Suzanne Bouclin teaches in the areas of social justice, human rights and conflict resolution. Her courses examine legal institutions and structures through the lexicon, theories and methods of critical legal studies, feminist jurisprudence and film/communications studies. She holds a PhD from McGill University, two interdisciplinary MAs and has been a member of the Law Society of Ontario since 2002.
Dr Bouclin is the recipient of the University of Ottawa’s prestigious Young Researcher of the Year Award (2015) and an outgoing member of the Global Young Academy (2016-2021). Her first monograph Women, Film, and Law (2021) explores how fictional representations of women’s incarceration can illuminate the marginalization, social exclusion, and oppression experienced by criminalized women. Her current projects include: a study of how social justice is constituted through popular culture; a practical guide to engaging in conflict resolution to advance the rights of equity-seeking groups; and an on-going partnership with the Ottawa Mission helping street-involved people document their experiences through digital storytelling.
Professor Bouclin is highly regarded for her work in furthering social justice for marginalized people. From 2016-2018 she was appointed to the Ontario Human Right’s Tribunal. In 2014, she relaunched the Ticket Defence Program - a free mobile legal clinic providing legal services to homeless people in Ottawa. Throughout her career, she has advanced substantive equality by working for and with organizations such as Court Challenges Program of Canada; the National Associations Active in Criminal Justice ; the National Association of Women in the Law ; ProBono Students Canada; and the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund. Her advocacy was recognized by her peers in 2014 with the Faculty of Law’s Community Service Award.
Suzanne Bouclin is a well-respected mediator, conducts workplace investigations, and regularly trains decision-makers and members of the legal profession on implicit bias.