It was an incredible experience to be surrounded by a hundred women, junior and senior members of the Criminal Defence Bar – so much enthusiasm, collegiality and humour – Thanks to Cassandra DeMelo and Organizers and to Jill Presser, Anne-Marie McElroy and Danielle Robitaille among others for their fabulous presentations – informative and entertaining, one and all – plus there was a SPA!!
Powerful, Warrior, Women.Junior Women Members of the Criminal Defence Bar – the Way of the Future
As Keli Mersereau tells it, almost 70 years at the Bar between us – Not sure I want to say how many of those are mine, 27.
• Called to the Bar (1992)
• U of T Law grad (1990)
• Sole practitioner (33 years)
• Partner in small law firm (Hiltz Szigeti) 2002 - 2013
• Mom to two astonishing kids, Scarlett (20+) and Sebastian (20-)
• (Founding) Chair of Mental Health Legal Committee for ten years (1997 to 2007)
* Founding President of Law and Mental Disorder Association - LAMDA since 2017
* Founder and Secretary to Women in Canadian Criminal Defence - WiCCD - since 2022
• Counsel to clients with serious mental health issues before administrative tribunals and on appeals
• Former Chair, current member of LAO’s mental health law advisory committee
• Educator, lecturer, widely published author (including 5 text books on consent and capacity law, Canadian civil mental health law, the criminal law of mental disorder, a law school casebook and a massive Anthology on all things mental health and the law)
• Thirty+ years’ experience as counsel to almost exclusively legally aided clients
• Frequently appointed amicus curiae
• Fearless advocate
• Not entirely humourless
