Our
People

Having successfully argued many cases of social significance, the lawyers of Swadron Associates have gained a reputation as fearless advocates, committed to excellence in representing their clients and furthering social justice causes. Learn more about our team members below.

Marshall A. Swadron

He/him

  • Marshall has served as counsel in all levels of Ontario courts, the Federal Court and in the Supreme Court of Canada, where he recently represented the winning party in G. v. Ontario. He also has considerable administrative law experience before tribunals, inquests and in applications for judicial review.

    His practice areas include mental health and capacity law, guardianship and estate litigation, professional regulation, constitutional law and abuse of state power.

    Marshall is also available to act as a mediator and has completed a semester-long course in Mediation and Conflict Management offered by the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

    Marshall has been appointed amicus curiae or “friend of the court” before the Superior Court of Justice and in the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He is frequently appointed by the Public Guardian and Trustee to represent alleged incapable persons in guardianship applications. Marshall’s approach is to enhance the autonomy and participation of vulnerable persons in their own decision-making. He works hard to resolve difficult cases in a manner that is consistent with his clients’ wishes.

    Marshall’s teaching experience includes numerous speaking engagements and thirteen years as an instructor in the Public Law section of the Bar Admission Course and the Skills and Professional Responsibility Program of the Law Society’s lawyer licensing process. He served as co-chair of the Law Society's Administrative Law Practice Essentials Program from 2011 to 2017. He also contributes to the lawyer licensing process barrister reference material as the author of three chapters on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and constitutional litigation.

    Marshall is a member of the Advocates' Society and the Toronto Lawyers Association and Chair of the Mental Health Legal Committee. He sits on the Legal Aid Ontario Mental Health Law Advisory Committee, the Alliance for Sustainable Legal Aid and the Ontario Estates Bench-Bar Liaison Committee. He is a Public Guardian and Trustee client-lawyer panel member.

  • LL.B. Osgoode Hall Law School: 1987

    Called to the Bar: 1989, Ontario

    Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Management, The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School: 2024

  • Law Society of Ontario

    Advocates’ Society

    Toronto Lawyers Association

    Mental Health Legal Committee

  • mas@swadron.com
    Tel: (416) 362-1234, ext 231
    Fax: (416) 362-1232

    Assistant: Vladislava Usacheva
    vusacheva@swadron.com
    (416) 362-1234 ext. 241

Sarah Latimer

She/her

  • Sarah is an empathetic, practical, and persistent lawyer who works across the firm’s practice areas.

    She is particularly dedicated to representing individuals and families on guardianship, estates, powers of attorney, and capacity matters. Her commitment to her clients is evident in her regular appearances at hearings and appeals. Sarah has appeared before the Consent and Capacity Board, Ontario Review Board, Superior Court of Justice, and Ontario Court of Appeal and has been appointed as section 3 counsel for persons alleged to be incapable in Superior Court guardianship matters. Sarah also works in civil and constitutional litigation.

    At short hearings and at long trials, she represents those who seek to challenge laws as unconstitutional or hold public officials, hospitals, lawyers, police services, and others to account.

    Sarah obtained her BA (Honours) in Psychology from Queen's University. She was admitted to the senior status law program at the University of Cambridge, Lucy Cavendish College and graduated with a BA (Honours) in Law in 2010. Sarah served as a judicial law clerk to the Superior Court of Justice judges in Toronto and was called to the Bar of Ontario in June 2013. She joined Swadron Associates in March 2015.

  • University of Cambridge: 2015
    M.A. Law

    Call to the Bar: 2013, Ontario

    National Committee on Accreditation: 2011
    Certificate of Qualification

    University of Cambridge: 2010
    B.A. (Honours) Law

    Queen’s University: 2007
    B.A. (Honours) with distinction, Psychology Major & International Development Minor

  • slatimer@swadron.com
    Tel: (416) 362-1234 ext. 228
    Fax: (416) 362-1232

    Assistant: Valerie Marzola
    vmarzola@swadron.com
    (416) 362-1234 ext. 238

Lisa Leinveer

She/her

  • Lisa’s practice includes civil,  administrative, and appellate advocacy, primarily in mental health,  human rights and estate law.

    Lisa holds a Master of Arts in Women's Studies and Feminist Research from the University of Western Ontario and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Queen's University. She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, where she worked as a student caseworker in the  Social Assistance, Violence and Health Division of Parkdale Community Legal Services and researched the Ontario employment standards regime and legal clinic education.

    Lisa articled at the United Steelworkers Canadian Legal Department, where she was immersed in all aspects of labour law and proceedings. Following her call to the Ontario Bar in  2016, Lisa served as junior counsel with Cavalluzzo  Shilton McIntyre Cornish LLP in a significant pay equity human rights application brought by the Association of Ontario Midwives

  • Queen's University: 2008
    B.A. (Honours) Philosophy

    University of Western Ontario: 2010
    M.A. Women's Studies & Feminist Research

    J.D. Osgoode Hall Law School, York University: 2015

    Call to the Bar: 2016, Ontario

  • Law Society of Ontario

    Ontario Bar Association

    Mental Health Legal Committee

  • lleinveer@swadron.com
    Tel: (416) 362-1234, ext 242
    Fax: (416) 362-1232

    Assistant: Vladislava Usacheva
    vusacheva@swadron.com
    (416) 362-1234 ext 241

Jen Danch

She/her

  • Jen’s interest in social justice law emerged from her 10+ year career as a front-line social worker. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto and obtained her Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall  Law School. 

    Jen previously worked as a lawyer at the Ontario Human Rights  Commission, advancing the Commission’s systemic advocacy on racial profiling,  barriers to employment for refugees, poverty, and the Right to Read Inquiry. She continues to represent clients who have been discriminated against in human rights cases.

    In 2023, Jen was counsel in two successful constitutional challenges to the eviction of homeless encampments in Waterloo and Kingston.

    A significant portion of Jen’s practice is dedicated to representing victims of violence, sexual assault and child abuse. This involves advocacy in criminal proceedings and pursuing civil claims against the perpetrators and the institutions that facilitated the abuse.  She is a cofounder of Legal Advocates Against Sexual Violence (LASV).

    Jen is passionate about elder law and assists clients in navigating disputes about how to make personal care and financial decisions for family members under the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992. She frequently represents allegedly incapable persons and has been appointed amicus curiae in various contexts.

    Jen has completed the Sitt Feld Handy alternative dispute resolution course from the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. She applies her conflict resolution and mediation skills to her estate, guardianship, mental health, and consent & capacity law work.

    This past year, Jen represented the family of the late Attila Csanyi in a Coroner’s Inquest.  Attila was a young Romani man from Hamilton, Ontario who died of a drug overdose after being unlawfully evicted from a Residential Care Facility (RCF) at the beginning of the COVID-10 pandemic. The 21 jury recommendations call for enhanced tenant protections for residents living in RCFs across the province.

  • University of Toronto: 2003
    B.A. (Honours) Specialist Program: International Development Studies

    University of Toronto: 2006
    Master of Social Work

    J.D. Osgoode Hall Law School, York University: 2017

    Call to the Bar: 2018 Ontario

  • Law Society of Ontario

    Law Union of Ontario

    Legal Advocates Against  Sexual Violence

    Mental Health Legal Committee

    Movement Defence Committee

  • jdanch@swadron.com
    Tel: (416) 362-1234 ext. 229
    Fax: (416) 362-1232

    Assistant: Vladislava Usacheva
    vusacheva@swadron.com
    (416) 362-1234 ext 241