Focus Law/Droit - 2023-2024

law droit

2023-24

F[O]CUS

Spotlight on

McGill Law alumni

MLJ editors in chief: Where are they now?

Immersion en gestion client Meet our new professors Photos de l’année

In this issue

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12

EN VEDETTE

6

À LA FACULTÉ

Platinum milestone for the McGill Law Journal Former editors in chief: Where are they now?

12

36

McGill Law journeys

2 Nouvelles embauches professorales 10 Au programme : immersion en gestion de clientèle 22 Nouvelles de la Faculté 24 Snapshots of 2022-2023 32 Meet our new students

Pleins feux sur quatre carrières d’exception

26

From legal scholarship to social change

ALUMNI COMMUNITY

30

Focus sur la nouvelle cohorte BCL/JD

36 Albums photos : Cocktails de la communauté diplômée

34 Meet the alums serving as privacy commissioners of Canada and Ontario

38 Celebrating alumni excellence 40 In memoriam 41 Alumnotes 49 The Chancellor Day Circle

F[O]CUS

droit law

2023-24

McGill Law Journeys Cover illustration by Joe Magee

RÉDACTRICE EN CHEF

CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTOGRAPHES

Focus Law / Droit

Karell Michaud

Christopher DeWolf

Joni Dufour

est publié par l’équipe

Julia Dyck

Owen Egan

des communications de la

Maeve Haldane

Paul Fournier

Faculté de droit de McGill.

Aminata Mboup

Andrew Muzin

Jean-Benoît Nadeau

Alex Tran

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Vanessa Batik Robert Leckey Aminata Mboup Heather Powers

Mark Witten

DESIGN ET MISE EN PAGE Steven McClenaghan McGill Graphic Design Studio

Faculté de droit Université McGill 3644, rue Peel Montréal (Québec) H3A 1W9 www.mcgill.ca/law focuslaw.mcgill.ca comms.law@mcgill.ca

LE MOT DU DOYEN

ALEX TRAN

Dean’s word The academic year 2022–23 was the first normal one

ainsi que 15 étudiantes et étudiants vivaient l’expérience

since before the pandemic. Members of the Class of ’23

du cours de terrain sur le droit anichinabé. Quelles sont

came through their McGill legal education with a

vos idées pour cultiver davantage de ces rencontres

sense of having weathered adversity and emerged as

extraordinaires pour les membres de notre communauté,

a stronger group as a result. I sensed them finding

à McGill et ailleurs ?

a deeper joy than previous cohorts in events that used to be ordinary parts of the McGill Law experience — Coffeehouse on Thursday evenings, Skit Nite in March, the convocation ceremony under the tent and cocktail in Chancellor Day Hall, and their

Our integrated and bilingual BCL/JD program, through which our students learn the common law and civil law in dialogue, opens doors for our graduates around the planet. Our diverse students, with their varied ambitions and dreams, need a range of supports to

grad gala in early June.

help them navigate the start of their careers in rapidly

Preceding generations also faced challenges together,

changing markets. Students whose backgrounds

deepening their sense of cohort and shared experience.

didn’t include regular contact with lawyers may have

This group identity drives the willingness of reunion

different needs than those who debated legal issues

classes to support the Faculty of Law collectively,

at the dinner table. Notre Centre de développement

as by funding a scholarship or contributing to the

professionnel a connu une expansion remarquable

overdue renovations to the basement of Old Chancellor

au cours des dernières années, notamment grâce au

Day Hall.

soutien philanthropique de la promotion de 1993 et

La réouverture complète a permis à notre corps

d’autres membres de notre communauté diplômée.

professoral et notre communauté étudiante de raviver nos liens autour du monde, répandant un peu de l’esprit de la Faculté à travers leurs voyages.

Je souhaite vivement que nous lui donnions une nouvelle poussée de croissance, afin d’insuffler encore davantage de vent dans les voiles de notre communauté

Au pavillon Chancellor-Day, nous avons pu accueillir

étudiante en début de carrière.

de nombreuses conversations édifiantes, à propos du

Your faculty of law keeps advancing. We will look

droit et bien d’autres choses. En mars, la journaliste

forward to sharing with you the extraordinary

Paule Robitaille et l’avocat ukrainien Dan Bilak —

experiences that the 2023–24 year will bring.

tous deux membres de notre promotion BCL et

Do please share your news with us.

LLB 1986 — se sont retrouvés dans la salle du tribunal-école Maxwell-Cohen pour une discussion poignante sur la guerre faisant rage depuis l’invasion russe en Ukraine. Lors de la collation des grades,

Robert Leckey, Ad. E., BCL’02, LLB’02

nous avons fait la rencontre inoubliable de Christiane

Dean and Samuel Gale Professor of Law

Taubira, une figure pionnière de la politique française, alors qu’elle recevait un doctorat honorifique de McGill. En juillet, j’ai été profondément marqué par

Connect with Dean Leckey on LinkedIn:

ma visite à Winnipeg où le professeur Aaron Mills

mcgill.ca/x/UX9

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NOUVELLES DE LA FACULTÉ

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Nouvelles embauches professorales Cinq personnes se sont jointes au corps professoral de la Faculté à l’automne 2023, apportant de l’expertise en droit civil et comparé, en droit aérien et spatial, ainsi qu’en droit pénal.

Michelle Cumyn, BCL’92, LLB’92 Professeure titulaire – droit civil et comparé

Comment est né votre intérêt pour votre

Quelle est une question juridique qui vous

domaine de recherche ?

fascine à l’heure actuelle ?

« On lie les bœufs par les cornes et les hommes par

Je travaille actuellement sur le contrat d’adhésion.

les paroles. » Antoine Loysel, un auteur français du

Lorsque vous acceptez sans le lire un formulaire

17e siècle, présentait ainsi les effets du contrat. Certes,

d’adhésion, vous êtes en principe lié.e par l’ensemble

le langage juridique est malléable. Plusieurs personnes

de ses clauses. À l’origine, les tribunaux ont adopté

ou situations risquent d’échapper à son emprise.

cette règle parce qu’ils tenaient responsable la personne

Néanmoins, j’ai toujours été fascinée par la capacité du

qui signait un écrit sans le lire. Cette justification ne

droit à modeler les comportements à travers le langage.

tient plus, dès lors que la longueur et la complexité

Je m’intéresse donc au raisonnement juridique et aux

du formulaire d’adhésion rendent illusoires la lecture

domaines classiques du droit qui ont une longue his-

et la compréhension de ses clauses. Je propose

toire. Ce droit classique parvient encore, tant bien que

que la lisibilité du formulaire signé ou accepté par

mal, à saisir les réalités contemporaines.

l’adhérent soit une condition générale de son intégration au contrat.

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NOUVELLES DE LA FACULTÉ

What’s a legal question that currently fascinates you?

Noah Weisbord, BCL/LLB’03

What is law’s place in war? The answer is not obvious.

Associate Professor – Criminal Law

Law will not end war. But neither is law dead or irrelevant in wartime. Law permeates the bureaucratic, legalistic structure of the modern war machine. Leaders, powerful or not, must negotiate the legal terrain to wage war, including persuading the population of the justice

How did you become interested in your

of the war, persuading allies, persuading domestic and

field of research?

international courts, purchasing weapons, negotiating

As almost everyone does: through a great teacher.

leases on foreign bases. Law is not simply a constraint

An inspiring McGill professor told me about an inno-

on power. It can slow leaders or assist their military

vative, risky process that was underway in Rwanda

goals. My research asks how law can moderate the rush

to bring justice and healing after the genocide. The

to war and mitigate war’s destructiveness.

judicial system was eviscerated and there was a risk of continued genocide if the situation was not handled sensitively. The Rwandan solution was a mash-up of a local 14th-century restorative justice practice called Gacaca with elements of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the post-World War II Nuremberg trials. As a law/social work student, I travelled to Rwanda to observe the process. There I began to understand the role of criminal law in managing, reflecting, or exacerbating intergroup conflict.

