Laurier appoints new General Counsel and lead for Office of Legal Services and Fair Practices 

May 16, 2022

Wilfrid Laurier University has appointed Dahlia Bateman as the institution’s new general counsel and lead for the Office of Legal Services and Fair Practices.

Bateman brings to Laurier 17 years of experience as a legal counsel, providing strategic legal advice and advocacy across various sectors including technology, broadcasting, music, and hospitality. Most recently she served as general counsel for a restaurant and hospitality services group of companies that operates across Canada. Her previous experience in the post-secondary sector includes working as the university ombudsperson for Dalhousie University. She has also served on the admissions committee at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie and assisted the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in its admissions process.

Bateman holds a Juris Doctor from Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and a Master of Information Studies and Honours BA from the University of Toronto. She completed her Canadian Certified In-house Counsel from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Bateman is the current Chair of the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association. An active and engaged volunteer, she has served on various boards in the Greater Toronto Area, including St. Leonard’s Place, a transitional home for formerly incarcerated men, and the A-Supreme Nursing Foundation, which supports vulnerable seniors. She is currently a board member of the Toronto Kiwanis Festival which focuses predominantly on students and youth engaged in the performing arts. She also sits on the Toronto District School Board Black Students Advisory Committee and was one of the architects of the Board’s first anti-black racism policy.

On the global stage, Bateman sponsors school programs for youth in Jamaica and is a volunteer advisor for the Canadian Executive Services Organization, which provides humanitarian assistance and professional advice to organizations in 120 countries.

“I am excited to have Ms. Bateman join our senior leadership team. I am confident that her skills and expertise will be a valuable addition to Laurier, including as a key contributor to the president’s cabinet,” says Deborah MacLatchy, president and vice-chancellor. “Her spirit of volunteerism and community service makes her an excellent fit in our thriving community.”

In 2018, Bateman was inducted into the Bertha Wilson Honour Society, presented by the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, which is an award that recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to non-profits, legal professions, and their communities.

“I am honoured to join Laurier as its next General Counsel,” says Bateman. “Joining a global leader in post-secondary education with impressive, award-winning faculty and innovative learning environments across its campuses, is exciting. I look forward to assisting Laurier in achieving its institutional goals and upholding its tradition of excellence.”

Bateman will join Laurier on May 30, succeeding current general counsel Shereen Rowe, who will retire on June 17. Rowe joined Laurier 17 years ago in faculty relations, and served as university secretary and general counsel (2009-2016). Rowe is currently general counsel and lead of the office of Legal Services and Fair Practices. In 2015, she was recognized for her significant contributions to Laurier with a President’s Award for Individual Achievement. 

“It has been a great pleasure to work with Shereen for 15 years, including most recently on the president’s cabinet. I would like to congratulate Shereen and wish her the best on her upcoming retirement,” says MacLatchy.