
Christine O’Doherty, Lawyer
Executive Director
Christine O’Doherty has been Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) since 2017 and has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1994. A bilingual lawyer (French and English), she has strong expertise in Indigenous law and administrative law. An experienced manager and effective communicator, she has also played a key role throughout her career in the development and implementation of public and government relations strategies for various high-profile organizations.
A certified trainer and adult education specialist, Ms. O’Doherty has over 8.5 years of experience in continuing legal education at CIAJ. She designs and facilitates specialized workshops, including on judgment and decision writing, tailored to the Canadian judiciary and other legal professionals. She has also contributed to the development of customized programs for courts, aimed at improving writing quality, decision-making effectiveness, and access to justice.
Before joining CIAJ, Ms. O’Doherty taught for 14 years at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal, where she was responsible for the cross-disciplinary skills program for undergraduate and graduate students. This experience allowed her to build strong expertise in instructional design and the delivery of key competencies.
At CIAJ, she oversees the development and implementation of innovative training programs for the judiciary and the Canadian legal community, incorporating participatory and practice-oriented approaches. Her initiatives focus particularly on contemporary issues related to access to justice and improvements in judicial administration.
Alongside her professional responsibilities, Ms. O’Doherty devotes part of her free time to writing novels.