Thursday, January 5, 2017

Top 10 news storiesFrom outstanding student achievements to law school memories and faculty honours, here are the stories that made you click in 2016.

10. Two SJD students awarded prestigious Trudeau Scholarships for 2016

Two Faculty of Law SJD students are among 15 national recipients of the prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation doctoral scholarship for 2016. A total of three U of T doctoral students received the scholarships. Law students Christopher Campbell-Duruflé researches international law and climate change, and Ido Katri documents the rise of trans rights for gender self-determination.

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9. LLM student Catherine Dunmore is the first recipient of the Newton Rowell Fellowship

“Brilliant,” is how Catherine Dunmore describes U of T and the city of Toronto, after several weeks here pursuing her master’s in law. And yes, she is English, in case you were wondering. Dunmore grew up in the English countryside. She studied law at the University of Essex, from where she graduated near the top of her class. And she’s spent the past several years working as a lawyer in London and Paris. With a background like that, it seems fitting that Dunmore became the inaugural recipient of the Newton Rowell Fellowship in Public International Law.

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8. Seven alumni, including Prof. Kent Roach, named to the 2016 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers list

Seven Faculty of Law alumni, including Professor Kent Roach, have been named to the 2016 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers list of those who “made their mark over the past 18 months” in the legal profession. The annual ranking is produced by Canadian Lawyer magazine, and 35 Faculty of Law alumni were among the more than 200 nominations received this year.

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7. New Canada Research Chairs awarded to Professors Dawood and Niblett

Faculty of Law scholars Yasmin Dawood and Anthony Niblett have been awarded Canada Research Chairs in law, in recognition of their outstanding scholarship and expertise. In total, the University of Toronto received 41 CRCs in today’s announcement—the most of any Canadian university—with 34 new chairs and seven renewals.

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6. Open for business: Bora Laskin Law Library

The freshly renovated Bora Laskin Law Library has reopened for business, and it didn’t take long for law students to stake out their new study spots in the stunning, light-filled Torys Hall. And as if on cue, the snow fell outside, and photos of the study hall lit up social media with its vast views of Philosopher’s Walk and stately Trinity College pristinely covered in in the white stuff.

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5. Congratulations Class of 2016!

After three years of law school—four for those in the combined programs—the Class of 2016 is ready to celebrate and begin their law careers. “I stared at the email with my final paper attached for about five minutes, thinking: ‘Can law school really be over when I click send?’,” said Aron Nimani. “The answer was a simple ‘Yes,’ which only added to that surreal feeling.”

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4. A Grand Moot like no other

The 2016 Grand Moot delivered a rare unanimous verdict. Three Supreme Court of Canada justices, and a packed room of faculty, students and dignitaries, agreed they’d never witnessed an event quite like it at the University of Toronto’s storied law school. Start with the fact that it was held in the newly refurbished Rosalie Silberman Abella Moot Court Room, with U of T alumni and SCC Justice Rosalie Abella presiding, along with fellow alumni and SCC Justices Michael Moldaver and Russell Brown.

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3. Meet more new classmates: Introducing Amir, Quinn, Sarah and Denise

Incoming law students, both first years and transfers from other law schools, are being welcomed to campus and discovering the new Jackman Law Building. We’d like to introduce some of them to you. In our annual series of profiles, meet: Amir Aboguddah from Regina, ESL volunteer Quinn Clement-Schlimm, contemporary dancer Sarah Helmer and bike racer and Olympian Denise Ramsden.

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2. 2016 moot results: Another banner year with six first-place finishes

Faculty of Law students wrapped up another banner mooting season, in a variety of competitions, with six first-place victories, five second-place spots, six general oralist awards, in addition to five best facta and two other facta awards, thanks to the dedication and time of many students, faculty and alumni.

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And the No. 1 online story for 2016 is:

1. Back to school time: Meet some of our incoming first-year law students

First-year law students are getting ready to enter the Jackman Law Building as part of the Class of 2019, and we’d like to introduce some of them to you. In our annual series of profiles, meet: Major Craig Derenzis of the Royal Canadian Air Force, business graduate Davina Shivratan and Jiu Jitsu black belt Wanekia Dunn.

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