Meet Debbie Boswell

Debbie Boswell is an associate lawyer at Lerners LLP, practising in the health law, commercial litigation, and appellate advocacy groups. Following law school, Debbie completed clerkships at both the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada. After working in New York, she returned to her hometown of London to join Lerners in 2019. She is licensed to practice law in both Ontario and New York.

Within her health law practice, Debbie works closely to assist regulated health professionals with litigation, College investigations and complaints, privacy matters, human rights issues, applications for judicial review, and more.

In her commercial litigation and appellate advocacy practice, Debbie is developing a broad litigation practice including labour and employment law, workplace investigations, human rights law, contractual disputes, applications for judicial review, derivative actions and the oppression remedy.

Debbie has particular expertise in the university education section. She provides advice to post-secondary institutions in Ontario, including on employment and labour law, human rights issues, contracts, privacy obligations, and litigation.

• Partner (2023-Present)
• Associate Lawyer, Lerners LLP (2019-2022)
• Associate Lawyer, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (2018-2019)
• Judicial Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Canada (2017-2018)
• Judicial Law Clerk, Court of Appeal for Ontario (2016-2017)
• Research Assistant, University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2014-2016)
• Summer Student, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (2015, 2016)

• Admitted to the New York Bar (2018)
• Admitted to the Ontario Bar (2017)
• Juris Doctor (with distinction), University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2016)
• Honours Bachelor of Arts (with distinction), Western University (2013)

• Best Lawyers in Canada, Ones to Watch, Appellate Practice
• Graduation with Distinction, University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2016)
• Honours Standing, University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2013-2016)
• 1st Place Team, Wilson Moot (2015)
• 1st Place Written Arguments (tied), Wilson Moot (2015)
• 3rd Place Oralist, Wilson Moot (2015)
• Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP Award for Academic Excellence (2014)
• Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP Award (2014)
• Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP Prize in Contracts (2014)
• Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal (2013)
• Gold Medal – Scholar’s Electives Program, Western University (2013)
• Faculty of Social Science Entrance Scholarship, Western University (2009-2013)
• Governor General’s Academic Bronze Medal (2009)

• Co-Author, “Limitations Act Chapters, 2. Incapable Persons/Appointment of Litigation Guardian, Sections 6 - 9” and “Limitations Act Chapters, 3. Attempted Resolutions, Successors, Acknowledgments, and Notices of Possible Claim, Sections 11 - 14” (2021)

• Middlesex Law Association
• Ontario Bar Association
• Canadian Bar Association
• The Advocate’s Society