YORK Osgoode Continuum: Osgoode Hall Law School of York University Alumni Magazine (Winter 2016)

2016·4.6 MB·English

by  Advancement Office, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University

OS G O O D E H A L L L AW S C H O O L O F YO R K U N I V E R S I T Y | A LU M N I M AGA Z I N E
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Visual Advocacy
in the Ascendant
Osgoode sets its sights on areas
where the fairness, accessibility and
effectiveness of justice can be improved
through visual media.
New Ways to Connect
LINKEDIN FACEBOOK YOUTUBE TWITTER
Osgoode Hall facebook.com/ youtube.com/ @OsgoodeNews
Law School osgoode OsgoodeHall
Alumni Group LawSchool
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CONTINUUM 10 Visual Advocacy
in the Ascendant

Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode, with the generous assistance of
Alumni Magazine R
Volume 40 Kathryn Podrebarac ’92, has established
the Fund for Innovation in Law and Media
EDITOR
Anita Herrmann (FILM) to create and sustain experiential
Director, Office of External education programs focused on the use of
Relations & Communications visual advocacy. Initial projects include the E
416-736-5364
Gladue Video Project and the Justice Video
[email protected]
Information Project.
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Virginia Corner T
Manager, Communications 14 Bridging Law
WRITERS
and Community
Suzanne Bowness
Meghan Carrington Osgoode Visiting Professor Jamil Jivani is N
Bev Cline
inspiring Osgoode students to put law into
Virginia Corner
Anita Herrmann action through his Community Organizing
Kaitlin Normandin and the Law course and initiatives such as
Lorne Sossin mobilizing voter turnout in the Jane and I
Christine Ward
Finch neighbourhood.
PHOTOGRAPHY W
Ian Crysler
New Paramount Studios Ltd. 16 Osgoode’s Helping Hand
Sjoerd Witteveen
Members of the Osgoode community go
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION above and beyond to support Syria’s refugees
SPARK | sparkbranding.ca
at home and abroad.
PRINTING
RJM Print Group
20 Celebrating our Illustrious
Continuum is published once a year by Osgoode
Hall Law School of York University for alumni and Osgoode Catalysts
friends. Ideas and opinions expressed in Continuum
do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, Five more trailblazing alumni have been added
Osgoode Hall Law School or York University.
to our list of exceptional individuals who
We invite your letters and comments, and hope you
overcame barriers and paved the way for others.
will keep us posted on where you are and what you
are doing. Please send correspondence to:
03 Message from the Dean
Continuum
Office of External Relations
& Communications 04 In Brief
Ignat Kaneff Building, Room 1016
Osgoode Hall Law School
22 Osgoode Knowledge
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 24 Faculty News
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
28 Class Notes
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: osgoode.yorku.ca/alumni
32 In Memoriam
Printed in Canada
ISSN 0318-1295

WINTER 2016
Message from the Dean
Community engagement is not just an rates in the country. From knocking on doors to giving away
Thanksgiving turkeys, Osgoode students participating in the
aspiration at Osgoode – it is embedded
Community Organizing and the Law project all have come
in the very mission and mandate of the to see law as embedded in community and community as
embedded in law. I very much hope the ripple effects from this
Law School (and York University).
project within the Black Creek neighbourhood and throughout
the Law School and the University continue to spread.
This year, more than ever, through its research, Osgoode’s commitment to community always has access to
justice at its heart. To complement the many other initiatives
teaching and outreach initiatives, Osgoode is
in this regard, and with the support of visionary donor
putting community first.
support, Osgoode launched the Fund for Innovation in Law
and Media. Featuring the development of new visual and
digital legal advocacy and information, this Fund will set in
The global refugee crisis has galvanized many at Osgoode. motion new collaborations, new student opportunities and
Our response has been taking place in many spheres of the new benefits to vulnerable participants in the justice system.