Jeffrey Kennedy, LLM’14, DCL’20 Associate Professor – Criminal Law

How did you become interested in your

What do you look forward to the most about

field of research?

joining McGill?

My first real exposure to criminal justice came through

Oh geez — do I have to pick one thing? I’ve always

undergraduate volunteering in which ordinary commu-

found McGill Law to be a really inspiring academic

nity members supported people after their release from

community. The thinking that goes on here is curious,

prison. The humanizing encounters there, the insights

creative, and challenging, and the people — colleagues

into criminal justice realities, and the experience of

and students alike — are so impressive yet still want

coming together to hold this issue of collective concern

to do better. I’m really excited to work every day in

were all formative for me. I imagine those were the

that kind of environment, to see what I can

seeds of nagging discomfort with the criminal justice

contribute to it, and to see what it will bring

system and interest in what it means (or could mean)

out in me.

to talk of the ‘public’ nature of criminal justice, later cultivated in law school, graduate studies, and other community work.

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Vincent Correia Professeur titulaire – droit aérien Codirecteur de l’Institut de droit aérien et spatial Quelle est une question juridique qui vous fascine

Qu’est-ce qui vous enthousiasme le plus à l’idée

à l’heure actuelle ?

de vous joindre à McGill ?

Appréhendé pendant de nombreuses décennies comme

Travailler avec les experts reconnus de l’Institut de droit

un « droit d’ingénieurs », puis comme un droit exclusive-

aérien et spatial et les autres collègues de la Faculté

ment économique, le droit aérien n’est heureusement

de droit me permettra de développer des activités de

pas imperméable aux nouvelles attentes sociales. La

recherche et d’enseignement à la hauteur des enjeux

décarbonation du secteur passe par des instruments

contemporains du secteur aérospatial. Le droit aérien et

juridiques internationaux novateurs, mais devant

spatial est en effet profondément transverse et trans-

parfois faire face à des actions nationales ou régionales

national. Il ne peut donc être sérieusement étudié de

ambitieuses ou, au contraire, pusillanimes. D’autres

manière isolée. Or, la Faculté de droit de McGill compte

domaines d’importance sont également marqués par

parmi ses membres d’éminents et d’éminentes spécia-

cette tendance : les droits des passagers et personnes

listes avec lesquels j’ai hâte de pouvoir collaborer. Je suis

à mobilité réduite, notamment. C’est donc l’étude de

également ravi de pouvoir partager mes connaissances

ces nouvelles questions de droit, dans la perspective

avec les étudiants et étudiantes de la Faculté de droit

de la dialectique unité-fragmentation du droit aérien

de McGill et de m’enrichir à leur contact.

international, qui m’anime.

Andrea Harrington, LLM’14, DCL’17 Associate Professor – Space Law Co-director of the Institute of Air and Space Law How did you become interested in your

What do you look forward to the most about

field of research?

joining McGill?

From an early age, I have always loved space. Watch-

I am honoured and humbled to have this opportunity to

ing Star Trek and televised launches with my mother

rejoin such a robust intellectual community, including

inspired me to consider what humanity could achieve

our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. I look forward

in/using space. Admittedly, mathematics is not my

to the continuing scholarly engagement arising from

strong suit, so for a long time I thought that I person-

our teaching, research, and outreach efforts. Most of all,

ally wouldn’t be able to contribute to space endeavors.

though, as a first-generation university graduate, I am

When I discovered the field of space law, I knew it was

proud to be able to meaningfully give back to the insti-

for me and immediately sought educational opportu-

tution that enabled my success in my field and help the

nities to develop that expertise. I started that journey

next generation(s) of students to succeed in turn.

at the McGill Institute of Air and Space Law and am thrilled to be back here again.

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FEATURE

Platinum milestone for the McGill Law Journal The revered MLJ celebrated 70 years of student leadership in service of the best legal scholarship

By Maeve Haldane For generations of passionate law students, the McGill Law Journal has been their first chance at making a real impact on the legal world — and certainly not their last.

Started in 1952 by students Gerald Eric Le Dain and Jacques-Yvan Morin, the rigorously student-edited and peer-reviewed publication has been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada over 150 times, by far the most of any university-based law journal. The MLJ’s bilingual reference guide, the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation, sets the standards from sea to shining sea.

Dean Robert Leckey (editor in chief, Vol. 46) with Ommu-Kulsoom Abdul-Rahman (editor in chief, Vol. 68).

The MLJ alumni roster reads like a Who’s Who of the last 70 years in Canada. Previous editors have become judges and prominent legal leaders, such as the late Hon. John Gomery, BCL’56, and Dick Pound, BCL’67, LLD’09. Pierre Elliot Trudeau has contributed to

“We were missing out on their areas of expertise and

its pages. Two editors in chief — Stephen Toope,

their unique perceptions,” she explains. For instance,

BCL’83, LLB’83, LLD’17, and Robert Leckey, BCL’02,

Abdul-Rahman isn’t as interested in maritime matters,

LLB’02 — went on to become McGill Law deans.

but doesn’t want that to cloud her judgment when

All the stellar students who have built the McGill Law Journal into the institution it is today have shared a common passion: finding the best legal scholarship, in

reading an article. “Having more folks in the room ensured I was getting a broader perspective on the submission.”

Canada or elsewhere, and making it accessible to the

With four issues per volume and over a hundred submis-

greatest possible number. In service of this mission,

sions each, that’s a lot to winnow through. Those that

editors over the years expanded the journal’s mandate

pass a screening by the MLJ editorial team are sent to

to organizing annual lectures, symposia, and, since 2012,

peer reviewers, who weigh in with their recommenda-

producing podcasts.

tions. At first, Abdul-Rahman found it hard to say no to

As its 68th editor in chief, and the first Black student to hold the role, third-year student Ommu-Kulsoom Abdul-Rahman put her own stamp on the MLJ. Before,

would-be authors, who are usually established academics and professionals. But the red pen became easier to wield with time.

only executive editors reviewed submissions, but she

Abdul-Rahman credits her predecessor Arthur Scalabrini,

realized there was a large pool of underutilized talent in

BCL/LLB’22, for encouraging her to apply for the posi-

the 34-strong team. She opened the evaluation process

tion. He pointed out that other volunteer opportunities

to all editors.

like legal clinics could be pursued later in her career.

But running the MLJ was truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

(facing page) The McGill Law Journal hosted a reception for its alumni in November 2022 to mark its platinum anniversary.

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FEATURE

Former MLJ editors in chief Where are they now?

