Our People
LCC Staff
Istahill Daoud – Administration Officer
Istahill is a recent graduate from the University of Ottawa, holding an Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Business Technology Management. She has a strong passion for reading and writing about advocacy-related topics and is committed to continuously acquiring new skills.
Janelle McDougall – HR Stabilization and Special Projects Manager
Janelle is the LCC’s HR Stabilization and Special Projects Manager.
Stefanie Moeller – Senior Administrative Officer
Stefanie Moeller is the Senior Administrative Officer at the Law Commission. Previously, she worked with the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada (now a part of the Administrative Tribunals Support Services of Canada) and Parks Canada in finance and administration. She comes from a business background specializing in finance.
Fady Shamsoun – Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Fady Shamsoun is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the Law Commission of Canada. With over 15 years of extensive financial management experience in various large and small federal government entities, Fady’s responsibilities at the LCC encompass financial reporting, forecasting, corporate accounting, strategic management and day-to-day operational finance matters among others. Fady is a member in good standing with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.
Isabelle Palad – Research Officer
Isabelle was a paralegal and analyst with the Department of Justice Canada for 12 years, followed by experience in policy analysis at Transport Canada and Statistics Canada. She is helping to build some of the foundations of the revived Law Commission of Canada, notably a knowledge base of the work carried out by the previous Commission (1997-2006) and the Law Reform Commission of Canada (1971-1992).
Brian Peebles – Director of Outreach and Engagement
Brian is a graduate of McGill University (BA) and the University of Ottawa (JD, cum laude, and LLL, cum laude), as well as a member of the Law Society of Ontario. Prior to joining the LCC, he gained experience in the office of a federal cabinet minister, at a leading law faculty, a multinational technology company, and at an international law firm.
Tara Berish – Director of Research
Tara Berish worked at the Department of Justice for more than fifteen years. Prior to that, she articled at the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, at the University of Ottawa. She is delighted to lead the research team at the LCC through its inaugural projects.
Tracey O’Donnell – Executive Director
Tracey O’Donnell joins the Law Commission of Canada as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, bringing nearly 25 years of public service experience, including a senior financial management role at the Department of Justice Canada. She leads the Commission’s corporate services, overseeing finance, human resources, and business operations. With a strategic mindset finely tuned for problem-solving, Tracey skillfully balances analytical rigor with creativity—a hallmark of her public service career. She embraces a “work to live” philosophy, championing both professional excellence and personal well-being.
Robert Sampson – Director General and Deputy CEO
Robert Sampson joins the Law Commission with a deep interest in the structures of the law, access to justice and Canadians’ experience of law in their daily lives. He comes to the Law Commission after over a decade at Elections Canada with four as General Counsel for the agency. He is a member in good standing of the Ontario and New York bar associations and is a bilingual Montrealer.
Shauna Van Praagh – President
Shauna Van Praagh is honoured to lead the rebuilding of the Law Commission of Canada. As a professor of law, currently on leave from McGill University where she has taught for three decades, she brings a commitment to constant curiosity, never-ending conversations, and intergenerational learning.
LCC Fellows
David D’Astous – LCC Fellow 2024-2025
David is a graduate from McGill University’s Faculty of Law and Laval University’s Great Books program. Prior to joining the Law Commission of Canada, he clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada for Justice Suzanne Côté and served as Assistant Director of the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law. As a Fellow, he brings an interest in private and comparative law to the team.
LCC Associates
Law Commission of Canada Associates (LCC) are individuals invited – given their knowledge, perspectives, and expertise – to make meaningful contributions to the Commission’s work. Associates are key to the Commission’s capacity to develop and share high-quality projects. They benefit from the opportunity to participate in fulfilling the mandate of an independent federal agency committed to engaging the people of Canada in the ongoing and dynamic evolution of law.
Contributions made by individuals invited to become LCC Associates can take different forms such as: writing a commissioned paper, serving on an advisory panel for an LCC project, or supervising in-house research. LCC Associates could include, for example, university scholars or practicing jurists.
