Chris is the Managing Director (co-founder) of the Legal Innovation Zone (LIZ), and (co-developer) of the Law Practice Program (LPP), Ryerson University, Toronto.

Chris was an MPP for London West from 2003-2013, and a Minister in 5 Cabinet posts: 4 years as Attorney General, as well as Labour, Training Colleges and Universities, Aboriginal Affairs, and Energy. He drove change initiatives such as Justice on Target (reduced, for the first time in 18 years, the time to trial and the number of court appearances per criminal case), a health and safety initiative that reduced workplace injuries by 20 % in 3 years, the 4 Pillars of Family Reform, Civil Justice Reform, the (then) largest funding increase in Legal Aid’s history, and was part of a new approach to indigenous relations recognized by the United Nations.

Before politics Chris practiced criminal defence and labour law for 23 years. He taught part-time for 10 of those years at Western’s Law School, and helped establish and became the first Chairperson of Neighbourhood Legal Services, London and Middlesex.

U of T Law and Cambridge U grad, Chris has run 3 Boston Marathons.