She was a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University
Legal scholar Margaret Hall has been named Lakehead University’s new Bora Laskin Faculty of Law dean.
She officially commences as dean on January 1, 2027. Hall will be taking over from Elizabeth Birmingham, who will remain interim dean until then.
Hall joins from British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University, where she is a criminology professor and holds the applied legal studies professorship. She is the director of SFU’s master of arts in applied legal studies program.
Moreover, Hall serves as special advisor for legal studies to the dean of the faculty of arts and social sciences. Prior to her stint at SFU, she was among the six founding full-time faculty members of Thompson Rivers University’s Faculty of Law, where she was an associate professor.
She helped develop the Thompson Rivers University law school’s curriculum, clinical programming, and experiential learning initiatives. She also contributed to the appointment of faculty members.
Hall was once a staff lawyer with the British Columbia Law Institute and was the founding director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law. She is presently studying tort law, health law, medical assistance in dying, wills and incapacity planning, mental capacity, vulnerability and legal theories of states of mind.
She obtained a bachelor of arts (honours) in history from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor of laws from Queen’s University. She also holds a master of laws and a PhD in interdisciplinary studies from UBC.
“Dr. Hall brings a strong record as an educator, scholar and academic leader, along with the valuable experience of having helped build a law school from its earliest days. She understands the importance of community and the distinctive role a law school can play in the region it serves,” said Gillian Balfour, provost and vice-president (academic) at Lakehead University, in a statement.
Hall said she had been impressed by the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law’s “commitment to excellence and innovation in legal education.”
“The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law stands out among Canadian law schools for its commitment to Indigenous law and justice, and I am grateful for the opportunity to build on the excellent work of former Deans and faculty in collaboration with local First Nations communities and Indigenous organizations,” she said. “Developing support for Indigenous law students and for interdisciplinary research in collaboration with local communities and organizations are key areas of interest.”
Hall also highlighted the unique value of working with a small law school outside a major metropolitan area.
“The special strength of a smaller law school located outside of a large metropolitan area is the opportunity to develop a strong community within the law school, and between the law school, the local legal community, alumni and the broader community. That sense of community supports student success in law school and beyond, and helps foster an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit,” she said.
The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law’s curriculum is founded on aboriginal and indigenous law, environmental and natural resources law, and sole/small town practice.
