Biography
A native of Chatham Head, New Brunswick, Professor Russell earned her bachelor of arts from St. Thomas University and a bachelor of laws from Dalhousie Law School. She subsequently earned a master’s in international law from Cambridge University. In addition to being a law professor, she was dean of the Dalhousie Law School for ten years, and has been an associate lawyer with Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales.
At Dalhousie Law School, Russell taught business law, securities regulations, corporate governance, international law, and law of the sea. She also supervised graduate students and was cross-appointed to the Department of International Development. In addition to leadership roles, her administrative experience includes university committee work on appointments, admissions, academics, and planning.
Throughout her career, Russell has been active in the community and a leader in the legal profession. Among many activities, she was a founding member of the Centre for Law and Democracy, served on the Maritime Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee, and was a long-time executive member of the Lawyers for Social Responsibility. She is an honorary fellow of the Canadian Bar Law for the Future Fund, was appointed Queen’s Counsel, and received the Francis Fish Award for Excellence and Leadership in the Legal Profession.