Areas of Practice
Megan works closely with her clients to understand their priorities and needs when developing an advocacy strategy. She prides herself on the ability to communicate clearly with clients so they are kept meaningfully informed about their options and realistic outcomes.
Criminal and regulatory litigation with a focus on advocating for women
Megan acts for those charged with both criminal and regulatory offences, with a focus on advocating for women and gender-diverse people facing charges or seeking to appeal a conviction or sentence. She has experience preparing for and arguing criminal matters before appellate courts. As an advocacy advisor for the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute, Megan helps counsel prepare for their hearings before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Constitutional litigation
Megan is an experienced constitutional advocate, with particular expertise in appellate litigation, having argued appeals concerning different Charter rights before both the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada, including section 2(b) (freedom of expression), section 7 (the right to life, liberty and security of the person), section 12 (protection against cruel and unusual punishment), and section 15 (the equality guarantee). Megan helps individuals advance their constitutional rights in both criminal and non-criminal matters. She also acts for organizations looking to intervene in a case to ensure the court understands the potential impact on the rights implicated by the matter before them.
Complainant-centred advocacy in cases involving sexual violence
Complainants in cases involving sexual violence can often find the criminal justice process confusing, frustrating, and, too often, re-victimizing. Megan advocates for complainants in criminal proceedings, including in applications concerning the admission of prior sexual history, and/or applications seeking to private records. She works to ensure that complainants understand the process and all options available to them and seeks to give voice to their concerns and priorities.
Public inquiries
Having worked as Commission Counsel to a public inquiry, Megan recognizes the value of participating in the inquiry process - for both individuals and organizations seeking to shine a light on systemic failings that led to tragic events. She can help individuals and organizations decide whether they want to seek standing to participate in an inquiry, act for those seeking standing, and, if standing is granted, act for them throughout the inquiry process.
Megan’s creative and practical solutions meet her clients’ needs in a timely and cost-effective way.
Notable Cases
Supreme Court of Canada
R. v. Rodgerson, 2015 SCC 38
Appeal relating to the sufficiency of the jury charge concerning the relevance of post-offence conduct when assessing intent for murder.
Attorney General (Canada) v. Bedford, 2013 SCC 72 (co-counsel)
Appeal relating to s. 7 and s. 2(b) Charter challenges to three prostitution-related offences in the Criminal Code.
R. v. Mathieu, 2008 SCC 21 (intervener, co-counsel)
Appeal concerning the impact of pre-trial custody on the length of sentence for the purpose of determining the availability of probation and parole ineligibility periods.
Court of Appeal for Ontario
R. v. Sullivan; R. v. Chan, 2020 ONCA 333 (intervener, co-counsel) (leave to appeal to SCC granted December 2020)
Intervened for the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) in this appeal concerning the constitutionality of the prohibition on the use of the defence of extreme intoxication for violent offences.
R. v. D.C., 2017 ONCA 483
Appeal relating to s. 11(b) of the Charter and the reasonableness of delay and credibility assessments in the context of convictions for sexual interference
R. v. A.A., 2015 ONCA 558
Appeal concerning the interpretation of the meaning of “exploitation” in human trafficking offences.
R. v. Stubbs, 2013 ONCA 514
Appeal relating to the admissibility of evidence of prior disreputable conduct arising out of an attempted murder in a domestic context.
Bedford v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 ONCA 186 (co-counsel)
Crown appeal relating to s. 7 and s. 2(b) Charter challenges to three prostitution-related offences.
R. v. Batista, 2008 ONCA 804
Conviction appeal relating to elements of the offence of uttering threats and the interplay with freedom of expression (s. 2(b) of the Charter).
R. v. Sparrow, 2008 ONCA 616 (Ont. C.A.)
Conviction and sentence appeal by two co-accused involving W.(D.) considerations in a domestic sexual assault case.
R. v. J.R., 2008 ONCA 200 (leave to appeal dismissed, [2008] S.C.C.A. No. 231)
Conviction appeal by two co-accused in a sexual assault case where the complainant had no memory of the assault, but testified she would not have consented to sexual contact with either accused.
Superior Court of Justice
R. v. Anderson, 2016 ONSC 7501
Constitutional challenge brought under s. 7 and s. 12 to the non-availability of conditional sentences for sexual assault in relation to the conviction on one count of sexual assault.