DLS Intern Erin Murray This summer, 20 students worked at Downtown Legal Services on a variety of community legal issues for Toronto's under-represented citizens. To read their letters describing their remarkable experiences, please click here.

In This Issue:

• Headline News
  
  
• Alumni News
  
  
• Around the Law School
  
  
• Highlights of Recent Events
  
  
• Upcoming Events

Professor Brian Langille has been appointed Interim Dean of the Faculty of Law. This is not Prof. Langille's first time at the helm of the law school. Since joining the U of T Faculty of Law in 1983, he has served two terms as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and from 2003 to 2004 was Acting Dean.

Prof. Brian Langille

This past year, Prof. Langille was in Geneva, Switzerland as a Visiting Scholar at the International Institute for Labour Studies at the ILO. He was also a Fellow at the Graduate Institute for International Studies, University of Geneva. While there, he continued his work on the basic theory of domestic and international labour law, and published, inter alia, Core Labour Rights - The True Story (2005), 16 European Journal of International Law 409. Prof. Langille also gave the ILO governing body public lecture, "What is International Labour law for?" (available at www.ilo.org) and in May, organized with Professor Guy Davidov (SJD 2002), a conference in Bellagio, Italy on labour law's basic conceptual scheme.

The summer’s Orientation “Dream Team”, led by Kate McGrann (‘07) and Kathryn Bird (‘07), lined up a stellar roster of guest speakers and innovative activities for the incoming law class.

Hon. Madam Justice Faye McWatt

The Orientation Committee, made up of approximately 100 volunteers from the law school, offered first year students an innovative program. Following a welcome by Interim Dean Brian Langille, students participated in a “Meet Your Professors” panel, a public interest fair, a traditional “Lord Denning” picnic on Toronto Island, and a shopping trip to Ikea. A luncheon on September 7th hosted by Pro Bono Students Canada welcomed the Hon. Madam Justice Faye McWatt, one of Ontario's first African-Canadian female justice. She addressed the incoming law students with a call for greater social responsibility. "The Charter," said McWatt "has revolutionized our system of justice. Its greatest change has been to give ordinary citizens the means to challenge legislative decisions, and the constitutional status to claim their rights have been infringed and hold governments accountable. But along with these rights comes responsibility.” Justice McWatt spoke positively about the Charter and the way it has impacted Canadian society, but added that at the same time it has served to diminish our sense of responsibility." Wherever there are rights, there are equally important responsibilities," she said. Emphasizing her point, McWatt encouraged students to get involved in public interest initiatives while at law school.

The next day, guest speaker and 1976 alumnus, Barbara Jackman, talked about several of her cases involving constitutional challenges relating to the Charter, security certificates and anti-terrorism issues. A specialist in immigration law, Jackman shared reminiscences of starting out as one of the few lawyers in Toronto doing immigration work. Today, she says there is much work to do done on immigration law, in particular as it intersects with anti-terrorism law. She spoke eloquently about her experiences recently appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada in the cases of Suresh, Ahani, and Baker.

A day later, incoming students once again packed the back lawn of Flavelle House to hear former Attorney General of Ontario, and Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Roy McMurtry. Dean Langille introduced McMurtry as a national treasure, a tireless supporter of community action, and a true chief justice of the people. "Roy McMurtry superbly embodies the very best of what we hope for from all of our graduates," said Langille.Like Justice McWatt, the Chief Justice encouraged students to take advantage of the law school's many opportunities to get involved in the public service. "U of T Law School is a leader in Canada in terms of its commitment to public service and community action," said McMurtry. "You are the leaders of tomorrow. You have the ability to change the face of the legal profession for the better." The student opportunities luncheon showcased extracurricual legal activities that enhance students’ law school education experience.

U of T Professor Cheryl Regehr (Department of Social Work) was cross-appointed to the Faculty of Law, enhancing the law school's interdisciplinary linkages to other departments at the university.

