Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Cheryl Milne

Cheryl Milne

The Faculty of Law’s Professor Carol Rogerson, our alumna, and Cheryl Milne, executive director of the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights, are among the 2019 recipients of the Law Society of Ontario Medal, which recognizes and lauds “exceptional career achievements and contributions to their communities.”

Alumni Guy Pratte and Amanda Ross are also recipients, and so is the Asper Centre's former Constitutional-Litigator-In-Residence, Susan Ursel.

In a release, Malcolm Mercer, a Faculty of Law alumnus and LSO treasurer said: "This year's award recipients have all demonstrated outstanding achievements, along with an exemplary commitment to service. We look forward to honouring these exceptional legal professionals with the Law Society's highest awards of recognition."

Cheryl Milne’s citation says she “has had a profound and unique influence on the Canadian legal landscape as a child rights advocate. She is a leading constitutional and Charter rights litigator, an innovative experiential legal educator, and a generous legal community volunteer. She provided front-line legal services to children and teenagers across a wide range of legal needs for many years and now leads constitutional advocacy in an academic centre she helped to create.”

Guy Pratte is lauded as “an exemplary advocate and generous contributor to his community. He is recognized as one of Canada's leading bilingual lawyers. In addition, he is recognized as a leader in access to justice and pro bono services. He is currently Chair of Pro Bono Ontario and the founding member of Pro Bono Quebec and Borden Ladner Gervais LLP's national pro bono program.”

Prof. Carol Rogerson

Carol Rogerson

Carol Rogerson is noted as a prominent “Canadian scholar in the area of support law. Her work in developing the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines has had a profound impact on the operation of the family justice system across Canada. She has played a pivotal role in shaping family law and policy in Canada.”

Susan Ursel is recognized “for her exceptional achievements in labour and employment law and for championing equality rights for the LGBTQ+ communities. Her ground-breaking cases and involvement in LGBTQ+ initiatives have had considerable impact in advancing human rights in Canada and abroad.”

Amanda Ross, who receives the J. Shirley Denison Award, is lauded “for her long-standing commitment to Toronto's most vulnerable through her volunteer efforts with the Toronto Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program. Having volunteered for the Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program for more than 18 years, she spearheaded a fundraising model to keep it solvent. She is an inspiration to many lawyers and has made significant contributions towards poverty issues.”

Read the full release online here.