The Hon. Susan Himel

Susan Himel’s distinguished legal career began with articles at Swadron, Brown, a litigation firm specializing in mental health law, after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1976. Her expertise in mental health and children’s law led to her joining the Official Guardian’s office in 1986 as counsel for the Child Representation Programme. She quickly rose to Deputy Official Guardian in 1987, where she worked to break down organizational silos and integrate legal and social work services for vulnerable children.

Himel took a brief secondment in 1990 as Director of Legal Services for the Support and Custody Enforcement Programme before returning to become Acting Public Trustee in 1993. As Public Guardian and Trustee, she led major organizational reforms, moved the office to new facilities, established regional offices, and successfully implemented the Substitute Decisions Act. Her tenure involved managing complex challenges including budget constraints, staff restructuring, and the demands of serving mentally incapable adults and managing estates.

Throughout her career, Himel demonstrated innovative leadership in modernizing government legal services, particularly in developing specialized lawyer panels, creating multidisciplinary teams, and establishing comprehensive training programs. Her work bridged the transition between different governments and major legislative changes, ultimately serving until her appointment to the bench in 1997.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.