Michelle Sutherland

Michelle Sutherland (she/her) is Director of Legal Services at CLCYR. She has been a clinic lawyer from day one—volunteering at the Windsor Law Student Legal Clinic in her first semester of law school, articling with South Etobicoke Legal Community Services, and spending seven years practising at the Grey Bruce Community Legal Clinic before joining CLCYR in September 2022.

Michelle is deeply committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and is a fierce defender of the rights of low-income residents of York Region. Having grown up in poverty in York Region, she brings lived experience to her work and a deep understanding of the systems that shape people’s lives. She believes meaningful, lasting change is driven by community-led advocacy and collective action, and actively seeks collaboration with organizations and individuals working toward shared goals and systemic impact. Outside of work, she is a mom to two young children and the devoted human of two Great Danes.