Brenda L. Keyser was appointed a judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba

Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba

The Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba is the superior court of the Canadian province of Manitoba...

 on October 5, 1995. She replaced Mr. Justice A.A. Hirschfield, who had chosen to become a supernumerary

Supernumerary

A Supernumerary is an additional member of an organization. A supernumerary is also a non-regular member of a staff, a member of the staff or an employee who works in a public office who is not part of the manpower complement...

 judge.

Madame Justice Keyser graduated in law from the University of Manitoba

University of Manitoba

The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...

 in 1978, and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1979. From 1978 to 1986, she practised mainly criminal

Criminal law

Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...

, labour

Labour law

Labour law is the body of laws, administrative rulings, and precedents which address the legal rights of, and restrictions on, working people and their organizations. As such, it mediates many aspects of the relationship between trade unions, employers and employees...

 and civil litigation with the firm Pollock and Company. After practising exclusively criminal law with the firm Gindin, Soronow, she became a founding partner, in 1987, of the firm Keyser, Baragar, Harris & Sadana, later known as Keyser, Harris.

Madame Justice Keyser practised mainly criminal law, but was also involved in child welfare

Child welfare

Child protection is used to describe a set of usually government-run services designed to protect children and young people who are underage and to encourage family stability...

 and aboriginal law

Canadian Aboriginal law

Canadian Aboriginal law is the body of Canadian law that concerns a variety of issues related to aboriginal peoples in Canada. Aboriginal law provides certain rights to land and traditional practices...

 cases. She became a Bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba

Law Society of Manitoba

The Law Society of Manitoba is the self-governing body for lawyers in Manitoba, Canada. Its mandate is to regulate the legal profession.To practice law in the Province of Manitoba, a person must be a member of the Law Society of Manitoba. The Law Society of Manitoba sets its own admission...

in 1994. She is bilingual.