Prof. Cheryl Regehr

Prof. Regehr, who is also cross appointed to U of T's Institute for Medical Sciences, is the Director of the Research Institute for Evidence Based Social Work at the University of Toronto, Director of the National Centres of Excellence in Child Welfare, and holds the Sandra Rotman Chair for Social Work Practice. Her practice background includes 20 years of direct service in forensic social work and emergency mental health and in the administration of mental health programs. Prof. Regehr has written two books, In the line of fire: Trauma in the emergency services (Oxford University Press) and Law for Canadian Social Work Practice (Oxford Canada). She will teach upper year seminars on law and social work and take an active role in the Faculty's combined JD/MSW with the Faculty of Social Work.

The Hon. Frank Iacobucci

In July, former Dean and Supreme Court of Canada justice, the Hon. Frank Iacobucci (LL.D '89), stepped down as Interim President to take up his new post at Torys LLP. Dr. David Naylor, dean of the University's Faculty of Medicine, was installed as U of T's 15th president.

In September 2004, after just retiring from 13 years as Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Iacobucci was appointed Interim President of the University of Toronto. During the past year, he served the university community with great distinction at a critically important period in the university's history. Iacobucci has had an exceptional relationship and long standing affiliation with the university. Over his 18-year career at U of T, he has served as a Law Professor (1967-1985), Law Dean (1979-83), Provost, and VP, Internal Affairs. In 1989, he was given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by U of T. In July 2005, Iacobucci assumed a full-time senior advisory role at Torys, where he will advise and guide government and businesses on important legal and policy matters.

U of T law grad and Supreme Court of Canada Justice John Major, will retire from Canada's highest court in December. Before he does, he can add one more credential to his many achievements. At the University of Toronto Convocation ceremonies on June 17, Major received an honorary doctor of laws degrees. He was joined by Israel's Supreme Court Chief Justice, Aharon Barak.

As a Supreme Court of Canada judge for the past 12 years, Justice Major has helped shape legal dialogue in Canada. After being called to the Bar, he worked at law firm Bennett, Jones and Verchere for 24 years, becoming senior partner in 1967. The former Alberta judge described himself as "small-c conservative" and adverse to "judicial activism" when he was appointed to the top court in 1992. Major served on the Estey Commission and was counsel to the Alberta's Code Inquiry into the collapse of the Principal Group of Companies in 1987.

A pioneer in the legal profession for more than 35 years, Chief Justice Barak has devoted his career in the law to serving the interests of the public. He has held the highest offices of the judiciary, including the attorney general for the state of Israel, justice of the Supreme Court of Israel and president to the Supreme Court of Israel. Throughout his career, he has worked to entrench the principles of human rights and civil liberties in the constitutional and public law of his nation.

In June, Henry W. Sykes, president of ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp., won the first-ever National Post-ZSA Canadian General Counsel Business Achievement Award for his leadership in reviving one of Canada's oldest and most storied public companies.

The Canadian General Counsel Awards were created to recognize outstanding performances of general counsels across the country. The Business Achievement Award is presented to a former practicing lawyer who has most successfully made the transition to executive. A nationally known mergers and acquisitions lawyer, Mr. Sykes practiced for 17 years with the Calgary office of Bennett Jones LLP. In 1998, he became executive vice-president, business development and general counsel of Gulf Canada Resources Limited. In 2001, when U.S.-based Conoco Inc. acquired GCRL and merged it with its existing Canadian operations, Mr. Sykes became president of the new Conoco Canada Resources Corp. In 2002, Conoco Inc. and Phillips Petroleum Inc. merged to form a US $70-billion entity, the Canadian arm of which is ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp. Mr. Sykes is noted for having revived the financial health of the company while overcoming its many challenges.
[excerpted from National Post, June 15, 2005]

In July, alumnus Richard Clark was ranked among the top M&A advisors in the world in a survey conducted by Thomson Financial. Mr. Clark heads up the M&A division as co-chairman at Stikeman Elliott LLP, one of three Canadian firms that made the top 25 global rankings for their advisory role in mergers and acquisitions.

