Kirsten Mercer

Kirsten Mercer is the founder and principal of Mercer Advocates. She is a highly respected lawyer, adjudicator, mediator, and strategic advisor whose career spans private practice, high-level government leadership, non-profit advocacy and public policy excellence.

Kirsten brings over two decades of experience advancing justice through legal, political, and community-based channels. She specializes in complex civil and administrative law, focusing on human rights, employment law, gender-based violence, and civil claims. Her work combines compelling legal advocacy with policy expertise and deep knowledge of systems and institutions, particularly where power, trauma, and inequality intersect.

Kirsten started her legal career in the litigation group at a major national firm and prior to launching Mercer Advocates, Kirsten was a partner at Goldblatt Partners LLP, where she led high-stakes litigation and advised clients on human rights, workplace law, and civil law issues. She previously held senior leadership roles in government, including as Chief of Staff to the federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and as Senior Advisor to the Premier of Ontario, where she led major justice policy reforms, including Ontario’s landmark Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan. She continues to serve as a member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, where she adjudicates some of the country’s most complex human rights complaints and mediates disputes grounded in systemic discrimination. Her work has shaped legislation, guided public institutions, and supported survivors and communities advocating for systemic change.

Kirsten holds law degrees from McGill University (B.C.L./LL.B., with High Distinction), a Master’s in International Political Economy from the University of Toronto, and a B.A. in International Development from the University of Guelph. She also holds professional certificates in Workplace Investigations, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Leading Strategic Change.

She is fluently bilingual, deeply committed to intersectional feminist advocacy, and brings a trauma-informed, client-centred approach to every matter she takes on. Whether in the courtroom, around a board table, or in front of an inquest or parliamentary committee, Kirsten is known for her thoughtful analysis, strategic thinking, and unwavering integrity.