Law School, including a directed research course aimed at
Finally, Osgoode’s impacts in and benefits to broader
supporting the Refugee Sponsorship Support Program in
communities engage an ambitious research agenda. Osgoode
collaboration with the University of Ottawa, several distinct
faculty seek not only to enrich academic scholarly output, but
sponsorship teams and campaigns in conjunction with the
to shape the public debate. In this issue, we profile some of
pan-GTA University Lifeline Syria Challenge, a host of
Osgoode’s most influential and original scholars.
volunteer initiatives mobilizing students, staff, faculty
and alumni and ongoing research and advocacy, often in
In these and many other ways, Osgoode continues to see
collaboration with others throughout the University and
community engagement as not only our commitment but
through York’s Centre for Refugee Studies.
also the mechanism by which we bring to life our motto,
“Per Jus Ad Justitiam/ Through Law to Justice.”
At the same time, the Law School was swept up in the
excitement and promise of the election campaign. Many
students, staff and faculty were engaged in various issues
that lay at the centre of the campaign from the missing and
murdered Indigenous women inquiry to physician-assisted
dying, legalizing marijuana and various initiatives on civil
liberties, national security and a host of regulatory and policy Lorne Sossin ‘92
spheres. Beyond the substance of the campaign (and wishing Dean
our many alumni running for office well), we also turned our
focus to our own front yard in the northwest part of the GTA.
Led by Visiting Professor Jamil Jivani, a group of Osgoode
students took on the challenge of deepening the engagement
of a community with one of the lowest electoral participation
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IN BRIEF
WHAT’S NEW
Osgoode students and JusticeFundr because they believe the the expertise, experience, availability
law can be fairer, more responsive and of, and even languages spoken, by
alumni are demonstrating
better able to serve the public. any given potential stand-in, and
entrepreneurial spirit in justicefundr.ca book the lawyer they feel best meets
their client’s needs. The app is free to
the development of new JUSTICETRANS
download. Each potential stand-in sets
is a mobile phone application and
approaches to increasing their own fee for an appearance. The
website offering free legal information
app takes a transaction fee of $7.50
access to justice, as these about transgender rights across
from whatever the stand-in charges.
Canada. It was founded last spring by
latest ventures show. Payment happens seamlessly and
Benjamin Vandorpe ‘15, a 26-year-old
virtually instantly within the app when
transgender man. The transgender
the court appearance is complete, using
JUSTICEFUNDR community faces serious barriers to
Stripe to process credit card payments.
is a donation-based crowdfunding access to justice, and JusticeTrans’
The app is currently populated with
platform for individuals and mission is to help alleviate some of
courthouses in Chicago, New York,
organizations to raise funds for legal those barriers.
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit,
proceedings that are intended to justicetrans.com
Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary
advance the public interest. Founded
by Martin Hui ’14, Douglas Judson ’15 STANDIN LAW and Edmonton.
and Avnish Nanda ’14, JusticeFundr was co-founded by Osgoode LLM standin.is
improves access to justice by reducing student Andrew Johnston and Toronto
financial barriers to litigation, lawyer Peter Carayiannis. It’s a new
empowering parties and intervenors in iPhone app that lets lawyers who can’t
public interest legal proceedings. make it to a court appearance find
The platform also helps identify and other lawyers near their courthouse
build a community of support for a legal to “stand in” for them. The location-
issue. Hui, Judson and Nanda founded based app allows lawyers to quickly see
INSPIRING OSGOODE STUDENTS TO TAKE ON THE WORLD
“ I would like to see With that goal in mind, Fong, a “ China represents
consultant with King & Wood a vital part of
Osgoode known as a
Mallesons, a multinational law firm, Osgoode’s future
global legal academy, has made a $60,000 donation toward as a global law
strengthening the relationship and school, and we are
inspiring lawyers to
promoting collaboration between grateful to Felix
be the best not just in Osgoode and Tsinghua University Fong for helping
School of Law in Beijing. to open doors for
Canada but around the
more of our students and professors
The Felix Fong ’78 Osgoode/Tsinghua
world,” to experience Tsinghua University’s
Hong Kong-based alumnus
Travel Fund will make it possible for one
excellent law school,” said Sossin who has
Felix Fong ’78 wrote in an e-mail
or two Osgoode students or professors
made three trips to China in the past year.
message to Dean Lorne Sossin.
every year to go on exchange for a
semester to Tsinghua, which has had Osgoode is also proud to have an
“The world is flat and fast changing.
an exchange agreement with Osgoode exchange agreement with the
Students should come to Osgoode
since May 2014. University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law,
ready to take on the world and
where six Osgoode students spent the
embrace change.”
fall term in 2015.
