Bulletin

Ontario Appoints New Children's Lawyer

September 17, 2010

News

Lucy K. McSweeney will serve as Ontario's new Children's Lawyer as of September 18, 2010.

McSweeney brings a broad legal background to her new position that includes civil litigation, human rights, constitutional and labour law. Called to the Bar in 1995 after articling with the Court of Appeal for Ontario, she has appeared in all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada and taught public law at the Law Society of Upper Canada's Bar Admission Course.

Since 2006, she has been a member of senior management in the Government of Ontario's central litigation office. In addition to being a member of the Advocates' Society, she is an executive member of the Ontario Bar Association's Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Section.

McSweeney replaces Debra L. Stephens, who has provided distinguished service as Ontario's Children's Lawyer since August 2008.

The Office of the Children's Lawyer is part of the Ministry of the Attorney General and delivers programs in the administration of justice on behalf of children under the age of 18. Children's Lawyers are appointed by a judge to independently represent a child's legal interests in various areas of law, including child custody and access disputes, property and estate matters, child protection proceedings and civil litigation.

Learn More

Learn more about the Office of the Children's Lawyer.

Contacts

Li Koo
Minister's Office, 416-326-3266

Brendan Crawley
Communications Branch, 416-326-2210

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