ACE Management

Michelle Lawrence

Michelle is the Director of the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence and is an Associate Professor with the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law. Her current teaching and research focus is on criminal law, sentencing and the law of evidence. Michelle engages in issues at the intersection of the criminal justice, mental health, and family law systems, as well as the development of empirical measures for use in adjudicative proceedings and in aid of law reform.

Michelle previously practiced law as a partner in the Litigation Department of McCarthy Tétrault LLP. Her practice comprised of a diverse range of matters, including complex regulatory proceedings, corporate malfeasance, and criminal litigation.

Michelle holds graduate degrees in law and criminology, including an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge (Pegasus Scholar) and a Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University (Trudeau Scholar).

Michael Litchfield

Michael Litchfield is the Associate Director of the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence and is the Director of the Business Law Clinic with the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law. He has a depth of experience project managing a number of important access to justice initiatives in the province of British Columbia including the Canadian Bar Association Rural Education and Access to Lawyers Initiative and the Public Commission on Legal Aid. At ACE, Michael is also the Director of the Access to Justice Artificial Intelligence Lab (A2JAI Lab).

Outside of his academic pursuits Michael is the Managing Director of Emerald Engine Research Inc. and is regularly called upon to speak on topics including artificial intelligence, risk management and corporate governance. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Laws from the University of Victoria. Michael is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Victoria where his research focuses on law reform, artificial intelligence and drug and alcohol policy.

Robert Lapper, KC

Robert is the David and Dorothy Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy at the Faculties of Law and Human and Social Development at the University of Victoria. He is a senior public law lawyer with an extensive background in public policy, professional regulation and governance, aboriginal law, and negotiations with First Nations. His teaching, research and advocacy interests include Access to Justice, Professionalism and Ethics, and Professional Regulation.

Robert is a graduate of the University of Victoria Faculty of Law (LLB '81). His work history includes private practice and service in the BC Government as a lawyer, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Relations and Deputy Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government. In 2012 he moved to Toronto to be the Chief Executive Officer of the Law Society of Upper Canada (now Law Society of Ontario). He served in that position for 6 years before returning to British Columbia in 2018.