Laura Cárdenas (BCL/LLB’18)

Les défis : Le respect des échéances — les siennes et

Rédactrice en chef du vol. 62 (2016–2017) Plurilingue et lauréate de plusieurs prix pour ses articles juridiques, Laura Cárdenas s’est jointe à IMK en 2021. Elle a comparu devant toutes les instances judiciaires au Québec et plaidé devant la Cour suprême du Canada. Son expertise réside en litige civil, commercial et des droits protégés par les Chartres canadienne et québécoise, notamment en ce qui concerne la discrimination et les communautés LGBTQ+. Elle a été auxiliaire juridique pour l’Honorable Sheilah L. Martin (BCL’81, LLB’81).

celles d’autrui. « Je me souviens en particulier d’une personne qui avait dû retarder la remise de son article pour des raisons de santé... avant de disparaître pendant des mois. À un certain point, nous vérifions même les rubriques nécrologiques en ligne avant de lui envoyer des rappels, nous ne savions plus à quoi nous attendre ! (Heureusement, la personne allait bien et s’est finalement manifestée.) » Gratitude : « J’ai eu la chance de compter sur une équipe brillante et dédiée qui a tout rendu possible (et d’avoir un jeune enfant très compréhensif, toujours prêt à s’amuser dans les bureaux de la Revue pendant que je révisais des articles !). Je tiens

Moments forts : Laura Cárdenas tire fierté d’avoir

à remercier Nicole (notre incroyable directrice de la

publié le premier volume de la Revue de droit de McGill

production) qui l’a entraîné dans d’innombrables

avec une parité homme-femme et français-anglais

courses autour du 3e étage, le temps que je révise

parmi ses contributions.

des notes de bas de page ou approuve des épreuves. »

« J’étais aussi ravie d’avoir convaincu la professeure

Le verdict : « Être rédactrice en chef a été difficile,

Mari Matsuda [N.D.L.R. une éminence de la Critical

mais combien gratifiant ! »

Race Theory aux États-Unis] d’offrir notre conférence annuelle — cet événement demeure l’un des plus beaux moments de mon passage à McGill. »

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FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

The Hon. Azimuddin Hussain (BCL’00, LLB’00) Editor in Chief of Vol. 45 (2000) Hussain was appointed as a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in December 2021. He practised as a litigator in Montreal before that, at the firms Novalex and Norton Rose Fulbright. In the context of his litigation practice, he made submissions at the Supreme Court of Canada numerous times, in cases ranging from constitutional law to foreign state immunity to the professional liability of lawyers. An important part of his practice was devoted to facilitating access to justice.

Highlights: Some articles from volume 45 continue

Learning experience: Hussain drew on his MLJ skills when co-writing a book on foreign state immunity.

“In MLJ fashion, this book is bilingual to facilitate the exchange about the caselaw across the country.

My MLJ experience came in handy when it came time

to be thought-provoking for Hussain, including a

to edit the summaries.”

wide-ranging one by Justice Charles Gonthier on how

Final judgement: “The MLJ experience was very

fraternity is the forgotten leg of the three pillars of

useful in my practice as a litigator and continues to be

democracy: liberty, equality, fraternity. “The article

valuable for my work as a judge. The editing exercise

gave me a lot to think about regarding the role of law

instills a discipline that is a very important part of the

in society,” he says.

process of drafting legal texts. Presenting arguments and reasoning in a form that is easy to read makes the substantive legal points more convincing.”

Julia Hanigsberg (BCL’91, LLB’91)

“I remember it as a difficult and emotional time as

Editor in Chief of Vol. 36 (1990–1991)

we tried to address all of the individual, structural

President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Vice Chair of the Ontario Hospital Association, and on the CEO committee of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network.

Hanigsberg sits on many healthcare boards, was Vice-President of Toronto Metropolitan University from 2010 to 2014, and in 2020 was named to the WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame.

from the election. I am proud that ultimately

Highlights: Hanigsberg officially established French and English editorial positions after one year’s vote led to an anomalous all-anglophone board. Her team decided to restructure the entire executive leadership.

and philosophical reactions to and repercussions we came together and I think lost no camaraderie or collegiality.”

Challenges: Roughly each decade, the MLJ updates The Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation, which fell during her mandate. “I don’t know if it is still the same now, but updating the citation guide felt like taking a red pen to the 10 commandments!”

Memorable moments: Because so much of Hanigsberg’s time was taken up by MLJ duties, her professor Justice Rosalie Abella (a previous MLJ contributor) allowed her to delay a presentation until the very last day of class. This was the era before cell phones. “It just happened that the power went out that day and the Faculty was plunged into darkness. Because there wasn’t going to be another opportunity to present I had to go ahead — of course from memory alone without any notes because I couldn’t have read them without any light! Justice Abella and I are friends to this day and this continues to be a story we both tell and laugh about.”

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NOUVELLES DE LA FACULTÉ

Au programme :

IMMERSION EN GESTION DE CLIENTÈLE Par Jean-Benoît Nadeau

En première année du programme BCL/JD, chaque session commence par une « semaine d’intégration », réservée à des capsules de formation intensives.

La grande nouveauté de l’hiver 2023 aura été une

Zola Leslie Mbimbi, étudiante en première année, a adoré

formation sur la gestion des clientèles vulnérables,

l’expérience. « Les travailleurs sociaux, on va les côtoyer

offerte aux 180 membres de la cohorte de première

durant toute notre carrière. C’était passionnant de voir

année. « En trois jours, on leur a fait survoler ce que

l’arrière-boutique. Comment se disent les choses.

les études en travail social enseignent en trois ans »,

Comment ils regardent. Comment ils travaillent la

dit l’organisatrice du programme, la professeure

relation. » Celle qui a fondé en 2019 sa propre boîte de

Alicia Boatswain-Kyte de l’École de travail social

consultante en immigration, Inside Immigration, croit

de McGill.

que les juristes se doivent d’être agiles et capables de

L’idée en revient au doyen de la faculté de droit, Robert Leckey, qui cherchait depuis plusieurs années un moyen de sortir les étudiantes et étudiants de

s’adapter. « Ce que nous avons appris avec les clientèles les plus vulnérables s’appliquerait dans presque toutes les situations à des degrés divers. »

l’abstrait. « La formation médicale appuie beaucoup

Le programme était composé de quelques séances

sur l’interaction avec le patient. Les facultés de droit,

plénières, d’ateliers en sous-groupes animés par des tra-

bizarrement, sont moins dans l’humain. Or, la pratique

vailleurs sociaux et de visites de centres, telle la Ligne AAA

du métier d’avocat, elle, se fait rarement dans une

contre la maltraitance des personnes âgées, un refuge

catégorie juridique pure. Et elle déborde souvent

pour les femmes violentées, la Mission Old Brewery et

sur autre chose que le droit. »

Chez Doris pour les personnes en situation d’itinérance, la Chambre de la Jeunesse de la Cour du Québec, et la Société John Howard pour les personnes incarcérées.

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Les ateliers, construits autour d’études de cas,

La plénière sur la pleine conscience (mindfulness)

visaient à développer les compétences d’écoute

était un autre volet qui a impressionné les juristes en

active et d’empathie afin d’accueillir et mettre à l’aise

devenir. « Les clients en difficulté exigent beaucoup

la clientèle. « On voulait que nos participantes et

de la personne qui les aide. La demande émotionnelle

participants comprennent aussi comment réagir

peut être considérable. Il faut apprendre à gérer des

quand on reçoit des témoignages très chargés. Quand

émotions qui peuvent se manifester de toutes les

est-ce qu’on consulte, qu’on réfère ? » explique la

manières », dit le doyen Leckey. « Les travailleurs

professeure et travailleuse sociale. Elle avait également

sociaux sont entraînés à la pleine conscience, et j’en

demandé au personnel des centres d’aides de ne pas

vois l’utilité dans une profession où l’on est très peu

se gêner de partager ses frustrations devant la machine

enclin à montrer ses vulnérabilités. »

juridique, notamment le manque de soutien, d’accès, d’accompagnement et aussi la déshumanisation

Alicia Boatswain-Kyte, elle, a été surprise par le niveau d’intérêt des étudiantes et étudiants. « Beaucoup nous

de la pratique.

ont dit que ce cours avait été marquant pour eux. Les

Tant l’étudiante que le doyen ont été fascinés par

juristes ne se destinent pas tous au droit commercial,

l’idée maîtresse de ce cours pratique : le client comme

et certains sont là pour le social, pour l’aide juridique »,

expert. « Pour un avocat, qui se perçoit comme

dit la professeure.

l’expert, c’est un changement de paradigme », dit le doyen Leckey. « La grande aptitude des travailleurs sociaux, c’est l’écoute et le respect. Leur rôle est d’accompagner la personne pour l’amener à prendre la décision par et pour elle-même. » Zola Leslie Mbimbi

Après le franc succès de cette première édition, le doyen Robert Leckey promet que l’expérience se répétera au pavillon Chancellor-Day. « Le sujet reviendra dans une forme ou l’autre, j’en suis sûr. »

a trouvé elle aussi cette idée très forte : « La personne qui vit la situation peut juger de ce qui est le meilleur.

