© Copyright 2019, Powell Barristers, Toronto / Severn, Ontario, Canada
Michael Lane Powell, B.A.
LL.B.
Education
Mr. Powell's undergraduate studies were at Victoria
College at the University of Toronto. In 1974, he was
elected to the Victoria University Student's Administrative
Counsel (VUSAC) and served as University Government
Commissioner. He graduated in 1975.
Mr. Powell attended at the McGill University Law School.
At McGill, Mr. Powell was a co-Director of the McGill Legal
Aid Clinic in Montreal Quebec. He worked both as a
director and staff and provided free legal services in
English and French to the McGill students and
surrounding community. He graduated in 1978.
In 1977, Mr. Powell worked as a legal researcher for the
Urban Alliance and Race Relations in Toronto and was
responsible for preparation for a handbook entitled "A
Guide to Human Rights Legislation in Ontario".
In 1978, Mr. Powell was hired to be a legal researcher for
Professor Terrence Wade at McGill Law School, and he
assisted in preparation of case books in the "Law of
Trusts" and the "Law of Remedies" for use at the McGill
Law School.
The Bar
Mr. Powell was called to the Bar in 1980. From
1980 to 1985, Mr. Powell worked as an associate at
the labour law firm of Rovet & Associates in
Toronto. In 1985, Mr. Powell co-founded the law
firm of Griffiths & Powell in North York Ontario
which was a general service law firm with a
division specializing in employment law and labour
relations headed by Mr. Powell.
In April 2002, Mr. Powell co-founded the law firm
of Powell¨Weir specializing in employment law and
labour relations.
Since Mr. Powell's call to the Bar, his practice has
primarily been in the field of employment law and
labour relations. He has conducted collective
agreement negotiations and has appeared as
counsel in Labour Arbitration Boards. He has also
appeared as counsel before both Canada and
Ontario Labour Relations Boards, the Superior
Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal for Ontario,
the Federal Court Trial Division, the Federal Court
of Appeal as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.
Mr. Powell has a number of reported cases and
has also published articles on the law of wrongful
dismissal.
In August 2018 the firm name changed to Powell
Barristers continuing Mr. Powell’s practice in
employment law.
Volunteerism
Mr. Powell has volunteered his time and acted as
counsel to two sports organizations in Canada;
namely the Canadian Amateur Rowing Association
(CARA) in Ottawa and the Ontario Tae Kwon Do
Association (OTA) in Toronto.