2010 Trudeau Scholar

michelle.lawrence@trudeaufoundation.net

Current Research

Biography

Ms. Lawrence was called to the bar of British Columbia in 1999, after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (Scholars Elective) from the University of Western Ontario in 1994 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Victoria in 1999.  She joined the law firm of McCarthy Tétrault LLP in 1998 as an articled student and was admitted to the partnership of that firm in 2008.

Ms. Lawrence took a leave of absence from the practice of law in 2001 in order to complete a Master of Law at the University of Cambridge.  In 2002, she was awarded an LL.M. and was named a Pegasus Scholar.

Ms. Lawrence's practice was comprised of a diverse range of litigation matters, including corporate disputes, the alleged misuse of trade secrets and environmental regulatory proceedings.  She developed a particular interest in criminal litigation and justice policy as a result of her work with preeminent Vancouver lawyer, Leonard T. Doust, Q.C.  She worked under his direction on a number of significant criminal cases, including the investigation of an alleged wrongful conviction of a British Columbia man for historic sex crimes.

So that she might have the opportunity to pursue these interests further, Ms. Lawrence suspended her legal practice and returned to graduate studies.  She enrolled in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University in 2008 and earned a Master of Arts in 2009.  She is continuing her research in the doctoral program under the supervision of Simon Verdun-Jones, J.S.D.

Project Description

Trudeau Foundation Themes

Responsible citizenship