L’avocat, là-dedans, agit comme support. »

Photos par Owen Egan and Joni Dufour

« Pour un avocat, qui se perçoit comme l’expert, c’est un changement de paradigme. » Des jeux de rôle ont permis aux étudiantes et étudiants d’exercer leurs aptitudes professionnelles.

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MCGILL LAW JOURNEYS Two law degrees, a world of possibilities: our graduates’ paths testify to the versatility of the integrated BCL/JD program.

THE BCL/JD JOURNEY

1L: Chaque session de la première année commence par une semaine d’intégration, dédiée à des activités en petits groupes et des formations intensives.

Admission au BCL/JD d’une cohorte bilingue et exceptionnellement talentueuse. Chaque membre est choisi pour qu’il soit enrichi par son passage à McGill, et prêt à enrichir à son tour la profession.

Rencontrez notre nouvelle cohorte à la page 30.

First-year classes introduce students to McGill Law’s distinctive integrated approach: common law, civil law and, increasingly, Indigenous legal traditions are taught simultaneously, in dialogue.

Découvrez l’atelier « Travailler avec des clientèles vulnérables » à la page 10.

Students acquire a deep fundamental understanding of the law and develop their creative legal minds through advanced classes, taught by world-class professors.

BCL/JD candidates put their skills into practice and explore their passions through experiential learning, such as moot competitions, legal clinics, law journals, clerkships, and exchanges.

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Renewed mandatory classes include Indigenous Legal Traditions and a year-long, multidisciplinary course on Criminal Justice.

2-4L: Students hone their professional skills and are initiated to topics relevant to current practice through advanced mandatory classes (Legal Ethics and Professionalism, Advocacy) and optional Focus Week Workshops taught by seasoned practitioners.

Graduation Les finissantes et finissants reçoivent un baccalauréat en droit civil (BCL) et un Juris Doctor (JD), qui leur ouvrent la porte à une pluralité de carrières au Québec, au Canada, aux États-Unis et à l’international.

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

PUBLIC SERVICE Meet the privacy commissioners of Canada and Ontario Page 34

Minister, ambassador, governmental appointments Nonprofits, non-governmental organizations

Elected office

BUSINESS

Crown attorney

CEO

RECHERCHE ET ENSEIGNEMENT Carrière universitaire

Think tanks, observatoires

Company executive Entrepreneur

Études aux cycles supérieurs

Journalisme

Organismes régulateurs

BCL/JD Direction de médias

Barreau du Québec, all Canadian bars, New York Bar and many international jurisdictions

Judicial clerkship

In-house counsel

Supreme Court clerkship

Meet our new clerks page 45

Discover the journey of Magda Grace page 18

ARTS, MÉDIAS ET DIVERTISSEMENT

ARBITRAGE ET MÉDIATION

Senior legal advisor

Avocat.e en cabinet

Chief Legal Officer

IN-HOUSE Associé.e

NOMINATION À LA MAGISTRATURE Découvrir le parcours de l’honorable Alexandre Bien-Aimé page 14

PRATIQUE EN CABINET Discover the journey of Awi Sinha page 20

SOLE PRACTICE Discover the journey of Aubrey Charette page 16

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FEATURE M C GILL LAW JOURNEYS

LA FLEXIBILITÉ DE DÉROGER Par Jean-Benoît Nadeau

À huit ans, l’honorable Alexandre Bien-Aimé, BCL/LLB’10, rêvait déjà d’être avocat.

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« Mon idée était remplie des clichés de la télé, mais je

criminaliste de grand renom, lui propose alors de

trouvais ça stimulant », confie-t-il. Convaincu qu’il fera

se joindre à lui comme associé. Leur association

du droit pénal longtemps avant son entrée à la faculté

permet à Alexandre Bien-Aimé d’accéder beaucoup

de droit de l’Université McGill, le jeune Alexandre lit

plus tôt que d’usage à un nouveau chapitre de sa

les biographies de criminalistes flamboyants et de juges.

carrière, où il se retrouve intimement impliqué dans

« Je ne connaissais aucun avocat et c’était ma manière

la croissance et le rayonnement d’un cabinet.

de découvrir leur quotidien. »

Aussi fulgurante que puisse sembler la progression

Nommé juge à la Cour supérieure du Québec à 35 ans

de sa carrière, elle n’en a pas été linéaire pour autant.

en février 2023, Alexandre Bien-Aimé est certes

« J’ai aussi connu mon lot d’échecs : des dossiers que

l’un des plus jeunes juges à accéder à ce tribunal au

j’étais certain de gagner, des emplois que j’étais certain

Québec. « Mais, tient-il à préciser, je ne suis pas la

d’obtenir », raconte le nouveau magistrat. Il s’inquiète

première personne noire. J’ai deux prédécesseures,

de percevoir chez les étudiantes et étudiants une

Marie-Hélène Dubé et Guylène Beaugé. »

grande anxiété pour la réussite rapide alimentée par la

De ses années à McGill, il a gagné de solides amitiés

peur de l’échec. « Le succès ne suit pas nécessairement

parmi la communauté étudiante et l’administration.

Il cite également un conseil inoubliable formulé par Charmaine Lyn, doyenne adjointe à l’époque : « Elle m’a dit de rester ouvert et d’avoir la flexibilité pour déroger de mon plan. » Et c’est ainsi que le jeune

une ligne droite. L’échec du plan A ne signifie pas la fin du parcours. Et c’est souvent le plan B, survenu à la dernière minute, qui est la bonne voie. Mais le plus drôle là-dedans, c’est qu’on n’aurait pas découvert le plan B si on n’était pas passé par le plan A. Et il y a

Alexandre, qui avait hâte de commencer une pratique

de la beauté dans la découverte de son chemin. »

en droit criminel, s’est permis quelques détours

Conscient de la portée symbolique de sa nomination,

formateurs comme auxiliaire juridique auprès

Alexandre Bien-Aimé tient néanmoins à réduire les

de l’hon. Thomas A. Cromwell à la Cour suprême du

attentes. Nommé juge seulement 13 ans après son

Canada, avant de faire une maîtrise en droit à Harvard.

accession au barreau, il ne veut surtout pas laisser

Ces expériences lui ont permis de se familiariser avec

son âge le distraire. « C’est le travail qui parle. Je ferai

une pluralité d’environnements. Le hasard des rencontres l’a amené à travailler à Trinité-et-Tobago — où la peine de mort teinte encore le droit. L’été entre sa troisième et quatrième année d’études en droit, il prend la direction de New York et découvre la pratique juridique à une nouvelle échelle : « J’ai été impressionné

le meilleur travail possible. » Et le travail, il connaît. À son retour des États-Unis en 2016, il avait assumé une charge de cours à la Faculté de droit tout en développant et en cosignant un ouvrage didactique sur la procédure pénale (Criminal Procedure: Cases and Materials).

par la fréquence à laquelle se présentaient des dossiers

Ancien vice-président du chapitre québécois de

gargantuesques, mobilisant des dizaines de juristes »

l’Association des avocats noirs du Canada, Alexandre

se souvient-il. Quelques années plus tard, après son

Bien-Aimé croit à l’importance de la diversité dans

admission au Barreau du Québec, il deviendra d’ailleurs

nos institutions et y voit, comme le juge en chef de la

membre du Barreau de New York.

