Nov. 7, 2018
Professor appointed to Provincial Court
The Government of Alberta announced on November 6 that it has appointed three new judges to the Provincial Court, including Professor Michelle Christopher, executive director of Student Legal Assistance. Michelle's appointment makes history as she is the first woman appointed to the Medicine Hat Provincial Court in the history of Alberta.
Michelle Christopher, QC, was born in Drumheller. She received her bachelor of laws degree from Dalhousie Law School and her master of laws from Osgoode Hall Law School. Called to the Alberta bar in 1987, Christopher has extensive experience in the areas of family, criminal and civil law, including as a private practitioner in Calgary, as youth criminal defence counsel with Legal Aid Alberta and as a mediator with the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. Prior to her appointment, she served as executive director of Student Legal Assistance, faculty liaison for Pro Bono Students Canada and associate professor of law at the University of Calgary. In addition to her legal work, Christopher has served on the boards of numerous initiatives and organizations within the legal community, both locally and nationally.