Laverne Jacobs

Laverne Jacobs is a Full Professor at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law, where she has taught since 2007, and made history as the first Canadian elected to serve on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the 2023-2026 term. Her groundbreaking work includes authoring Canada's first law and disability textbook, "Law and Disability in Canada," and the Annotated Accessible Canada Act. As founder and director of The Law, Disability and Social Change Project, she leads research initiatives focused on fostering inclusive communities through research, community engagement, and public advocacy. Her expertise spans disability rights, administrative law, and human rights, with her work being influenced by her personal experience acquiring a disability as an adult. Her excellence has been recognized through numerous accolades, including the 2021 Canadian Bar Association Touchstone Award. She has served as Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies (2018-2021) and has been appointed to various public positions, including testifying before the Senate of Canada on disability issues. Her research uniquely explores the lived experiences of people with disabilities in relation to law, examining topics from transportation inequality to citizen participation in accessibility regulations.