Cour suprême du Canada, Richard Wagner, un lien

« J’ai eu accès à des collègues généreux qui m’ont permis de me développer très vite », souligne Alexandre Bien-Aimé. Avant d’avoir célébré ses trente ans, le juriste agit déjà comme avocat principal dans des dossiers d’envergure. Le regretté Richard Shadley [BCL’63],

15

avec la santé de la démocratie. Pour le reste, il se fait cependant plus circonspect: « Comme juge, on est censé parler par la voix de nos jugements et c’est ce que j’ai l’intention de faire. »

M C GILL LAW JOURNEYS

EMPOWERING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

By Maeve Haldane

For a lawyer who specializes in the deeply rooted area of First Nations law, Aubrey Charette, BCL/LLB’10, has had a far-flung international journey.

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Her dad, John Chabot, was in the NHL so Charette

helping draft judgements in an area of the law that is

spent her early years in Montreal, Pittsburgh, and

rapidly evolving,” she says. “The judges are fleshing

Detroit. When he later joined the European Ice Hockey

out how to apply general principles to different

League, Charette landed in Italy for grade seven, then

factual scenarios.”

Berlin for the rest of high school.

Individual First Nations clients then asked her to

Afterwards, she went to Oxford (Queen’s College) to

advise them on a wide variety of historical and cultural

study politics, philosophy and economics. She found

issues, from self-governance to family and property

the experience “intellectually incredibly difficult but

matters. “It’s all about crafting a vision for our own

a complete and utter joy socially” — and admits to

future,” she explains. And Charette could continue this

perhaps enjoying the latter a bit too much.

work when she moved to Istanbul for two years, for

Charette returned to Canada, first to Toronto at

her husband’s temporary posting.

War Child Canada, then Ottawa with the National

Upon returning to Ottawa in 2020, Charette hung

Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA),

out a shingle for solo practice, specializing in specific

an Indigenous economic development organization.

claims, governance and self-determination, and

A bonus was spending more time with her parents

Indigenous entrepreneurship. The global pandemic

in town, and her grandfather at the Kitigan Zibi

made her first few months in business more challeng-

Anishinabeg reserve, about two hours north. Charette

ing than expected, but her practice nonetheless picked

is a status member of the community and is well-versed

up. “I love the freedom and flexibility,” she says.

in its history. She’s aware her life is starkly different from her grandfather’s, who spoke only Algonquin until he was nine years old, trapped for food, and travelled by canoe to trade.

Drawing from her experience at the Specific Claims Tribunal, Charette has notably supported First Nation clients with over a dozen “specific claims” — a particular set of claims Indigenous governments have against

Adventure pulled her abroad again, with her spouse

the federal government for historical breaches of legal

to Papua New Guinea. There, Charette helped write a

obligations, such as illegal reserve takings or breaches

draft of the United Nations Development Assistance

of the Indian Act.

Framework. It’s also during this stay that she came to realize the power of legal work. Malaysian corporations were engaging in massive deforestation in the country.

Charette saw a lawyer tackle the issue by analyzing the local legal framework. “He read the laws, understood them, and showed what needed to be changed, and how to use the courts.”

Charette also does a lot of pro bono work, serving on the boards of Oxfam Canada and First Assist, a charity dedicated to promoting educational achievement in remote Indigenous communities through sport. She takes on a small number of Indigenous individuals as pro bono clients, recognizing how Indian status can create complicated legal situations for individuals who

From there, Charette applied to McGill Law. The Faculty’s transsystemic program served her well, showing her how to creatively craft arguments and understand the law as evolving, not static. Taking this critical — and creative — approach helps imagine how policy can be tweaked, she says.

do not have the means to seek legal advice. In a recent matter, she challenged an Indian Affairs policy that was preventing a woman from inheriting her childhood home, and, to her pleasant surprise, got the policy changed. “We just got word that my client would be allowed to inherit her childhood house, which is really

After graduation, Charette headed off to New York City.

amazing,” says Charette.

Though she found working for an AmLaw 100 law firm

There wasn’t always the political will to budge old

gruelling — even more when a baby was added — she loved it. She always advises younger lawyers to work at a firm. “It’s rigorous training. People ripping apart your work? You will get better. You’ll be a better writer, a better thinker, you’ll be faster.”

policy, Charette explains. But now there’s the space to make creative arguments based on reconciliation. “The area of law affecting Indigenous people is changing all the time,” she says. New cases are fleshing out today’s standards and rules, that better reflect what people

Four years later, a return to Ottawa brought her to the

think is just. “In terms of Indigenous issues, this

Specific Claims Tribunal formed to resolve First Nations

government is the best I’ve seen. It’s doing a lot of things

claims over land and assets. As legal counsel, “I was

behind the scenes that don’t get any credit at all.”

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GEORGE PIMENTEL/SHUTTERSTOCK

M C GILL LAW JOURNEYS

A PRINCIPAL PLAYER FOR PRIME VIDEO

By Christopher DeWolf If the head of Amazon’s Prime Video for Canada, Australia and New Zealand can pinpoint a moment that sparked her interest in the legal issues that surround the entertainment industry, it may have been chats she had with her father in the early 2000s.

“We had a lot of discussions at home about MP3s and Napster and the implications of that,” says Magda Grace, BCL/JD’11. “At the time people were getting $10,000 charges from various music organizations for illegally downloading things.”

“It had a big impact on young people like me, who didn’t have a lot of money and were just looking for easier ways to consume media.”

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These days, Grace herself plays an important role

“My job was effectively negotiations, so being able to

in the Canadian media space.

read contracts and persuade buyers to find common

She runs a branch of the world’s second-largest

ground,” she says. In 2016, Grace was recruited by

streaming service, which has more than 200 million subscribers. She oversees content like Three Pines,

Amazon to work on content acquisition. Soon after, the company launched Prime Video in Canada, and

a TV adaptation of Quebec author Louise Penny’s

Grace moved to Toronto to help build it up.

best-selling Inspector Gamache mysteries, and LOL:

“This was at the very beginning of the global expan-

Qui rira le dernier?, a comedy reality show hosted by

sion,” she says. “We just turned on these extra 200

Patrick Huard.

countries. How [could] we be successful locally?”

A Dawson College graduate, Grace came to study law

The answer to that question, if the past six years are

at McGill after completing a pre-law undergraduate

any indication, is local content.

program at the University of Toronto. She worked as

It turns out people want to see themselves reflected on

a research assistant for law professor David Lametti, BCL’89, LLB’89, former attorney general and minister of justice of Canada, helping him with a paper about the ownership of intellectual property (IP) in the cloud. And she took every course she could find that dealt with the issues that increasingly intrigued her.

“The courses that really resonated with me were in digital rights and entertainment law,” says Grace.

“It was in those courses that I really started to build an understanding that I could turn this from a passion into a career.”

Following her studies at McGill, Grace earned a master’s degree in IP and entertainment law at UCLA. Then she plunged straight into Hollywood.

“My first job out of UCLA was with a talent agency,” she says.

screen. Streaming services have begun producing film and television developed by and for local markets. And often, a hit show in one country can also resonate in another, as was the case for the Spanish series Money Heist or the French series Lupin, both on Netflix.

“What we’ve seen is that people watch such a diverse selection of content, we need to offer content that isn’t one-size-fits-all,” says Grace.

Twenty-five percent of Canadians who use streaming services watch Prime Video, according to a 2021 survey by market research firm Finder. An impressive number, but still far less than Netflix, which attracts 52 percent of those viewers.

And the market is getting ever more crowded, with new platforms like Apple TV and Disney Plus vying for audiences, on top of homegrown services like Crave

Half of her job dealt with non-disclosure agreements

and CBC Gem.

and the other half involved working with clients.

Grace is sanguine about the competition. “It’s good

“Aretha Franklin would call sometimes, and I’d get to speak with her, which was one of the highlights of that first job,” says Grace.

for customers — it means there’s more content being made. But it forces us to remind ourselves that we have to earn our customers’ trust, earn their eyeballs,

But it was tough, high-pressure work. “If you’ve

and put out good content constantly. It’s a good chal-

ever seen Entourage, it was definitely that type of

lenge for us as a business.”

environment.”

