Margaret Isabel Hall

Margaret Isabel Hall is a Professor and Director of the MA in Applied Legal Studies Program at Simon Fraser University's School of Criminology. She holds the Society of Notaries Public of BC Chair in Applied Legal Studies and maintains adjunct appointments at Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law and Queensland University of Technology's Australian Centre for Health Law Research.

Education:

• BA Hons (University of British Columbia)
• LLB/JD (Queen's University)
• LLM, PhD (University of British Columbia)

Professor Hall's research integrates empirical legal methodologies with doctrinal analysis, focusing on intersections of law, aging, and health. Her work examines mental capacity frameworks, vulnerability theory, and legal responses to dementia within tort, health, and wills law. She employs qualitative research to explore real-world applications of legal principles, particularly regarding relational autonomy and supported decision-making for older adults.

Her recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on health law and elder rights, with significant contributions to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) jurisprudence and legal capacity frameworks. The interdisciplinary nature of her work bridges criminology, medical ethics, and private law, often incorporating sociological perspectives on aging populations.

Research Funding:

• Mental (In)Capacity in Abuse Context (SSHRC, $99,900, 2022-2025)
• End-of-Life Suffering Study (CIHR, $439,875, 2020-2025)
• Human Rights Remedy Assessment (Law Foundation of BC, $16,000, 2021-2023)

Professor Hall actively mentors graduate students in legal aspects of criminology and directs the MA Applied Legal Studies program. She teaches advanced courses including Canadian Legal System, Contract Law, and Wills/Incapacity Planning, with upcoming courses scheduled through Summer 2025. Her professional engagement includes participation in international law conferences on mental capacity and obligations law.