Canadian Lawyer InHouse

JANUARY 2016 40 INHOUSE P r o f e s s i o n a l P r o f i l e Hur. The justice issues and the human rights issues in that movie inspired me to go into law." She articled with the Ottawa firm of Nelligan Power LLP. In 1995, she joined the federal govern- ment-appointed commission of inquiry into the Canadian Airborne Regiment's conduct in Somalia. She was involved in evaluating and organizing the documentation. "We had 39,000 documents, and a team of us, mostly lawyers, helped flow them to the counsel for the inquiry," she recalls. Armstrong then went to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, serving in a series of roles over 13 years. She started as a legal researcher, investigator, and conciliator, and then moved up to counsel, senior coun - sel, and director-general of the legal services branch. Her leadership helped the commis- sion reduce the time taken to complete hu- man rights complaints by more than half. She then became director-general of the corporate management branch. The most memorable part of her time at the CHRC was her involvement, in her final two years, in international human rights law. The CHRC played a leadership role in the Geneva-based International Co-ordinating Committee for National Human Rights Institutions. Armstrong chaired the accreditation sub - committee. This body reviewed applications from various countries that were creating human rights commissions and wanted the international respectability that accredita - tion conferred. "It was an immensely stimu- lating experience," she says, "because you got to see the status of human rights protec- tions in so many different nations." She moved to Toronto in 2007 on an in- terchange program with Legal Aid Ontario. The assignment as vice president, Eastern Ontario, was for three years, but one year in, when the post at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board became available, Armstrong jumped at the opportunity. Her role as chair was to ensure the ef - fective day-to-day operation of the board, especially the appointment and training of the 30 to 40 adjudicators who hold hearings across the province on compensation claims by victims of violence. She implemented an initiative to improve service to victims that resulted in a 60-per-cent reduction in claims processing time. "I put emphasis on being very supportive of staff and adjudicators," she says, "because they are hearing, on an ongoing basis, some of the worst things that one human being can do to another." IH York was looking for someone with experience managing in a legal environment who respected the diversity of the population that York has in its student body and faculty and staff. MAUREEN ARMSTRONG, York University '' '' E V E N T S REGISTRATION FEE $ 595 Balancing client needs, business obligations and government mandates can be a challenging. Lexpert's on- demand webinars provide a complete understanding of obstacles within your areas of expertise. Choose from our timely and relevant selection of topics including: - Corporate Governance - Advertising & Marketing Law - Information Privacy & Data Protection - Anti-Bribery & Corruption To learn more contact us at 1-877-298-5868 or visit www.lexpert.ca/cpdcentre

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