or webpage Law Society of OntarioLaw Society of Ontarioarticle or webpage Bell Let’s TalkBell Let’s Talkarticle or webpage Dr. David GratzerDr. David Gratzerarticle or webpage Law Society of OntarioLaw Society of Ontariointerview
Learn more
Recommended books and other resources about Beth Beattie and their experiences.