The Court dismissed this Crown appeal from the Bench with Reasons to follow. This is the result WiCCD endorsed and it is the right result.
The quality of the work undertaken by our counsel team both in writing and orally was once again fantastic and we are grateful for the pro bono service of everyone involved.
The webcast of the hearing is now available on the Court’s website here:
WiCCD’s submissions, by Keara Lundrigan, begin at 2:15:20 and run to 2:20:13, following CLA
Keara Lundrigan making Oral Submissions for Women in Canadian Criminal Defence in R v Burke-Whittaker May 19 2026WiCCD’s Counsel Team of Keara Lundrigan, Megan Stephens, Hamna Anwar and Neha Chugh (from Top Left Clockwise)
• 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 
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