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Chelsea Smith

Lawyer

tel 519-672-5666 x7308

email
    office London, ON

Chelsea' s Practice Areas

Chelsea' s Team

Education & Year of Call

  • Bar Admission, Ontario (2017)
  • LL.B. in Quebec Civil Law, Université Laval (2016)
  • J.D., Western University (2015)
  • Diplôme de français juridique, Western University (2015)
  • Honours Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature and French, Huron University College at Western University (2011)

Biography

“Through my work at the UN in Geneva and in class actions at McKenzie Lake, I have learned the importance of strength in numbers.”

Chelsea Smith is a bilingual associate on McKenzie Lake’s highly experienced class actions team. Her practice focuses on representing plaintiffs in class action, mass tort, and complex multi-party litigation.

Prior to her call to the Ontario Bar in 2017, Chelsea worked at McKenzie Lake as a summer student and articling student. During this time, she assisted with several class actions and developed a keen interest in achieving justice through class action litigation. As part of the class actions team, Chelsea works and has worked on many high-profile cases, including the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre class action, the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal class action, the 2011 Manitoba flood class action, and some of the largest pharmaceutical and consumer class actions in Canada.

Through strength in numbers, class actions provide access to justice for those who might otherwise be unable to pursue their claims. Chelsea is committed to providing access to justice in both official languages. Although London is her hometown, she has also lived in Quebec (Trois-Pistoles, Alma, and Quebec City) and in France (Ornex). Living in Quebec and France allowed Chelsea to transform her passion for the French language into fluency. During law school, Chelsea’s passion for the French language continued and led her to pursue a Diplôme de français juridique and an LL.B. in Quebec civil law in addition to her Juris Doctor degree.

Committed to enhancing the bilingual capacity of Ontario’s future and current legal professionals as an essential step in improving access to justice in French, Chelsea has worked as an adjunct professor at Western Law, where she taught two upper-year Juris Doctor courses and one LL.M. course in French. Before joining McKenzie Lake, Chelsea worked at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, briefing the Canadian Ambassador and First Secretary, Legal Affairs on a variety of public international law issues.

Outside of the office, Chelsea enjoys reading, volunteering, and cheering on the Western Mustangs football team. She stays active by swimming with the London Silver Dolphins masters swim team.

Biography

“Through my work at the UN in Geneva and in class actions at McKenzie Lake, I have learned the importance of strength in numbers.”

Chelsea Smith is a bilingual associate on McKenzie Lake’s highly experienced class actions team. Her practice focuses on representing plaintiffs in class action, mass tort, and complex multi-party litigation.

Prior to her call to the Ontario Bar in 2017, Chelsea worked at McKenzie Lake as a summer student and articling student. During this time, she assisted with several class actions and developed a keen interest in achieving justice through class action litigation. As part of the class actions team, Chelsea works and has worked on many high-profile cases, including the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre class action, the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal class action, the 2011 Manitoba flood class action, and some of the largest pharmaceutical and consumer class actions in Canada.

Through strength in numbers, class actions provide access to justice for those who might otherwise be unable to pursue their claims. Chelsea is committed to providing access to justice in both official languages. Although London is her hometown, she has also lived in Quebec (Trois-Pistoles, Alma, and Quebec City) and in France (Ornex). Living in Quebec and France allowed Chelsea to transform her passion for the French language into fluency. During law school, Chelsea’s passion for the French language continued and led her to pursue a Diplôme de français juridique and an LL.B. in Quebec civil law in addition to her Juris Doctor degree.

Committed to enhancing the bilingual capacity of Ontario’s future and current legal professionals as an essential step in improving access to justice in French, Chelsea has worked as an adjunct professor at Western Law, where she taught two upper-year Juris Doctor courses and one LL.M. course in French. Before joining McKenzie Lake, Chelsea worked at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, briefing the Canadian Ambassador and First Secretary, Legal Affairs on a variety of public international law issues.

Outside of the office, Chelsea enjoys reading, volunteering, and cheering on the Western Mustangs football team. She stays active by swimming with the London Silver Dolphins masters swim team.

Honours & Awards

During her eight years of university studies, Chelsea earned 14 academic awards, including a gold medal and the David H.M. Stewart Memorial Award from Huron University College and the prestigious Richard J Schmeelk Canada Fellowship. In 2018, she received the Young Alumni Award of Distinction from Huron University College.

Insights & Articles

Community Involvement

  • Huron University College Board of Governors, Member (2023 to present)
  • Huron University College Alumni Association Board, President (2023 to present)
  • The Advocates’ Society Class Actions Practice Group, Member-at-Large (2023 to present)
  • Huron University College Academic Council, Member (2022 to present)
  • Huron University College Alumni Mentorship Program, Mentor (2020 to present)
  • Huron University College Alumni Association Board, Director (2019 to present)
  • American Association for Justice Canadian Caucus Education Committee, Member (2018 to present)
  • Huron University College Alumni Association Board, Vice-President (2020 to 2023)
  • London Public Library READ Program, Volunteer (2018-2023)
  • London Public Library Board Governance Committee, Chair (2022)
  • London Public Library Board CEO Performance Review Committee, Member (2021-2022)
  • London Public Library Board Representative, Friends of the London Public Library Executive Board (2021-2022)
  • London Public Library Board Executive Committee, Member (2020-2022)
  • London Public Library Board, Trustee (2020-2022)
  • Schmeelk Canada Foundation Board, Director (2018-2022)
  • Richard J Schmeelk Canada Fellowship Selection Committee, Member (2018-2022)
  • Western Law, Adjunct Professor (2017-2020)
  • Ontario Artistic Swimming, Official (2007-2020)

News

 

Professional Associations

  • American Association for Justice
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Law Society of Ontario
  • Middlesex Law Association
  • Ontario Bar Association
  • Richard J. Schmeelk Canada Fellow