Speaker Bio

Philippa Lawson
Barrister & Solicitor (Ontario),
Executive Director, Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic

Topic: Canadian Homeland Security: Lawful Access

Ms. Lawson is Executive Director, Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, Canada's only technology law clinic. Her current work focuses on training students in effective advocacy, producing relevant online resources, and ensuring that the public interest is robustly represented in government policy development and law-making processes. From 1991 to 2003, Ms Lawson practiced administrative law and consumer advocacy with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa. During this period, Ms. Lawson represented consumer and public interest clients in all of Canada's major telecommunications regulatory proceedings; she has also appeared at all levels of the federal court system, including the Supreme Court of Canada. In addition, Ms. Lawson has worked with Canadian and international consumer organizations on issues including privacy protection and technology, electronic commerce, and cross-border dispute resolution.