Neurodiversity in the Legal Profession 2026

Course Instructor
Stephanie L. Sutherland — Cohen Highley LLP, Kitchener

About the Course Instructor
Since her call to the Bar in 2009, Stephanie has spent her legal career working with various housing providers, including condominium corporations, co-ops, municipal and affordable housing providers, land lease communities, and landlords, as well as property managers and unit owners, assisting them with day-to-day housing matters. Stephanie focuses on guiding her clients through disputes in a manner that promotes and fosters positive communities. Along with housing governance matters and related litigation, Stephanie practices in the areas of condominium and housing development, with a focus on affordable housing. Stephanie has represented clients in mediation and arbitration matters and has litigated in Superior Court, Divisional Court, and the Court of Appeal.  She has also represented clients at Small Claims Court and administrative tribunals, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the License Appeal Tribunal, and the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Stephanie is a lawyer at the Kitchener office of Cohen Highley LLP. She sits on the Board of tri-Pride Community Association Inc. and is a former Trustee and Committee member of the Waterloo Region Law Association. In May 2023, Stephanie was elected as a Bencher to the Law Society of Ontario, for the 2023-2027 term. While this resulted in Stephanie needing to resign from other Boards to be able to commit the necessary time to her role as Bencher, she still believes passionately in giving back to the community and looks forwarding to becoming more involved again when her term is over.

An active member of the condominium community in Ontario, Stephanie is involved in the Canadian Condominium Institute (CCI) Golden Horseshoe, Grand River, and London chapters, and sits on various CCI committees. She is a frequent speaker at CCI conferences, courses, and seminars and contributes articles to condominium publications including Condo News. Stephanie obtained the former ACCI (Associate of the Canadian Condominium Institute) designation in 2015, and was granted the ACCI's replacement designation, the LCCI (Leader of the Canadian Condominium Institute), in 2022. Stephanie also frequently speaks at CPD events for lawyers and paralegals on topics including landlord and tenant law and condominium law, as well as mental health and neurodivergence in the legal industry.

In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, including her partner and her stepson and their many animals (especially their dogs, Leia and Vada!).