Biography

Margaret Leighton recently retired from her position directing the delivery of legal services to the 19 tribunals which comprise Tribunals Ontario. Prior to taking on her position at Tribunals Ontario Margaret managed and directed the legal unit at Social Justice Tribunals Ontario. A graduate of both UBC (BA Hons) and U of T (MA and LLB), Margaret practiced labour law before joining the Ontario public service. She has been counsel to a variety of administrative boards and tribunals including the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal, Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and the Board of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Between 2003 and 2006 Margaret was a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board, Refugee Protection Division. Margaret chaired the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals between 2017 and 2019 and continues to serve on CCAT’s executive committee as Past Chair. She is editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Administrative Law and Practice, co-authors the chapter on “Practice before Administrative Tribunals” in Canadian Legal Practice, and is a regular contributor to legal education and professional development programmes. Margaret was first appointed as a lawyer member of the Law Society Tribunal in 2015.