U of T Law graduate Anita Szigeti (LLB 1990) is the founding lawyer of Anita Szigeti Advocates, a Toronto firm focusing on mental health and the law. She is currently co-director of the Mental Health Law course within the Health Law LLM at Osgoode Professional Development, where she obtained a Certificate in Tribunal Adjudication in 2018.
Anita is a co-author of several influential textbooks, including Canadian Anthology on Mental Health and the Law (Forthcoming - 2024), Law and Mental Health in Canada: Cases and Materials (2023), Halsbury’s Mental Health Law (2023), A Guide to Consent and Capacity Law in Ontario (2024), and A Guide to Mental Disorder Law in Canadian Criminal Justice (2020).
She is a recognized expert in mental disorder law, both in civil and criminal contexts. Since 2014, she has represented clients in Nunavut as a member of the Nunavut Law Society. Anita chaired the Mental Health Legal Committee (MHLC) for a decade and was the founding Chair of Legal Aid Ontario’s Mental Health Law & Policy Advisory Group. Her leadership extends to the Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA), where she served as an elected Toronto Director and Chair of the Mental Disorder Portfolio. During the COVID pandemic, she also held the position of CLA’s Women’s Director.
Anita founded the Law and Mental Disorder Association (LAMDA), a national umbrella organization for 250 lawyers practicing mental health law. She is also the founder and Secretary of Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD), advocating for women and gender non-conforming criminal defense lawyers in Canada. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) and Pilot Place Society.
Anita has litigated thousands of cases at the tribunal level, leaving a lasting impact on mental health law. Anita Szigeti’s tireless dedication to mental health advocacy has shaped the legal landscape and improved the lives of countless individuals. In addition, Anita is a dedicated U of T Law volunteer and frequently coaches our student mooting teams.