Fernando Avila
Fernando Avila is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Brock University and a member of a Latin American human rights NGO that promotes prison reform across the region. His research in critical criminology examines how societies govern risk, crime, punishment, and marginalized populations, with a particular focus on prisons and penal systems. Fernando is an author for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
Don Bourgeois
Don Bourgeois is a lawyer at Folger, Rubinoff LLP who practices primarily in public and regulatory law in the charitable and non-profit sector. He is the former General Counsel of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and author of several legal texts on charity and non-profit law. Don is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Joanne Cave
Joanne Cave is the Lawyer and Principal at Cave Law, a hybrid law and policy advisory firm, who specializes in labour, employment, constitutional, and administrative law. She has published extensively on non-profit and charitable sector issues in addition to her advisory work. Joanne is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Kathryn Chan
Kathryn Chan is an Associate Professor at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, where she teaches and researches in the areas of not-for-profit law, administrative law, constitutional law, and law and religion. She practiced charity law for several years in Canada before entering the academy. Kathryn is an author and steering committee member for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Helge Dedek
Helge Dedek is a Full Professor and the Wainwright Chair in Civil Law at the McGill University Faculty of Law. His research and publications span comparative law, legal history, private law, and legal theory, with a particular interest in the intellectual history of individual rights. Helge is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Nathalie Des Rosiers
Nathalie Des Rosiers is a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and past President of the Law Commission of Canada. Prior to her appointment to the bench in 2023, she held several leadership roles including Principal of Massey College, Dean of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law – Civil and Common Law Sections, and General Counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Nathalie was nominated for the King Charles III Coronation Medal by the LCC.
Anver Emon
Anver Emon is Professor of Law and History at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Islamic Law and History, and Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies. As a member of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector from 2022-2024, he led working groups on the definition of charity and the implications on charities of Canada’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime. Anver is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Phil Goodman
Phil Goodman is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. His research uses prisons and punishment as lenses through which to consider questions of race, inequality, penal policies, labour, rehabilitation, and the micro-dynamics of everyday life, with the goal of considering the evolution and outcome of punishment over time. Phil is an author for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
Robin Hansen
Robin Hansen is an Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law, where she teaches international and human rights law. Informed by interdisciplinary research, she focuses on how legal personhood is constructed within legal systems, and how this construction frames accountability. Robin is an author for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
France Houle
France Houle is a Full Professor and past Dean at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Law, where she researches and teaches administrative law. She has particular expertise in immigration law and regulatory processes and previously worked as legal counsel for the Immigration and Refugee Board. France is an author for the LCC’s Beyond Tomorrow Reports.
Frank Iacobucci
Frank Iacobucci, currently Senior Counsel at Torys LLP, is a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Deputy Minister of Justice of Canada, Dean of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and Provost and President of the University of Toronto. Throughout his career, he notably shaped justice through the academy, reviews and inquiries, and as the federal government’s chief negotiator for the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. Frank was a guest on the LCC’s podcast, Obiter.
Heather Keachie
Heather Keachie is a Partner at Gardiner Roberts LLP who practices primarily in the area of non-profit and charity law. She is the past chair of the charity law sections of both the Ontario and Canadian Bar Associations and has lectured at the Western University Faculty of Law on charity and non-profit law. Heather is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Jeffrey Kennedy
Jeffrey Kennedy is an Assistant Professor at the McGill University Faculty of Law, where he teaches and researches criminal law and theory. His work focuses in particular on sentencing and prison law, frequently examining the political, democratic, and pluralist dimensions of law and governance. Jeffrey is an author for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
Lisa Kerr
Lisa Kerr is an Associate Professor at the Queen’s University Faculty of Law, where she is the Director of the Criminal Law Group and teaches courses on criminal law, evidence, sentencing, and prison law. In addition to her research on the law and policy of sentencing and prisons, she supports legal clinics and civil society organizations in the criminal justice sector. Lisa is an author for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
Marie Manikis
Marie Manikis is an Associate Professor and William Dawson Scholar at the McGill University Faculty of Law where she teaches and researches across the field of criminal justice. She has particular expertise in criminal justice and sentencing, including victim participation, prosecutorial discretion, state accountability, and principles of Indigenous participation. Marie is an author for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
Benjamin Miller
Benjamin Miller is a staff lawyer and policy advisor at the Ontario Nonprofit Network. He regularly advises organizations on non-profit law issues, creates and delivers training programs, and develops legal compliance tools specific to Ontario’s Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. Benjamin is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Sarah Morales
Sarah Morales (Su-taxwiye) is Coast Salish and a member of Cowichan Tribes. She is an Assistant Professor and JID Director at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, where she teaches transsystemic tort law, Coast Salish law and languages, and field schools, with a research focus on Indigenous peoples and Coast Salish traditions. Sarah is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Val Napoleon
Val Napoleon is a Professor and Law Foundation Chair of Indigenous Justice and Governance at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law. A member of the Saulteau First Nation and an adopted member of the Gitanyow, she is a trailblazer in the revitalization of Indigenous legal orders. Val was a guest on the LCC’s podcast, Obiter, and was nominated for the King Charles III Coronation Medal by the LCC.
