It was really invigorating to speak with Windsor Law students and members of the Windsor Chapter of Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, on a panel with two other fabulous women lawyers about the importance of trauma-informed lawyering.
I spoke a bit about topics canvassed in an earlier paper and also in our new book Law and Mental Health in Canada: Cases and Materials.
Here is a link to my previous blog entry about Trauma-Informed Lawyering
I wish I could have joined this in-person event, well, in person – but man, neither Porter nor Via make it easy to get to Windsor from Toronto or back!
So instead I appeared virtually and my giant head was prominently on display behind our wonderful moderator, the President of the Windsor Chapter of LEAF.
I got a lovely Starbucks gift card in the mail and a beautiful note I will cherish.
• 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
anitaszigeti 