In the survey, Stikeman jumped to 15th place worldwide in the rankings from 24th last year. In the first half of the year, they advised on 41 announced deals valued at $91-billion (U.S.). The torrid pace of mergers and acquisitions is producing a record year for Canadian legal advisers. In February, Mr. Clark was given only days by an investment group led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. to assess tax, competition and other legal issues involving the Canadian stores of Toys "R" Us Inc. He didn't find any deal stoppers and the KKR-led group succeeded a few weeks later with a $6.1-billion bid in March to buy the U.S. toy retailer. With so many buyers and complex asset sales involved, a small army of lawyers is usually required. Stikemans was one of six law firms retained to seal a deal that involved three different buyers and more than 1,500 stores around the world.
[excerpted from the Globe and Mail, July 7, 2005]

This past May, Ogilvy Renault LLP appointed James A. Riley, a top tax, technology and M&A lawyer, as Chair of the firm's Toronto office.

Mr. Riley will continue building Ogilvy Renault's profile in the Toronto market. As one of Canada's leading corporate lawyers, he is recognized in several business law categories in the Lexpert Guide to Canada's Leading 500 Lawyers. A banking and financing expert, Mr. Riley joined Ogilvy from Stikeman Elliott in 1996. Under his leadership, he helped boost Ogilvy's corporate finance practice up to a sixth place ranking. The firm has been building its expertise in this area since merging with Toronto's Meighen Demers in 2001.

Chris Essert

In August, Chris Essert '05, was named the winner of the Department of Justice/Canadian Bar Association National Law School Essay Competition. Mr. Essert received a trophy and gift certificates worth $500, and an abstract of his essay will be published on the Department of Justice and CBA Websites.

Mr. Essert's winning essay, Dignity and Membership, Equality and Egalitarianism - Economic Rights and Section 15, explores the real or implied existence of what the author terms "economic rights" under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Founded in 2002 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Canadian Charter, the National Law School Essay Competition is open to law school students across Canada. Each participating law faculty is asked to nominate a winning essay for competition at the national level, and a panel of judges from the CBA and the federal Department of Justice determines the national winner. Mr. Essert is one of the CBA's 2005/2006 articling students, and has been offered a Clerkship at the Supreme Court of Canada with The Honourable Mr. Justice Bastarache, commencing in 2006 after he completes his articles.

In June, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed London lawyer and alumnus, Chris Bentley '79, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. McGuinty also appointed Dr. Lilian Ma '92 Chair of the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal for a three-year term.

Mr. Bentley will manage the new cash in the sector ($6.2 billion over four years) promised in the May budget. After successfully practicing criminal and labour law, Mr. Bentley was elected to the Ontario legislature in October 2003, and then served as Ontario's Minister of Labour. Since 1992, Mr. Bentley has taught part-time at the University of Western Ontario Law School, where he helped establish the Law School Careers Office and lectured at various continuing education courses for judges, crown attorneys, the police and defence counsel. Active in the London community, he sits on the organizing committee and as the first chairperson of Neighbourhood Legal Services London & Middlesex, a legal clinic established in London in 1985 to assist low-income clients.

Dr. Ma brings a diverse wealth of legal and tribunal experience to the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal, as well as an extensive record of community work that will help the board to deal effectively with tenant and landlord disputes. Dr. Ma has been a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada since 1994. Her 18-year public-sector career has included positions with the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario, Multiculturalism Canada and the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

The Spring Convocation brunch took place on June 17 in front of a packed house of graduates and their families, signaling the end of three years of law school and the beginning of professional careers. In all, a dozen awards were handed out to graduating students, who chose Prof. Sossin to end the ceremony with the traditional Hail & Farewell address. "There is nothing more meaningful than this honour," he said.

