News

The Schulich School of Law congratulates alumna Diane MacDonald, general counsel for the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, who has been appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver. She replaces Justice P.D. Leask, who retired on Sept. 18, 2017.

Madam Justice MacDonald received her BA from Simon Fraser University and her LLB from Dalhousie University and began practising law in 1995. After articling with Alexander Holburn Beaudin and Lang, she completed a PhD in law and public policy at Northeastern University. She then practised with Victory Square Law Office before moving to the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, where she became general counsel in 2008. 

Justice MacDonald’s main focus has been in the areas of labour law, constitutional law, and human rights. She has acted as legal counsel before arbitrators, various administrative tribunals, professional disciplinary bodies, and at all levels of court.

Justice MacDonald has published articles and regularly speaks at conferences across Canada for organizations such as the Canadian Bar Association, the Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C., Lancaster House, and the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers. She is also a mentor through the CBA’s Women Lawyers Forum. She has Métis ancestry and has been an active volunteer in her local community.