Melissa K. A. Lukings

Melissa Lukings is a dedicated Barrister and Solicitor, licensed to practice law in Ontario since June 2023. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of New Brunswick (2022) and a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from Memorial University of Newfoundland (2015). Alongside her legal practice, Melissa is a published author, intersectional activist, and research assistant, experienced in social justice, human rights, data privacy, and cybersecurity law.

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Melissa's commitment to social justice is evident in her extensive history of community involvement and activism, particularly with non-profit organizations focused on:

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• Harm reduction and mental health advocacy.

• Crisis and suicide intervention.

• Violence prevention and reproductive justice.

• Human rights and access to justice for marginalized communities.

 

PUBLISHED AUTHOR AND CYBERSECURITY EXPERT

While completing her law degree, Melissa co-authored the “Understanding Canadian Cybersecurity Laws” series, published by IT World Canada, which won a Gold Award for Best Blog Column at the 2020 Canadian Online Publishing Awards. Building on this success, she co-authored a textbook titled “Understanding Cybersecurity Law and Digital Privacy: A Common Law Perspective”, published by Springer Nature AG Switzerland in December 2021.

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In mid-2022, Melissa co-authored a second article series, “Understanding Current Cybersecurity Challenges in Law”, and published her second book, “Understanding Cybersecurity Law in Data Sovereignty and Digital Governance”, in October 2022.

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EXPERIENCED WITNESS AND PARLIAMENTARY APPEARANCES

Melissa’s knowledge and experience in privacy and cybersecurity law led to multiple invitations to testify as an expert witness before the Parliament of Canada. She appeared twice before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) and once before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST). Her testimony contributed to:

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• The parliamentary review of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA).

• Discussions on current challenges in online privacy and Criminal Code provisions.

 

LEGAL PRACTICE AND AREAS OF FOCUS

Following her Call to the Bar in 2023, Melissa began practicing at an Ottawa-based civil litigation firm, with a focus on human rights and employment law. By mid-2024, she was rostered with the Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) and began accepting Legal Aid Ontario Certificates to represent patients in matters related to the:

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• Health Care Consent Act (HCCA).

• Mental Health Act (MHA).

• Substitute Decisions Act (SDA).

• Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).

• Mandatory Blood Testing Act (MBTA).

 

ONGOING RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Melissa remains actively involved in a range of research projects covering cybersecurity, data privacy, legal reform, and access to justice. She is currently a member of:

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• The Law Society of Ontario (LSO).

• The County of Carleton Law Association (CCLA).

• The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

 

SERVING CLIENTS ACROSS ONTARIO

Although Melissa’s practice is primarily based in Ottawa, she is pleased to accept remote referrals from anywhere in Ontario, ensuring access to quality legal representation for clients across the province.

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If you need assistance with mental health law, civil litigation, employment law, human rights law,  or privacy and data protection matters, Melissa welcomes you to reach out for a consultation.