Associate Dean Lorne Sossin congratulates Dean's Key winner, Amy Salyzyn

The Alan Mewett Teaching Award was given to Professor Martha Shaffer, who also won the award in 1993. Class Valedictorian, Oren Bick, who was involved in the mooting team, Faculty of Law Review, DLS, and the hockey team while at law school, thanked fellow students for their support throughout the last three years, and expressed hope that the kinship will continue. In his Hail & Farewell address, Prof. Sossin offered these parting words: "Congratulations to all of you on reaching this milestone ? and just as importantly to your family, loved ones and friends who put the wind in your sails and shared in your sacrifices. And congratulations to us ? the Faculty of Law, the port of call you leave behind today which has been so enlivened by your contributions these past few years."

The following is a full list of awards given at Convocation 2005 to students graduating from the JD program.

L-R: Award winners James McClary, Miranda Gass-Donnelly, Oren Bick, Tariq Remtulla, and Amy Salyzyn

Once again this year, the Faculty of Law hosted 20 high school students for the summer as part of the annual Summer Mentorship Program. The program, which began in the summer of 1994 as a partnership between the University of Toronto and the five Toronto district school boards, brings under-represented high school students to the university to help them realize their highest academic potential. The program allows the students to explore professional opportunities and earn credit towards high school graduation.

Coordinator and law student Jason Enouy, who just completed his first year at the Faculty, was responsible for developing the curriculum and contacting various speakers and faculty members. With Jason's guidance, the students learned the intricacies of legal research, discussed and debated important legal issues, visited courts, agencies and law firms, and attended lectures by professors. The students wrote their own academic papers and participated in a mock trial exercise requiring legal research and advocacy skills.

A new program launched this fall in conjunction with the Ontario Court of Justice will provide several third year students with the opportunity to work as part-time law clerks to judges during their final year of legal studies.

Spearheaded by Associate Dean Lorne Sossin and Professor Martha Shaffer at the Faculty of Law, the program will run from September to December 2005. Five students will be chosen to provide research assistance ranging from finding the answers to small and immediate questions that arise during the course of a trial, to writing longer research memoranda relating to criminal law. The students will begin by observing the Old City Hall courts for a few days and then will be available to provide research assistance to judges as needed. The program will continue in the winter term with five new students.

The Career Development Office continued its efforts to assist recent graduates of the law school with its annual spring workshop on how to conduct an effective search in the law firm associate job market. Guest speaker, Janette Canvin, Director of the Associate Program at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, delivered an engaging and interactive talk to graduates who were recently called to the Bar, or had just completed their articles.

Janette Canvin, Director of the Associate Program, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

The workshop, sponsored by Oslers, is aimed at young lawyers who find themselves for the first time looking for work without a structured recruitment process in place. With many years experience in associate development and as a former practicing partner at a large law firm herself, Ms. Canvin provided helpful hints on how to conduct an effective job search in the law firm job market in Toronto. She provided advice about what to expect, how long the job search can take and what law firms look for in new associates. Some concrete steps that Ms. Canvin advised job seekers to take included understanding your personal and professional priorities, recognizing that these will change over time, and staying attuned to changes in the market. If you are a recent graduate and wish to be added to the CDO alumni listserv and access our employer database and alumni job bank, please contact Suzanne Bambrick at 416-978-2756 or suzanne.bambrick@utoronto.ca.

Professor Lorraine Weinrib and Chief Justice Roy McMurtry, Court of Appeal of Ontario hold up a newspaper announcing same-sex history

"Rights are Right" - the theme of the International Lesbian and Gay Law Association's (ILGLaw) third conference - was held at the Faculty of Law from June 26th to June 29th, during Toronto's Gay Pride Week.

