Though it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend Jennifer Lynch, Q.C. on November 13, 2013 in Ottawa, Canada, we also want to celebrate Jennifer’s full life and the many contributions she made to the field of conflict management – and to the lives of her many colleagues who remember her with great respect and affection.
A trusted and well-respected lawyer, mentor, and advisor to her friends and colleagues around the world, Jennifer will be fondly remembered for her knack of connecting and supporting people, for livening up meetings and events with her warmth and humor and for generously providing her wisdom and knowledge. Jennifer was an elected Board Member of the Association for Conflict Resolution from 2002-2005 and prior to that served as the co-chair of its Organizational Conflict Management Section from 1997-2002. She was the initial editor of the Systems Design section of mediate.com. An innovator, recognized expert and leader in the theory and design of conflict management systems, Jennifer was the co-author of the internationally acclaimed “Designing Integrated Conflict Management Systems – Guidelines for Practitioners and Decision Makers in Organizations” published by Cornell University Press in 2001. She played a significant role in drafting these guidelines while serving on the committee – ADR in the Workplace Initiative – of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (now the Association for Conflict Resolution). Jennifer authored and co-authored numerous other publications on this subject, and as founder of PDG Group for nearly 20 years, she advised large organizations in the design, practice and implementation of Integrated Conflict Management Systems including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Department of National Defence, Canada Revenue Agency, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (Department of Homeland Security), and the World Bank.
Throughout her illustrious career, Jennifer acted in many public service roles and lastly, served as the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission from 2007-2012. She believed and lived by the principle enshrined in the Canadian Human Rights Act that “all individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives they are able and wish to have….”
Besides legions of friends and colleagues around the world, Jennifer leaves behind her husband Pierre Richard, two stepchildren and their spouses, and six grandchildren. Jennifer’s kindness, compassion and generosity will be missed, as will her formidable energy and spirit. Her monument is the many lives she enriched. May she rest in peace.
The full obituary may be found here.
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