“One of the things I really like about the streaming

She found herself more interested in the client side of

space, and how and why we’re successful, is because

the business rather than in writing up contracts.

we make it easier for people to get access to what

“I was pursuing this dream that wasn’t paying itself

they want.”

back in a sustainable salary or successful career. I had a lightbulb moment where I realized I don’t need to be a successful lawyer to have a successful career.”

She found a position with Starz that involved selling the cable network’s shows to international digital platforms like iTunes, Amazon and Netflix. Her legal background proved to be an asset.

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This is an abridged version of an article published by McGill News alumni magazine in April 2023 — read the original story at mcgill.ca/x/UY5

M C GILL LAW JOURNEYS

A PRACTICE IN THE LAW OF EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES

By Maeve Haldane

Awanish “Awi” Sinha, LLB’99, is the lawyer you call when faced with the unprecedented.

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Good-humoured and calmy bold, the law partner

While the balance is a challenge, Sinha wants to fully

co-leads McCarty Tétrault’s Public Sector group, where

embrace “every lovely scrumptious aspect” of family

politics, policy, and business meet. Sinha helps organi-

life while serving his clients, being a good friend,

zations navigate new and unexpected scenarios, carving

finding interesting new things, learning from the

out legal space where there may not be precedents.

world. “How can I make it so that all of these are not

In 2023, Canadian Lawyer named him one of the top 25

independent stones, but colours on a palette? I’m trying

most influential lawyers in the country.

to live a life, not go through tasks.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he advised governments

In the early days of his career, he didn’t want to draw

and corporations on how to respond, as well as helped

attention to how he was usually the only Brown person

sports teams and casinos coordinate shutdowns and

in the room. “You could barely make a soccer team

re-openings. He’s provided advice on the legalization of

out of the Brown partners on Bay Street,” he says. But

cannabis, and regulation of new dental plans. His exper-

a colleague urged him to step up. Today, he serves as

tise in political law makes him the go-to for corporations

McCarthy Tétrault’s ambassador to Legal Leaders

and political actors on conflicts of interest, ethics,

in Diversity, and is a sought-after voice for diversity

lobbying and elections law.

in the business community.

And if an entity wants to engage in something like

Not only is a diverse staff more productive, innovative,

cryptocurrency, or take a public stance on a political

and creative; it’s also a sign of a well-functioning office

issue that poses a media risk, he’ll weigh in.

that hires for talent and eschews the risk of groupthink,

“I’m naturally drawn to unsolved problems,” Sinha says.

Sinha stresses. He likens its importance to how special

If you look at law as the operating instructions for a tribe as it grows, when new needs arise, legal lacunae open.

Sinha approaches these gaps as “how an ecologist might be excited to find a new species.”

“Our profession requires people who can do a very peculiar job,” he says. “You’re looking for the people who crave it, and are good at it, and can engage with it in the way that makes it great. If you put unnecessary,

Sinha attributes his capacity for holding many perspectives at once to his bijural training at McGill in the ’90s, with its emphasis on political, moral, and societal underpinnings. “It was a great environment to

By Maeve Haldane

powers are found anywhere in the X-Men universe.

think and be challenged with ideas,” he says. “And an absolutely beautiful mélange of people from different backgrounds, different cultures, different educational paths, and with different anticipated careers,” the Hindu Newfoundlander adds.

He was part of the first class of students to be recruited

by New York firms, and landed at Paul, Weiss, gaining great experience. But the NYC lifestyle wasn’t the right fit for Sinha and his now-wife. “Being on the Upper East Side arguing with people about where to find the best risotto didn’t feel like us,” he jokes. So, 23 years ago, they chose Bay Street over Wall Street.

irrelevant characteristics in front of your perception of who’s going to be good at the job? If you need a team of heroes and you only look for heroic types, you’re going to miss Wolverine, up north in a Canadian mining town. You’re going to miss Nightcrawler because he’s a street urchin in Germany.”

Within the organized chaos and fast decisions of his office’s legal dealings, Sinha tries his best to mentor junior lawyers so they mature as problem solvers.

He has great faith in the younger generation to lead us toward ever more progressive ways. “I’ve got a pet theory that my kids’ generation is just going to straighten things out,” he says. For them, climate change and gender equality aren’t debatable.

“Corporations will have to be good citizens and show moral corporate character, just to keep competitive.”

He and his wife, an executive at an insurance company, lead busy lives. When their kids were young, Sinha was aware that if he left work at 6 to relieve the nanny, it’d be assumed he was going to another meeting — or that if he were upfront about his family commitments, he’d be lauded in ways his wife might not have been. “That’s ridiculous! Because she’s probably contributing more than me at the office and at home, but gets no bonus points for it,” he notes.

21

“I really do believe the universe arcs toward justice and, in the end, don’t bet against rationality,” Sinha says. “My highest professional obligation is the execution of the law. And I have faith that if you support that system, then that system creates a backbone for a moral and just society.”

Nouvelles de la Faculté McGill Law was ranked the 29th best law school worldwide in the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The Faculty received the highest score in Canada, 17th best in the world, for the Teaching evaluation criterion. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) also placed the Faculty 29th in the world, up two ranks from 2022.

Daniel Weinstock, CM, a été nommé membre de l’Ordre du Canada pour « son apport magistral au progrès de la philosophie politique, des politiques publiques et de la justice sociale au Canada, en tant qu’éthicien, philosophe et intellectuel respecté ».

René Provost, MSRC, Ad E, a reçu le cer-

Maria D’Amico, senior administrative

tificat de mérite de la American Society of

coordinator in the Institute of Air and

International Law (ASIL) pour son ouvrage

Space Law, retired from McGill after

Rebel Courts: The Administration of Justice

over thirty-five years of service.

by Armed Insurgents (Oxford University Press, 2021). En mai, il a été nommé titulaire d’une prestigieuse chaire James McGill pour un mandat de sept ans.

Lara Khoury, Ad E, received the prestigious 2023 Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). She was promoted to the rank of full professor in June.

L’honorable Louise Otis, OC, OQ, Ad E, In recognition of her impactful scholarship, teaching, and social justice commitment, Adelle Blackett, FRSC, Ad E, received a doctorate honoris causa from the Université catholique de Louvain in February, and from Simon Fraser University in June.

She received the Labour Law Research

Frédéric Mégret received an honorary doctorate from the University of Copenhagen in recognition of his standing as “one of the most influential scholars in international law of his generation.”

a pris sa retraite après avoir été boursière Boulton et professeure auxiliaire à la Faculté pendant douze années. Cette ancienne juge à la Cour d’appel a joué un rôle de premier plan dans la promotion de la médiation et de la résolution de différends, au Québec et à l’international.

Network’s Bob Hepple Award for Lifetime Achievement in Labour Law and the McGill Graduate Law Students’ Association’s Excellence in Supervision and Mentorship Award.

In September, he was named to the Hans & Tamar Oppenheimer Chair in Shauna Van Praagh was appointed by

Public International Law for a seven-year term. It was previously held by François

the Governor in Council as president of

3

Crépeau, OC, OQ, FRSC, Ad E, who

the revived Law Commission of Canada

was its inaugural chairholder.

for a five-year term, effective June 2023.

Shadaye Cousins, BCL/LLB’22, s’est

In May, she was awarded the McGill

jointe à la Faculté à titre de doyenne

Sébastien Jodoin a reçu le prix Acteur

adjointe intérimaire (admissions et

de changement de l’Université McGill

recrutement) en janvier pour un mandat

pour son dévouement à conscientiser

d’un an.

le public et les gouvernements de

Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching in the full professor category.

l’impact des changements climatiques sur les personnes avec un handicap.

