Michael Battista

Michael Battista LL.B. (Queen’s) B.A. (Toronto) was called to the Ontario bar in 1992 and has been practicing immigration and refugee law exclusively since that time. He is certified as a specialist in Citizenship and Immigration law (Immigration and Refugee Protection) by the Law Society of Ontario. His legal practice involves representation of clients in all areas of immigration and refugee law with a particular focus on immigration issues for the LGBTQ community, academics, and inadmissibility. Michael is the co-author of Canadian Family and Immigration Law: Intersections, Developments, and Conflicts (2015, Carswell). He is adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law and at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, where he was awarded the inaugural Teaching Innovation Award in 2018. He served as Litigation Coordinator for the Canadian Bar Association’s Immigration Section and received the section’s Volunteer Appreciation Award in 2019. His work with CBA has focused on access to justice for unrepresented litigants.

Michael served as Chair of Board of the AIDS Committee of Toronto, and is the Founding Chair of Rainbow Railroad, an LGBTQ refugee support organization. Michael was awarded membership in the Ontario AIDS Network Honor Roll in recognition of his work on issues related to HIV and immigration. He is also a recipient of the Metropolitan Community Church’s Community Service Award.