Participants from more than 30 countries attended the conference, which began with Toronto's Gay Pride Parade and a reception at Toronto City Hall. The conference was launched with greetings from the Hon. Roy McMurtry, Chief Justice of Ontario, the Hon. Wm. Graham, Minister of National Defence, the Hon. Michael Bryant, the Attorney General of Ontario and the Hon. George Smitherman, Health Minister of Ontario. The conference topics included "The Right to Live", "The Right to Love", and "The Right to Sexuality." There were many highlights over the three days, including sessions on the state of the law in various countries and regions, as well as specific topics of interest, including the global problem of HIV/AIDS, workplace challenges, religious-based opposition to gay and lesbian equality, and topics surrounding family formation and recognition. In the final plenary session, the same sex marriage litigation in Canada was highlighted by presenters including the Hon. Martin Cauchon, the federal Justice Minister who had carriage of the Canadian litigation and made the decision not to appeal the Ontario Court of Appeal ruling permitting gay marriage, as well as the Hon. McMurtry, who presided on the panel in that case. Litigators from the United States, England, Israel and the Netherlands followed with comments on litigation underway in their countries. In a dramatic moment during the gala dinner at the RCYC, conference organizer and outgoing President of the ILGLA, Douglas Elliott '82, announced to dinner guests that the House of Commons had passed its bill authorizing gay marriage. For more information about the conference, please visit www.ilglaw.org.

Standards for medical research involving human subjects are increasingly taking on a global scope, yet the standards and rules vary widely and may often be inadequate. To address this issue, the Health Law Group at U of T gathered leading international scholars and policymakers in an international workshop, The Regulation of Research Review: A Comparative and International Perspective, from June 16 to 18.

International institutions such as the World Health Organization, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences and the World Medical Association have established research ethics guidelines to promote ethical conduct in international medical research. Yet, there is a growing recognition that stricter legal and regulatory standards may be needed in an increasingly borderless world. More than 35 experts, scholars and government officials from countries representing every global region gathered at the workshop to discuss a range of themes related to research ethics review regulation, including commercialization; accreditation and enforcement of standards; equitable research practices; the role of international agencies and conventions; and the need for specialized review structures for public health emergencies. The workshop was sponsored by Genome Canada (through the Ontario Genomics Institute) and is part of a larger research project on the governance of global medical research. It was organized by Professor Trudo Lemmens, Tom Archibald, and Linda Hutjens. For more information, please email Tom Archibald at tom.archibald@utoronto.ca.

Participants in The Regulation of Research Review workshop, gathered in front of Falconer Hall

October 6
The 2005-06 Cecil A. Wright Lecture with guest speaker, Philip G. Alston, Professor of Law and Faculty Director of theCenter for Human Rights and Global Justice, New York University School of Law

October 6 and 7
Conference: The UN at Sixty: Celebration or Wake?

October 14 and 15
The 2005 Alumni Reunion Weekend, honouring years ending with a "0" or "5." The festivities begin with a reception at the Faculty of Law, 78 Queen's Park, and continue with individual Class Reunion Dinners throughout the weekend.

October 21 and 22
Conference: 35th Annual Workshop on Commercial and Consumer Law

October 27 and 28
Conference: Equality: The Heart of a Just Society. Looking Back, Looking Forward

Class of 1955
Class Dinner on Saturday, October 15 at the Home of Herb Solway '55, 7:30 p.m.

Class of 1960
Class dinner on Friday, October 14 at the Four Seasons Hotel (Windsor-Cornwall Room) 21 Avenue Road, 7:30 p.m.

Class of 1965
Class dinner on Friday, October 14 at the U of T Faculty Club, Main Dining Room, 41 Willcocks St., 7:30 p.m.

Class of 1970
Class reception (5:30 pm) and dinner (6:30 p.m.) on Saturday, October 15 at Convocation Hall at Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen Street West.

Class of 1980
Class dinner on Friday, October 14 in the Music Room at Hart House, Hart House Circle, 7:30 p.m.

Class of 1985
Class dinner on Friday, October 14 at Remy's, 115 Yorkville Ave. 7:30 p.m.

Class of 1990
Class dinner on Friday, October 14 at DIMMI, 140 Cumberland St., 7:30 p.m.

Class of 1995
Class reception on Friday, October 14 with fine finger foods and cash bar at Crush Wine Bar, 455 King Street West, 7:30 p.m.

Class of 2000
Class reception on Friday, October 14 with fine finger foods and cash bar at Southern Accent, 595 Markham St., 7:30 p.m.