Michele Wright Email & Phone Number

Toronto, On, Ca

On behalf of the City of Toronto, I handle a diverse array of cases, including litigation arising from technology contracts, commercial leases, construction, environmental contamination, and procurement matters. I also act on the City's behalf to defend policy and legislative decisions. As counsel for the City, I am fortunate to deal with a diverse range of complex legal issues that frequently intersect with important policy questions. One of my areas of interest is the use of technology in the practice of law and I am also a member of the Ediscovery Implementation Committee ("EIC"). The EIC is a committee of lawyers, ediscovery specialists, judges, and masters that considers ediscovery issues and develops precedents to encourage adoption of best practice standards. I was the Chair of the Precedent Subcommittee of the EIC for two years.

Toronto, On

I have served on the Ontario Board of the Nature Conservancy of Canada since 2017, and am currently the Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee. Since I love the outdoors, I am proud to support the work of the Nature Conservancy in preserving and protecting lands in Ontario and promoting opportunities for Ontarians to enjoy the opportunities the NCC makes available, and have learned so much from their amazing and dedicated staff.

Toronto, On

I have served on the Board of Frontier College since 2008 and was Chair of the Board from September, 2013 to September, 2016. Frontier College is a national literacy organization whose dedicated national team of volunteers tutors children, adults in the workplace, homeless street youth, prison inmates, people with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada, among others. During my tenure on the Board, the College developed and adopted two strategic plans, re-organized its structure to better align the functions of the College and its foundation, transitioned both organizations to continue operating under Canada’s new Not for Profit Corporations Act, and received the Imagine Canada accreditation, among other challenges. When the President and CEO of Frontier College resigned at the end of 2015, I chaired the committee responsible for conducting a national search to identify and successfully bring on board a new President and CEO, and worked closely with the interim co-presidents during the transition. During my tenure as Chair of the Governance Committee, I also led initiatives to review our policies and procedures, assess the Board’s effectiveness, and interview and recruit new Board members. With the HR and Compensation Committee, I conducted the annual performance review of the President and CEO, incorporating feedback from fellow Board members and senior management staff, and relaying this feedback to the President and CEO.I also served as a member of the Frontier College Foundation Board. The Board supports the work of the College through its management of approximately $18 million in assets.

Toronto, On

I was on the Board of Directors of the Jean Tweed Centre for 6 years, and was the Chair from 2004 to 2006. The Jean Tweed Centre is a community organization dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment for women with substance use, mental health, and/or gambling issues and provides a wide range of services, including residential and day programming with individual, family and trauma counseling. During my tenure with the Board, we expanded the services offered by the Centre in a new facility and entered into an exciting partnership with the YWCA Toronto to offer services at their Elm Street Housing facility in Toronto.

Toronto, On

As an associate, and then partner, I handled a range of commercial litigation for mid-sized and large corporate clients.

Bachelor Of Laws (Llb), Law

Diploma In Public Administration, Public Administration

The DPA program allowed senior City staff from different divisions to discuss and evaluate organizational learning, organizational change.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Economics