Course Chairs
Sandra F. Guarascio — Roper Greyell LLP, Vancouver
Lindsay Waddell — Moore Edgar Lyster LLP, Vancouver
About the Course Chairs
Sandra Guarascio (she/her/hers) is a partner with Roper Greyell LLP, Vancouver who has been recognized by Lexpert, Best Lawyers Canada, and Who's Who Legal for her work in workplace human rights. She assists public and private sector employers by providing balanced, strategic and proactive representation and advice for unionized and non-unionized environments. Sandra practices in all areas of employment and labour law, with a particular interest in human rights and respectful workplace issues. She is an experienced investigator, advocate, facilitator and speaker, and has conducted numerous workshops dealing with management issues, discrimination, accommodation, and workplace harassment and bullying.
Sandra clerked with the BC Supreme Court and was called in 2002. She has been the co-chair of CLEBC's award winning annual two-day Human Rights Conference since 2007.
Lindsay Waddell (she/her/hers) is a partner at Moore Edgar Lyster LLP where she practices human rights, labour, administrative, constitutional, and professional regulatory law. She acts for public and private sector unions, individuals, and professional regulators on a wide variety of matters.
Lindsay is an experienced litigator who has appeared as counsel at all levels of court and in front of all manner of administrative tribunals. When not litigating, Lindsay also conducts independent investigations for institutional clients.
Lindsay is frequently asked to teach and present to audiences on a wide range of subjects including human rights, labour law, advocacy, and ethical issues. She is co-chair of the Human Rights Subsection of the CBABC, a regular panelist for Lancaster House, and an instructor at the Canadian Labour Congress Winter School.
Featured Speaker
Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond/Akikwe — Director of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre/Professor of Law, Peter A. Allard School of Law, UBC, and Woodward & Company Lawyers LLP, Victoria
In her role as senior associate counsel at Woodward and Company, Mary Ellen brings her extensive experience in the field of Aboriginal law to her current practice, which sees her appear at all levels of court on cases relating to land claims, Indigenous and human rights matters, and public law litigation. She is a tenured full Professor of Law at Peter Allard Hall Law School at UBC and served as a Saskatchewan Provincial Court judge for 20 years.
During her time on the bench, Mary Ellen was actively involved in projects relating to better supports for Indigenous peoples, specifically the unique circumstances and needs of youth involved in the justice system. Ceaselessly advocating for children's human rights, she later served as BC's first Representative for Children and Youth (2006-16), a role that saw her take on case advocacy for more than 17,000 youths and their families—most of whom were Indigenous peoples.
Mary Ellen holds a Doctorate in Law from Harvard Law School (S.J.D.), a master's in international law from Cambridge University (Gonville and Caius College), a J.D. law degree from York University's Osgoode Hall, and a BA degree from Carleton University. She also holds a Certificate in the international and comparative law of human rights from the University of Strasbourg.
Mary Ellen is a member of the Indigenous Bar as well as the Law Societies of BC, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. She's been awarded for her contributions to the field of Aboriginal law multiple times, including the distinction of Indigenous Peoples' Counsel from the Indigenous Bar Association in 2006, and honourary degrees from nine Canadian universities and Schools of Law. She is the author of more than 50 published works and reports.
Planning Committee
Tonie Beharrell — Southern Butler Price LLP, North Vancouver
Devyn Cousineau — BC Human Rights Tribunal, Vancouver
Sara Forte — Forte Law Corporation, Surrey
Koml Kandola — Kandola Arbitration Services Ltd., North Vancouver
Raji Mangat — Executive Director, West Coast Women's LEAF, Vancouver
Christopher M. McHardy — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Laura Track — Community Legal Assistance Society, Vancouver
Robyn P.M. Trask — BC Teachers' Federation, Vancouver
David G. Wong — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Click here for planning committee bios
Faculty
E.W. (Heidi) Hughes — Ministry of Attorney General, Vancouver
Derek G. Knoechel — HHBG Employment Lawyers, Vancouver
Christopher M. McHardy — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Emily Ohler — Chair, BC Human Rights Tribunal, Vancouver
Amy B. Pressman — DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, Vancouver
Sonya Sabet-Rasekh — BC Government & Service Employees' Union, Burnaby
Lauren Soubolsky — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Joana Thackeray — Ministry of Attorney General, Vancouver
Laura Track — Community Legal Assistance Society, Vancouver
Kristen Woo — Director, Human Rights Office, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby