Michelle Sagert obtained her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from the University of the Fraser Valley and was placed on the Dean’s List for academic achievement. After completion of her undergraduate degree, she started her career working in the criminal justice system advocating for incarcerated men and women with a national non-profit. During this time, she developed a deep sense of wanting to help those who were vulnerable to the power dynamic of large institutions so, she pursued a law degree from Leicester University, graduating Summa Cum Laude, at the top of her class where she was awarded the 36 Bedford Row and Queen’s Jubilee Awards for Academic Achievement.
Since her call to the bar Michelle has focused her practice on representing individuals who have been affected by a personal injury. Michelle has a deep understanding of brain injuries, balance injuries and chronic pain and ensures her clients are supported across all areas of their life which may have been affected by their injury. While representing her clients who had suffered an injury it became apparent that her clients often developed a need for legal representation in other areas of the law. Drawing upon the connection she builds with her clients and her deep understanding of their stories she decided that she would expand her practice to enable her to assist her clients with these additional legal issues. As a result, Michelle has acted for clients on matters of family law, employment law, wills and estates, business and shareholder disputes and real estate transactions. Her knowledge in these areas has served her clients well in their personal injury claims as Michelle only gains a more complete picture on how the injury has impacted all aspects of her client’s lives.
Michelle has developed a reputation for being a fierce but practical advocate who utilizes her courtroom skills and trial experience to ensure her clients receive the results they deserve at all levels of the courts including, the Provincial and Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Michelle’s advocacy in the Supreme Court of B.C. is frequently selected for publication in leading legal texts including the Thomson Reuters’ publications of Canadian Cases on the Law of Torts, Practice Cases as well as its Litigator service. The decisions resulting from Michelle’s advocacy were selected because the editors consider these to be important cases in the law and in practice procedure. The publications allow students and other lawyers access to important cases and decisions in the Court.” (For example: Chow v. Wichacz, 2021 BCSC 1604 and Frazier v. Kendall, 2021 BCSC 1791)
Outside of the office you can find Michelle trying to convince her husband to adopt another animal, trying new wines and travelling.
Advocacy
Michelle and Robyn assisted with advocacy with BCEHS unrelated to the labour hearing regarding the paramedics:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/paramedics-fired-labour-arbitration-1.5682490
Notable Judgments
In March 2020, Michelle and Robyn achieved a judgement for their client in excess of $3.175 million for an RCMP officer involved in 2 motor vehicle accidents while on the job. This included an award of $2.4 million in lost wages.
Neufeldt v Marcellus, 2020 BCSV 427 (CanLII)
Speaking Engagements
- Women Lawyers Forum – Authenticity and Difficult Conversations in the Workplace
Recent Continued Education
- Personal injury: Life after CAPS;
- Advanced Depositions College;