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Nouvelle chaire en droit des affaires nommée en l’honneur d’une pionnière québécoise À l’occasion de la Journée internationale des femmes 2023, la Faculté de droit a annoncé son intention de fonder la Chaire Elizabeth Carmichael Monk en droit des affaires. Elizabeth Carmichael Monk, CR, BCL’23, LLD’75, est passée à l’histoire en devenant l’une des deux premières femmes à accéder au Barreau de Québec.

Sa carrière épanouie en droit commercial et droit immobilier a traversé cinq décennies de profondes transformations sociales.

Découvrez cette initiative : mcgill.ca/x/UYh

Brian F. Havel, who had completed a

Fabien Gélinas, Ad E, a été reconduit

five-year term as director of the Institute

comme titulaire d’une chaire Sir William

for Air and Space Law in summer 2022,

C. Macdonald.

retired and became professor emeritus

Manon Berthiaume, coordonnatrice

in January.

administrative senior, a pris sa retraite après plus de trois décennies au service de la Faculté de droit et du Centre Paul-André Crépeau de droit privé et comparé.

Sandy Hervieux has been appointed head librarian for the Nahum Gelber Law Library. Holder of a BA in German Studies

Helge Dedek was named to the Wainwright Chair in Civil Law for a seven-year term.

The chair was held most recently by former dean Daniel Jutras, OC, Ad E.

and a Master of Information Studies from McGill, her main area of research is in the field of AI in academic libraries.

Ignacio Cofone has received the McGill Principal Prize’s for Outstanding Emerging Researchers. He was promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure in June.

Jérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly received the Geneviève Saumier a été reconduite comme titulaire de la Chaire Peter M. Laing QC de droit. La professeure Andrea K. Bjorklund et elle ont également été nommées chercheuses Norton Rose Colleen Sheppard, FRSC, was named to the FR Scott Chair in Public & Con-

Fulbright en arbitrage et en droit commercial pour l’année universitaire 2023-2024.

stitutional Law for a seven-year term. It was held most recently by Mark Walters and previously by former dean the late Roderick Macdonald, OC, FRSC.

Omar Farahat was promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure in June.

23

2023 John W. Durnford Award for Teaching Excellence. The McGill Alumni Association presented him with the James G. Wright award, in recognition of his commitment to community service (see page 38). In April, he was presented with the Prix Hommage Bénévolat-Québec of the Government of Québec.

NOUVELLES DE LA FACULTÉ

Snapshots of 2022-2023 The academic year brought the McGill Law community back together, fostering stimulating conversations and vibrant new connections among students and alumni.

Cérémonie de remise des Codes civils pendant la Journée d’accueil.

Visite de l’hon. Sheilah Martin, BCL’81, LLB’81, et de l’hon. Nicholas Kasirer, BCL’85, LLB’85, juges à la Cour Suprême du Canada.

Blockbusting return of Skit Nite: the talent show raised more than $10,000 for Chez Doris, a Montreal women’s shelter.

The all-class Homecoming reunion makes its in-person comeback!

Au printemps, une réception réunit des récipiendaires de bourses et les donateurs ayant rendu ces bourses possibles.

24

La majore de promotion Khadija Ahmed, BCL/JD’23, à la collation des grades.

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

The Buffalo Hat Singers performing during the annual Indigenous welcome ceremony.

Coffee truck meet and greet between the Career Development Office, students, and local alumni.

30th anniversary reunion of the Classes of 1991, 1992 and 1993 at Chancellor Day Hall.

Conférence dans le tribunal-école Maxwell-Cohen : la journaliste Paule Robitaille, BCL’86, LLB’86, s’entretient avec Dan Bilak, BCL’86, LLB’86, avocat devenu membre des Forces armées ukrainiennes.

Christiane Taubira, LLD’23, femme politique pionnière en France, reçoit un doctorat en droit honoris causa de McGill.

Après la cérémonie de remise des diplômes, la nouvelle cohorte célèbre au pavillon Chancellor-Day!

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5

CATALYSTES DE CHANGEMENT

From legal scholarship to social change Privacy in the age of AI, inclusive climate action, and employment equity for all — through their commitment to public service, Professors Ignacio Cofone, Sébastien Jodoin, and Adelle Blackett, FRSC, Ad E, are leading efforts to answer some of our society’s most pressing challenges.

REDEFINING HARM IN THE INFORMATION ECONOMY

By Julia Dyck “In a world where data is the lifeblood of the economy,

In his new book, titled The Privacy Fallacy: Harm

figuring out how to protect people from data harms

and Power in the Information Economy (Cambridge

is paramount,” says Ignacio Cofone, associate pro-

University Press, December 2023), Cofone proposes

fessor and Canada Research Chair in AI Law & Data

a novel legal framework for properly recognizing

Governance at the Faculty of Law. “Current laws and

the value of privacy in the age of AI.

regulations fail to protect us because they are built on outdated ideas that trap lawmakers, regulators, and courts into wrong assumptions about privacy.”

Cofone argues that consent provisions, which have long been considered a cornerstone of privacy protection, are insufficient in preventing AI and

Cofone’s research focuses on online data governance,

privacy harm. This is because much of the harm

with a major focus on law reform in response to tech-

arises from inferences made about individuals and

nological and economic advancements. He is a 2023

groups, where individual agreements become irrele-

laureate of the McGill Principal’s Prize for Outstanding

vant. For instance, one of Cofone’s projects explores

Emerging Researchers and an affiliated fellow at the

how the US correctional system uses AI to predict

Yale Law School Information Society Project.

whether inmates are likely to re-offend when released.

In 2020, he authored the Office of the Privacy Commis-

Because the algorithms are based on arrest data

sioner of Canada’s report setting out the direction of the most significant reform to federal privacy law of the last two decades. This year, the Parliament of Canada is discussing a reform proposal that incorporates most

in which racialized people are disproportionately affected, these people are mistakenly flagged as “risky” more frequently by the AI, magnifying existing systemic inequalities.

of the report’s principal recommendations.

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FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

“Striking the right balance between specificity and durability is crucial.”

Risks extend beyond the criminal system to the entire

“Once we figure out how to conceptualize the idea of

economy. “Our privacy is increasingly besieged by

privacy harm, which is what this book attempts, we

tech companies,” he highlights. “The number of data

can build a more powerful liability system that can

breaches and harms to individuals, to groups, and

create accountability for data practices in ways that

even to democracy that we have witnessed in the last

the current system cannot,” he explains. Cofone’s

decade shows us that we simply cannot live with that

proposed reforms aim to shift the focus from collecting

system anymore.”

superficial consent to actively protecting people from

Under current regulations, organizations have little

online harms.

incentive to prevent harm. Many privacy scandals

While the rapid pace of AI innovation might seem like

involve companies that have obtained users’ required

a major challenge, Cofone argues that policymakers

consent and fulfilled procedural requirements. When

should focus on the economic and social relationships

there’s a data breach, people can typically pursue

that underlie the technology, not the technology itself,

legal action only if it leads to outright identity theft

to design laws that are future-proof. “Striking the right

or financial/reputational harm. Cofone advocates

balance between specificity and durability is crucial:

for a more robust system that holds companies

regulations should not be overly ambiguous to the point

accountable for their data practices based on the data

of lacking practicality, nor should they be excessively

practices’ consequences, suggesting that they should

specific and limited in utility as technology advances.”

be obligated to provide reparations when a harmful privacy breach occurs.

