Michelle has a robust litigation practice, with significant expertise in the areas of class actions, civil litigation, arbitration and appeals. She focuses on complex commercial and corporate disputes.
Additionally, Michelle has specialized knowledge in a variety of areas, including:
- corporate governance
- advertising and competition law
- consumer protection law
- plans of arrangement
- privacy law (including access to information requests and compliance with privacy and data protection legislation)
Michelle has appeared as counsel before the British Columbia Court of Appeal (BCCA), the Supreme Court of British Columbia (BCSC), the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, the BC Privacy Commissioner, the Federal Privacy Commissioner, and the Youth Justice (Criminal) Court. She also has appeared as counsel before both domestic and international arbitration tribunals. She has extensive experience in the defence of provincial and national class proceedings.
Michelle is currently one of the regional leads for BLG’s Appellate Advocacy Group and very active with BLG’s Class Actions and Arbitration groups. Prior to beginning her articles at BLG, Michelle completed a one-year judicial clerkship at the BCCA.
During law school, she completed Osgoode Hall's Intensive Program in Aboriginal Lands, Resources and Government. As part of that program, Michelle spent two months in New Zealand developing a legally focused rehabilitation program for maximum-security prisoners who were about to be released from custody. She also received Osgoode Hall's class prize for constitutional litigation.