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Aneurin (Nye) Thomas

Executive Director

Nye Thomas joined the LCO in October 2015 and is the Executive Director.

Nye has more than 20 years of experience leading sophisticated, multidisciplinary projects in Ontario’s justice sector. As ED of the Law Commission, Nye is responsible for producing independent and evidence-based analysis and recommendations on complex law reform issues. Current projects include:

Prior to this, Nye was Director General, Policy at Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) where he was responsible for policy development, consultations, and system planning at one of the world’s largest legal aid plans. Nye’s work at LAO included leading the most significant expansion of legal aid services in more than 20 years. Nye has also been Policy Director on major provincial inquiries, including the Ipperwash Inquiry. Nye studied at the University of Toronto (BA), Queen’s University (LLB), and New York University (LLM).

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Laura Caruso

Executive Officer and Secretary to the Board of Governors

Laura Caruso joined the LCO in June 2014 and is the Executive Officer and Secretary to the Board of Governors.

As Executive Officer, Laura is the primary contact and liaison for communications between the ED and the LCO’s stakeholders, and manages the day-to-day operations of the LCO. As Secretary to the Board of Governors, Laura works closely with the LCO’s Board and its Committees, and is responsible for its operational and administrative functions.

Upon her return from studying and working in Europe, Laura gained valuable work experience in both the private and public sector. Prior to the LCO, Laura held a position at the Senate of Canada as a Legislative Assistant to a Senator.

Education

  • LLB, Honours, University of Huddersfield (UK); NCA Certificate of Qualification
  • Certificate in Dispute Resolution, York University
  • BA Honours, York University
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Taylor Najjar

Project and Web Coordinator

Taylor Najjar joined the LCO in September 2024 as Project and Web Coordinator.

Taylor has a decade of experience in communications, project management and software development. As the LCO’s Project and Web Coordinator, Taylor is primarily responsible for managing project delivery of LCO initiatives. Taylor maintains digital communications, the LCO website, and supports project research. Taylor also corresponds with internal and external stakeholders, implements emerging activities and supports day-to-day administration.

Education

  • MA, University of Toronto
  • BA Honours, University of Ottawa
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Ryan Fritsch

Counsel

Ryan Fritsch joined the LCO in December 2016. He is experienced in teaching, litigating, and leading community and corporate social justice initiatives as a Toronto-based lawyer experienced in human rights, technology law, administrative law, and health law.

Ryan previously served as policy counsel leading Legal Aid Ontario’s province-wide Mental Health Strategy, and as legal counsel to Ontario’s Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office. He also served as a member of the Toronto Police Services Board Mental Health Sub-Committee and co-chair leading the Police Record Check Coalition. A frequent lecturer, Ryan taught mental health law at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law (2011-2019) and in the Osgoode Hall Law School Professional LLM in Health Law (2020) where he was nominated for the annual teaching award.

Previous Work Experience

  • Sessional Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School (2020)
  • Policy Counsel, Mental Health Strategy, Legal Aid Ontario (2012-2016)
  • Sessional Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor (2011-2019)
  • Legal Counsel, Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office (2008-2011)
  • Staff Lawyer, EcoJustice Canada (2007-2008)

Education

  • McGill University, Faculty of Law — Montreal — LL.M., 2010
  • University of Windsor, Faculty of Law — Windsor — LL.B., 2005
  • University of Victoria, Department of Political Science — Victoria — B.A., 2002

Current Projects: Criminal AI Lifecycle

Past Projects: Improving the Last Stages of Life, Indigenous Engagement Last Stages of Life, Consumer Protection in the Digital Marketplace

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Susie Lindsay

Counsel

Susie Lindsay joined the LCO in November 2018 with academic, policy and private practice experience.

Susie spent the last twelve years practising litigation: first in regulatory law at a large communications company, and then in civil defence and administrative law at a boutique litigation firm. Susie is a Fulbright Scholar, has a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School and was a fellow at the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

Previous Work Experience

  • Associate, Rogers Partners LLP
  • Regulatory Counsel, Bell Canada
  • Research Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School
  • Law Clerk, Court of Appeal for Ontario

Education

  • Harvard Law School — Cambridge, MA — LL.M., 2005
  • Queen’s University, Faculty of Law — Kingston — LL.B., 2003
  • University of British Columbia, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Honours English — Vancouver — B.A., 1998

Current Project: AI, ADM and the Justice System

Past Project: Class Actions: Objectives, Experiences and Reforms

A picture of Laura Snowdon

Laura Snowdon

Counsel

Laura Snowdon joined the LCO in May 2023. She has experience in trauma-informed approaches to the law and has worked on issues of gender-based violence, human rights, and criminal law.

Laura recently practised civil litigation for claims relating to sexual, physical, and psychological harms at Gillian Hnatiw & Co. She previously served as Commission Counsel to the Mass Casualty Commission, an independent public inquiry created to examine the April 18-19, 2020 mass casualty in Nova Scotia and to provide recommendations to help make communities safer. Laura holds an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from New York University, where she was a Hauser Global Scholar, the Thomas M. Franck Scholar in International Law, and the Canadian Federation of University Women’s Ruth Binnie Fellow.

Previous Work Experience

  • Commission Counsel, Mass Casualty Commission
  • Associate, Gillian Hnatiw & Co.
  • Legal Attaché, International Committee of the Red Cross, Delegation to the United Nations in New York
  • Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Canada
  • Law Clerk, Court of Appeal for Ontario

Education

  • New York University School of Law — New York — LL.M., 2020
  • Western University, Faculty of Law — London — J.D., 2017
  • Queen’s University, Faculty of Arts & Science — Kingston — B.Sc.H. in Biochemistry, 2014

Current Project: Improving Protection Orders