about michelle
Michelle MacDonald joined Lakefield’s criminal and litigation team in 2022 after completing her articles with the Court of Queen’s Bench and her secondments with Legal Aid and Brian Pfefferle in Saskatoon. In 2021, Michelle was awarded the Western Canada Trial Moot prize, and won The Ted and Helen Hughes prize for excellence in Indigenous Children and Youth and the Law in 2020.
Since being called to the bar in 2022, Michelle has appeared in all levels of Court in Saskatchewan. She has run or assisted on a wide variety of matters, including Charter motions, criminal appeals, criminal jury trials, sentencing submissions, and more. Michelle’s approach is to help clients through intimidating court matters one step at a time, and to ensure her clients have the information and advice they need to decide how they want to handle their matter.
Michelle is passionate about working for her community, and has held volunteer positions with Saskatoon Police Victims Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters Saskatoon, CLASSIC Legal advice clinic, and the Indigenous Youth Opportunities program. She is also on the Board of OUT Saskatoon, which provides 2SLGBTQ people with support services, youth housing, and education services in Saskatoon. In her spare time, Michelle gets creative with painting and building her collection of antiques.
Education
- Juris Doctor with Distinction, University of Saskatchewan (2021)
- Bachelor of Arts Honours, Sociology with High Honours, University of Saskatchewan (2017)
Memberships/Affiliations
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Saskatoon Bar Association
- Member, Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association
- Volunteer, Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan
- Vice-Chair, OUT Saskatoon
Articles
Whether your charges are straightforward or very serious, navigating the criminal justice system can seem like a complex maze which has long…