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WINTER 2016
Five of the eight Indigenous graduates of the Class of 2015 with Justice Murray Sinclair and Justice Harry LaForme ’77, ’08 (LLD).
From left to right: Joshua Tallman, Serena Dykstra, Jacob Dockstator, Justice Murray Sinclair, Justice Harry LaForme, Kendra d’Eon, Laura Mayer.
Missing from the photo are graduates Nakita Kelsey, Tyler Sinclair and Benjamin Vandorpe. Photo: Ian Crysler
THE START OF A NEW LAW SCHOOL TRADITION
Osgoode held its first-ever everyone to the traditional territory Doctorate at Osgoode’s Convocation
of the Mississaugas of the New Credit, ceremony later that afternoon, told
Honour Ceremony for
LaForme advised the graduates to stay the gathering “this is not a white man’s
Indigenous graduates last close to each other as First Nations system. This is our system too and
people and “surround yourself with we just need to make it work for us as
June 19 as part of Spring
whoever you are.” others have made it work for them.”
Convocation celebrations.
For graduating student Jacob “Jake”
Dockstator, the Honour Ceremony
“Even though this is the first, I can’t
was “a moment of pride.” He said in
imagine a graduation in the future
an interview that studying at Osgoode
without it,” Dean Lorne Sossin
meant he “had the freedom to
said of the start of the new Law
introduce Indigenous methodologies
School tradition.
and perspectives to legal issues.”
Five of eight Indigenous graduates
The knowledge he has acquired
of the Class of 2015 and their guests
“will allow me to work with First Nations
mingled at the event with Justice
communities in Ontario and across
Harry LaForme ’77, ’08 (LLD), Justice
Canada, assisting them with issues
Murray Sinclair, Sossin and a number
relating to economic development and
of Osgoode faculty members who
access to justice.”
specialize in Indigenous law including
Sinclair, Chief Commissioner of the
Professor Signa A. Daum Shanks,
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Director of Indigenous Outreach.
of Canada who received an Honorary
Holding an eagle feather and welcoming
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IN BRIEF
DESIGNING THE FUTURE OF JUSTICE
Last August, the Winkler mapping and deep dive journeys, to help This year’s Justice Design Project will
define the problem of access to justice be held from August 29 to September 2,
Institute for Dispute
from a user-perspective and to build a 2016 at the Law School. The early-bird
Resolution at Osgoode courthouse that was more responsive cost is $599 for applications received
to the needs of users. The teams’ ideas by May 31, 2016 and $699 after that
hosted the first ever
were brought to life with the help of date. Deadline for applications is August
Justice Design Project visual artists. 8, 2016. There is significant financial aid
for those who qualify.
(JDP), which challenged The students’ designs are now captured
in a graphic entitled “Justice Spaces For more information about the Justice
participants to “design the
of the 21st Century” that is on display Design Project, including how to
courthouse of the future.” at Osgoode. apply and information about financial
aid, please contact Nicole Salama,
Participants’ responses to the inaugural
Assistant Director Nicole Aylwin led Program Lawyer, Office of the Dean, at:
workshop were overwhelmingly
the week-long program, which brought [email protected] or
positive. “Being enrolled in the JDP
together 13 York University, University 416-736-2100 ext. 44596.
has opened my mind into being a much
of Ontario Institute of Technology
more creative and innovative thinker,” Also learn more about the Justice
and University of Toronto students
said André Damata, a third-year York Design Project at winklerinstitute.ca.
from various educational backgrounds
student majoring in Kinesiology and
including philosophy, law and society,
Health Science. “The JDP has showed
women and gender studies, and
me valuable techniques I can apply in
neuroscience, to name a few.
tackling real-life issues. I will take away
Throughout the week, the students many skill sets that will help guide me
learned about and employed design on my path to my future somewhere in
thinking methods, such as empathy the justice system.”
