Marion Sandilands

Known as an energetic advocate and advisor, Marion takes a strategic and cerebral approach to all matters that come her way. She regularly derives enjoyment from untangling the most complex problems for her clients.
Bio
Marion’s clients count on her to provide excellent service through timely, thoughtful, and on-point advice. She is particularly skilled at legal research and analysis. She is interested in all areas of law and is particularly passionate about constitutional and administrative law as well as advisory work. In her practice, she serves clients in both English and French.
During her career, Marion has acted for a wide range of clients including civil society organizations, school boards, parliamentarians and indigenous clients. She is known for her litigation services and has worked on judicial reviews, appeals, and interventions, including appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada. She currently teaches Canadian Federalism Law at the University of Ottawa.
Marion joined Conway in 2019 after serving as Counsel to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court. She also previously served as a law clerk to the Honourable Andromache Karakatsanis at the Supreme Court of Canada, clerked for Justices Yves de Montigny and Marie-Josée Bédard at the Federal Court of Canada, and practiced at a boutique litigation firm in Ottawa.
Prior to her career in law, Marion worked in the field of international development where she helped manage overseas projects ranging from rural livelihoods to economic research. This work took her to Kenya, Vietnam, Senegal, and Mexico.
When Marion isn’t wrestling with legal matters or with her two little children, she can be found teaching, mentoring, singing, and curling.
Affiliations
- Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario
- County of Carleton Law Association
- Law Society of Ontario
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
Professional Achievement and Community Involvement
- 2020-Present | Federal Courts Bench & Bar Liaison Committee, Canadian Bar Association
- 2020-Present | External Relations Committee, County of Carleton Law Association
- 2020-Present | Steering Committee Member, Access to Justice in English-Speaking Quebec Project
- 2019-Present | Part-time Professor, Canadian Federalism Law, University of Ottawa
- 2017-Present | Board Member, Bytown Museum
- 2018 | Maître de stage, French-language Law Practice Program