Learn more about The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy : mcgill.ca/x/U7m

27

POUR DES POLITIQUES ENVIRONNEMENTALES RÉELLEMENT INCLUSIVES Par Jean-Benoît Nadeau En 2015, Sébastien Jodoin, BCL/LLB’05, est hospitalisé d’urgence. Le diagnostic tombe : sclérose en plaques, à 33 ans. L’été suivant, il découvre que cette maladie chronique le rend particulièrement vulnérable à la chaleur. « J’ai réalisé que les personnes avec un handicap seraient parmi les premières affectées par les changements climatiques », dit ce titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada sur les droits de la personne, la santé et l’environnement. Or, malgré qu’environ 15 % de la population mondiale vit avec un handicap — 20 % dans un pays avec une population vieillissante comme le Canada — ce segment reçoit peu d’attention dans

Or, on est loin du compte. Par exemple, les politiques

le domaine du changement climatique.

favorisant l’abandon de l’automobile ne tiennent pas

Cette négligence se traduit très concrètement par une surmortalité des personnes handicapées lors d’urgences climatiques. Ainsi, 91 % des plus de 600 décès durant la vague de chaleur de 2021 en Colombie-Britannique touchaient des personnes avec un handicap. « Si les personnes handicapées n’ont pas accès aux ressources, soins et services pour survivre à une vague de chaleur, c’est parce que les gouvernements n’ont pas tenu compte de leurs droits ni dans leurs plans d’urgence, ni dans les mesures d’adaptation climatique à long terme. » Dans une étude qui a fait les manchettes internationales, le professeur Jodoin et son équipe ont démontré que les personnes handicapées étaient systématiquement négligées dans la gouvernance climatique autour du monde. Ils ont constaté que moins d’un quart des pays mentionnent les personnes handicapées dans leurs politiques climatiques. En outre, lorsqu’ils y font référence, ils le font de manière superficielle.

Le programme de recherche que dirige le professeur Jodoin a pour but de co-générer et promouvoir des solutions climatiques inclusives du handicap. Une politique bien pensée, par exemple, devrait prévoir le refroidissement passif et la climatisation des milieux

compte des besoins des personnes à mobilité réduite, ni de l’accessibilité des modes de transport sobres en carbone. « À Montréal, seulement 25 des 68 stations de métro sont accessibles. Pourtant, si on améliorait l’accessibilité, on aiderait non seulement les personnes handicapées, mais on favoriserait la mobilité des personnes âgées et des familles avec des poussettes.

C’est justement ce que les personnes handicapées peuvent contribuer à l’action climatique : nous savons faire en sorte que les programmes et politiques fonctionnent pour le plus grand nombre possible de personnes. » Fréquemment consulté sur ces questions par les gouvernements canadiens et étrangers, le professeur Jodoin a notamment eu l’occasion de présenter sa recherche auprès des gouvernements du G-7 et au Conseil des droits de l’homme des Nations Unies.

Il insiste sur l’importance de reconnaître l’agentivité et les connaissances des personnes handicapées et n’hésite pas à se citer en exemple. « Sans mon expérience vécue avec la sclérose en plaques, je n’aurais probablement pas fondé le seul programme de recherche dédié à l’action climatique inclusive du handicap. »

de vie habités par les personnes handicapées. Et les politiques de décarbonisation devraient réduire, plutôt qu’accroître, les barrières auxquelles font face les personnes handicapées.

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WRITING A NEW CHAPTER FOR EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

By Julia Dyck “When we discuss diversity-related issues, it’s easy to

In recent years, many workplaces have established

lose sight of how much we have in common,” accord-

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion working groups and

ing to Professor Adelle Blackett, FRSC, Ad E, BCL’94,

policies, but these efforts are often on a voluntary basis.

LLB’94. A steadfast leader of change throughout her

However, in Canada, the concept of employment equity

career, she has cultivated the art of bringing people

is given a constitutional foundation in substantive

together around shared values.

equality, grounded in a key principle: equity does not

Blackett is Canada Research Chair in Transnational

mean treating everyone the same, but rather working

Labour Law at McGill. In 2021, she was appointed chair of Canada’s Employment Equity Act Review Task Force by the federal Minister of Labour Filomena

to address the barriers that different individuals face.

“Thinking carefully about the framework, and how to strengthen it was a huge part of the mandate,”

Tassi. The 12-strong group was tasked with conducting

Blackett says.

a comprehensive review of the Employment Equity Act;

In her role as chair of the task force, she drew from

the first since the landmark legislation was adopted

her recent contributions to a Canada-wide initiative

in 1986, based on the report of the sole commissioner

chaired by Vice President of the University of

of the Royal Commission on Equality in Employment,

Toronto and Principal of the University of Toronto,

the Hon. Rosalie Abella, FRSC, LLD’99.

Scarborough, Wisdom Tettey, where she served as

“It was a huge undertaking,” Blackett acknowledges.

principal drafter of the Scarborough Charter on

During the pandemic, the task force team met virtually with hundreds of constituents across the country, along with undertaking months of research.

The government mandated the task force to identify systemic barriers that exist in the recruitment, promotion and retention of individuals in four designated groups — women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities.

The task force was also mandated to seek input from 2SLGBTQI+ communities, who are not currently designated under the Employment Equity Act, and to consider whether Black communities should be designated a distinct employment equity group rather than included in the visible minority category.

anti-Black racism and Black Inclusion. The Charter, which provides a framework for promoting Black flourishing and redressing anti-Black racism in the Canadian post-secondary sector, has been signed by nearly 60 Canadian institutions, including McGill.

When addressing equitable inclusion, Blackett frames her work around principles that seek to bring people together and create space for voice in the spirit of “nothing about us without us.” The task force heard both that equitable inclusion is important for historically marginalized groups, and that it helps to transform workplaces in ways that can benefit us all.

Internationally, Canada tends to be held up as an example of what is achievable in terms of equity, Blackett points out. “We have a responsibility to demonstrate that equitable inclusion is indeed possible.”

“When we discuss diversity-related issues, it’s easy to lose sight of how much we have in common.”

29

COMMUNAUTÉ ÉTUDIANTE

Focus sur la nouvelle

COHORTE BCL/JD Internationales, diversifiées et exceptionnellement talentueuses, chacune des cohortes BCL/JD sont soigneusement constituées pour que chaque membre soit enrichi par son passage à McGill, et prêt à enrichir à son tour la profession juridique.

Excellence scolaire

Diversité

180

1,142 candidatures

personnes admises

20%

16%

*

admis du cégep, avec une cote R moyenne de 34.49 Âge moyen :

24

ans

ont réalisé des études de deuxième cycle Moyenne universitaire (GPA) :

3.8/4.0

Multilinguisme

53%

38%

appartiennent à une minorité visible ou racialisée

s’identifient comme personnes noires

s’identifient comme personnes autochtones

Communauté internationale

ont le français comme langue maternelle

90

dans

villes natales

30 pays

40

100% 22% 12 est trilingue

s’identifient comme membre de la communauté LGBTTQ+

14% 9.4% 2%

sont les premières personnes de leur famille à mener des études universitaires

plus de

de la cohorte est bilingue

*

*

21%

ont l’anglais comme langue maternelle

26%

*

ont une double citoyenneté

langues maternelles parlées

Ces données sont issues d’un sondage anonyme réalisé annuellement auprès de la cohorte entrante dans le but d’en comprendre la composition et d’évaluer nos démarches de recrutement. * Moyenne des trois dernières cohortes — le sondage de la cohorte entrante 2023 est en cours.

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FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

One of Canada’s most inclusive law schools In a census report* published by the Black Law Student Association of Canada, McGill Law was rated as one of the most diverse law faculties in Canada. Black students make up 8.4% of the BCL/JD cohort, the third-most in the country.

“I was delighted to see the result, but our learning journey is not done,” said Dean Robert Leckey. “We are committed to fostering equitable inclusion at the Faculty, and will continue our constant, deliberate effort toward this goal.”

8.40%

4.97%

Black Law Students in the BCL/JD Program

Percentage of Black people in Quebec

7.93% Percentage of Black people in Montreal

A multifaceted approach: The LEX (Law-Éducation-Connexion) