Classmates Share Memories and Stories of Romance
It was love at first student "meet-and-greet" for Harold Feder and Lynn Rockman, who graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1988. So when they attended Reunion on October 24, it was not only an opportunity to return to their alma mater but to the place where their romance began.
"We met on the very first day, dated and were engaged before writing our first exam," explains Feder, who now lives and practises tax law in Ottawa."We have a 19-year-old who wants to come here to the school. We're at our 20th reunion and we have a 19-year-old. You do the math," adds Feder with a chuckle.
Feder and Rockman, who practises family law, were among 300 Faculty of Law graduates who attended this year's Reunion festivities, to share memories and catch up with former classmates they hadn't seen in years.
Ten graduating classes ending in years with a "3" or "8" joined in a grand reception in the Rowell Room at Flavelle House. For some the 2008 Reunion event was their first, bringing them face to face with classmates they hadn't seen in a quarter century.
If it wasn't for an evacuation order from Sudan, Diane Goodman from the law class of 1983 would have still been there working in her capacity as Senior Legal Adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the Department of International Protection.
"An international criminal court requested the President of Sudan be indicted for war crimes and genocide, and with two children, I was forced to evacuate," Goodman explains. "The only destination available to me temporarily was Toronto. This is the first reunion I've attended since I graduated 25 years ago."
As luck would have it, Diane's former law school roommate, Lori Sterling, Deputy Minister of the newly created Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, also attended reunion for the first time.
"I'm not a reunion kind of person, but I have managed to stay in touch with Diane over the years," says Sterling. "You don't build long-lasting relationships without that contact."
"The bond of law school is enduring," she adds.
To allow more time for discussion with old friends and faculty over the course of the weekend, co-chairs from all 10 graduating classes planned additional celebrations with their classmates.
Visit the photo gallery for snapshots from this year's reunion festivities.