Peter Oliver
Peter Oliver is a Full Professor at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Civil Law Section) and member of the University of Ottawa Public Law Centre. He researches and teaches in the areas of comparative constitutional law, history, and legal theory. Peter is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Manish Oza
Manish Oza is an Assistant Professor at the Western University Faculty of Law. His main research area is the legal and political philosophy of voluntary associations – such as clubs, churches, unions, and social and political organizations – and how these associations intersect with the authority of the state. Manish is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Benjamin Perrin
Benjamin Perrin is a Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, where he researches and teaches about criminal law, constitutional law, international law, and artificial intelligence. He was the founder and executive director of a federally-registered charity prior to his legal career, providing him with direct experience in the sector. Benjamin is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Derek Ross
Derek Ross is the Executive Director and General Counsel at the Christian Legal Fellowship, a national association of legal professionals. He has acted for intervenors in Charter cases, appeared before legislative and Parliamentary committees, and published on law and religion, human rights, and charity law. Derek is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Jennifer Sigafoos
Jennifer Sigafoos is a Reader in Law and Director of the Charity Law and Policy Unit at the University of Liverpool. She has a particular interest in charity and non-profit law and previously served as director of policy and in-house counsel at a large healthcare non-profit. Jennifer is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Samuel Singer
Samuel Singer is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Common Law Section). A professor of taxation and business organizations, his research interests in tax and charity law focus on tax administration and dispute resolution, the regulation of non-profits and charities, and tax policy analysis. Samuel is an author and steering committee member for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Lionel Smith
Lionel Smith is the Professor of Comparative Law at Oxford University, and previously taught at the University of Alberta, McGill University, and Cambridge University faculties of law. His research interests encompass all aspects of fundamental comparative private law, with a focus on trusts, succession, restitution, and philosophical foundations of private law. Lionel is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
David Stevens
David Stevens is a Partner in the Business Law Group at Gowling WLG’s Toronto office and a former law professor at the McGill University Faculty of Law. He is a tax lawyer with particular experience and expertise in charity and non-profit law. David is a steering committee member for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Marie-Eve Sylvestre
Marie-Eve Sylvestre is the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ottawa. Her research on the criminal justice system focuses on policing and judicial practices, in addition to laws with a discriminatory impact on poor and marginalized populations. Marie-Eve is the Principal Advisor for the LCC’s Prison Law in Canada project.
Kim Thúy
Kim Thúy is a Quebec writer and Vietnamese Canadian who has been a seamstress, interpreter, lawyer, and chef-restaurant owner. Her books have sold more than one million copies, been translated into 31 languages, and earned her several awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award. Kim was a guest on the LCC’s podcast, Obiter.
Deina Warren
Deina Warren is the Director of Legal Affairs at the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities. She focuses on tax law, regulatory matters, and religious freedom and engages in government consultation and advocacy. Deina is an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
Lynne Westerhof
Lynne Westerhof is an Associate at Gardiner Roberts LLP who practices in the area of non-profit and charity law. Her practice includes corporate compliance, governance, policy work, and tax advice, and she writes about developments in the law for non-profits and charities. Sheis an author for the LCC’s Charity and Law in Canada project.
LCC Alumni
This page presents individuals who have previously shared their energies and talents in service of the Law Commission of Canada.
Staff
- Marianna Do – Manager, Business Management Services – 2023-2024
- Kirk Shannon – Director General and Deputy CEO – 2023-2025
Fellows
- Jeanne Mayrand-Thibert – 2023-2024
- Aaden Pearson – 2023-2024
Research Interns & Summer Students
- Clara Chang – Summer 2024
- Elina Qureshi – Summer 2024
- Nicholas Waltenbury – Spring 2025
The LCC
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