Peter Engelmann, Lead Commission Counsel, is a partner with Sack Goldblatt Mitchell. Peter is a leading labour, human rights and employment lawyer.

Peter was called to the Bar in 1982, and since then, he has argued leading cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario courts, the Federal Court and Administrative Tribunals.

Peter is the co-author of Trade Union Law in Canada and has taught human rights, labour law and arbitration, and advocacy. He also speaks regularly at legal seminars on labour and human rights topics.

Peter is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers and the Advocates Society.

Pierre R. Dumais, Commission Counsel, was a partner with the law firm of Bourgeault Brunelle Dumais Boucher where he specialized in criminal law, appeals and Charter litigation.

Pierre has been retained as a special Prosecutor for the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Natural Resources. He has been involved in providing legal advice to Northern Cochrane Addiction Services for the past ten years. He also serves as a duty counsel panel member for Legal Aid Ontario and is past president of the Clinique juridique Grand-Nord Legal Clinic.

Pierre was called to the Bar in 1991. He is fluent in both French and English and represents his clients in court in both official languages.

For three years, Pierre taught Law and Business Administration at the University of Hearst.

Maya Hamou, Commission Counsel, obtained a Bachelor of Laws (Cum Laude, 2005) from the University of Ottawa and was called to the Bar of Ontario on July 12, 2006.

Maya summered and articled with the Toronto office of Ogilvy Renault, LLP. She acquired a broad litigation experience, which included patent prosecution, trademark protection, insolvency and bankruptcy, competition law, and commercial law. On secondment during her articling term, Maya also attended the Montréal office of Ogilvy Renault, LLP.

Maya is a member of the Ontario division of the Canadian Bar Association and a member of the Association des Juristes d'Expression Francaise de l'Ontario. She served on the executive of the Francophone Common Law Student Association and the Jewish Law Student Association. She received the Lieutenant Governor's medal 1997. Maya is perfectly fluent in French and English.

Mary Simms, Commission Counsel, obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto in 2001. She was called to the bar in 2002, having completed articles at Lerners LLP, Toronto Office.

Since her call, Mary has practiced in civil litigation and administrative law in Toronto, and, more recently, Ottawa. In addition to representing plaintiffs in a wide variety of civil actions, Mary has gained particular experience in mental health law, representing psychiatric survivors before the Consent and Capacity Board and Ontario Review Board.

Mary serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Options Bytown, a supportive housing provider, and Harmony House, a second stage shelter for survivors of domestic violence.

Suzanne Sinnamon obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto in 2001. Following her call to the Ontario Bar in 2002, Suzanne practised civil litigation at Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP in Toronto.

In May 2005, Suzanne joined the Ipperwash Inquiry as a legal analyst where she reviewed and analyzed oral and documentary evidence and assisted in the preparation of the report.

Suzanne recently completed her Masters of Law at the University of Toronto, specializing in constitutional law and human rights with particular emphasis on the state use of emergency powers during times of crisis. Her thesis examined the ongoing development of a Bill of Rights in Northern Ireland and the particular challenges posed by the historical divisions and decades of violence in Northern Ireland.