Michela practices largely in the areas of access and privacy law and also works closely with clients with respect to bullying and harassment investigations and respectful workplace training, particularly in the entertainment sector.
As part of her privacy law practice, she represents clients in proceedings before provincial and federal privacy commissioners and provides strategic advice to both public and private sector clients on their privacy obligations including with respect to the handling of access to information requests; cross-border data transfers; diversity data collection; third party service provider agreements; the implementation of various technology in the workplace (including AI, online monitoring and surveillance); and the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. She also assists First Nations bands and organizations in navigating the privacy law landscape including by advising on the applicability of provincial and federal privacy legislation to various committees and departments; drafting policies and handbooks; and advising on archival and historical record collection, storage and retention.
Additionally, she provides virtual and in-person workshops and training to organizations including with respect to privacy awareness, access requests, privacy officer duties, and privacy management programs.
She brings a keen sense of practicality and problem-solving to the legal issues she helps her clients resolve. Michela joined Harris as an articled student, and became an associate in September 2015. She became a partner in January 2023.
Michela is the chair of the firm’s Student Committee.
Recognition
- Lexpert 2024 “Lawyers to Watch” in Data Protection & Privacy
Recent Speaking Engagements
- “Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and the Anti-Racism Data Act”, CBABC Privacy Law Conference, January 2024
- “Addressing the Unknown: Arbitrators Respond to the Use of Artificial Intelligence”, Lancaster House Labour Arbitration and Policy Conference, November 2023
- “Wired Work: Maintaining Confidentiality, Privacy, and Security in the Remote Workplace”, Lancaster House Winter Webinar Series, March 2023
- “LGBTQIA lawyers”, Womxn in Law Series, Global Lawyers of Canada, February 2021
Recent Publications
- “Navigating AI in the Workplace: Policy-Drafting for the Inevitable”, PeopleTalk Online, January 2024
Current Professional & Community Involvement
- Member at Large, Freedom of Information & Privacy Law Section, Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia Branch
- Member, Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance (SAGDA) Section, Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia Branch
- Privacy Publications Committee, California Lawyers Association
- Board Member, The Canadian Association of LGBTQ2S+ Lawyers
- Board Member, Out on Screen
- Committee Member, The Hoop-Law Society
*Law Corporation
Practice Areas
Year of Call
- British Columbia, 2015
- State Bar of California, 2020
Education
- JD, University of British Columbia, 2014
- MA, University of the Fraser Valley, 2012
- BA, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 2010