The Honourable Michelle Stanford delivered a beautiful and energizing Keynote in celebration of Women Judges’ Day and our ongoing celebration of Black History month throughout the year.
Thank you to Kyla Lee and Dr. Ruby Dhand for moderating this amazing evening and to WiCCD Volunteer Lincoln Alexander Law Shool student Amirah Farooq for her help with hosting and organizing.
WiCCD is so grateful to the Judiciary for their support of our organization and these amazing and candid fireside chats we are able to have with our esteemed colleagues on the Bench.
The Honourable Justice Stanford sits on the BC Provincial Court in Kamloops, where she practised mental health and criminal defence before her appointment. Her career as defence counsel followed a career in nursing. Her accomplishments are astounding.
This was a beautiful evening and we are hugely enriched by it. Thank you Judge Stanford!!
• 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 