Photo: New Paramount Studios Ltd.
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WINTER 2016
OSGOODE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT’S
20TH ANNIVERSARY
The year 2015 marked the 20th anniversary of OsgoodePD.
Launched in 1995 under the leadership of then Dean Marilyn Pilkington, OsgoodePD has become
the world’s leading law school lifelong learning program. Highlights of the last 20 years include:
• OsgoodePD was the first to offer • The development of more programs
a part-time Professional LLM, designed for executives and non-law
allowing practising lawyers to professionals than any other law
It’s also the 40th anniversary
obtain deeper expertise in a range school in North America;
of specializations without taking a of the Juris Doctor/Master
• Transforming the legal landscape
career break; of Environmental Studies
for internationally-trained lawyers
• First to offer desktop and law graduates by offering the (JD/MES) joint degree program
videoconferencing, enabling access first fully online NCA Exam Prep
at Osgoode and York’s Faculty
to LLM programs from anywhere in Bridging Program, funded by the
the world; Province of Ontario. of Environmental Studies.
• Leadership in developing ‘learn by
doing’ CLE programs, such as the
annual Written Advocacy program
offered in partnership with The
Advocates’ Society;
In conjunction with the 20th anniversary, a special speaker series, featuring timely
and controversial topics of interest to Canadians, will be presented over the winter
and spring. Check the website at osgoodepd.ca/20years for more details.
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IN BRIEF
NEW LEARNING AND LEADING SERIES
Starting this spring, Osgoode will launch a unique new
Learning and Leading Series that will provide free professional
development programming to the School’s JD and full-time
LLM students on a first-come, first-served basis.
The first offering in May, which will “ We want to prepare all of Business Fundamentals for Law
be repeated in August, will be a Students will be sponsored by the
our students for success
five-day, non-credit certificate program Davies Fund for Business Law, which
in every way we can,”
in Business Fundamentals for Law was created in 2006 by the firm of
said Dean Lorne Sossin.
Students taught by Beppino Pasquali, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
CPA, CA, an Adjunct Professor at to inspire interest in business law
“The Learning and Leading Series
Schulich School of Business and among students and build ties with the
complements our academic program
Osgoode Professional Development. broader legal and business communities
and enables students to develop the
Other programs to follow will in Toronto.
knowledge and skills they will need
include community organizing,
to thrive.”
innovation through technology, social
innovation, French language skills
and leadership skills.
AUTO INDUSTRY TITAN AWARDED HENNICK MEDAL
Sergio Marchionne ’83, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.
and Chairman of Ferrari N.V., was presented with the Hennick Centre Medal for
Career Achievement last November 17. 
The Hennick Medal is given One of the world’s top leaders in the University, in 2013; and Marianne
automobile industry, Marchionne Harris, Chair of the Board of Directors
annually to a distinguished
received the award prior to a talk he of the Investment Industry Regulatory
leader who has earned gave on the 21st century business Organization of Canada (IIROC) in 2014.
leader as part of the Giambattista Vico
international recognition
Launched in 2009, the Jay and Barbara
Lecture Series.
in the business and legal Hennick Centre for Business and Law
The Vico Lecture, which was organized – a joint initiative of Osgoode Hall Law
communities.
by York’s Faculty of Liberal Arts School and the Schulich School of
& Professional Studies, took place Business – is the first Canadian centre
before a full house in Osgoode’s Moot to promote and develop joint business
Court Room. and law scholarship and education. 
Previous recipients of the Hennick Made possible by a gift from Jay and
Medal are Kathleen Taylor, Chair of Barbara Hennick, the Hennick Centre’s
the RBC Board of Directors, in 2010; flagship is the joint JD/MBA program
Tye Burt, former President and CEO offered by Osgoode and Schulich.  Jay
of Kinross Gold Corporation, in 2011; Hennick is the Founder and CEO of
Moya Greene, CEO of Royal Mail Group, FirstService Corporation, a global leader
in 2012; Gregory Sorbara, former MPP, in the real estate services sector.
Vaughan and now Chancellor of York
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