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 engaging speaker, experienced in social justice, human rights and employment law, 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.

• End-of-life care, education, and patient advocacy.

• Human rights and access to justice for marginalized communities.

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PUBLISHED AUTHOR AND CYBERSECURITY RESEARCHER

 

While completing her law degree, Melissa co-authored the “Understanding Canadian Cybersecurity Laws” series, published by IT World Canada (ITWC), 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, employment law and civil litigation. In mid-2024, she was rostered with the Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) and began accepting Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) Certificates, in association with late-mentor Alvin I. Schieck and ASAP Law Barristers, to represent patients and community members 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).

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In 2025, Melissa began her sole practice at Lukings Law, in order to expand her scope of practice. Following the unexpected passing of Alvin I. Schieck and the subsequent closure of ASAP Law Barristers, Melissa transitioned to full-time legal practice as Lukings Law.

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ONGOING RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

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

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• Law Society of Ontario (LSO).

• County of Carleton Law Association (CCLA).

• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

• Law And Mental Disorder Association (LAMDA).

 

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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Melissa welcomes you to reach out for a consultation.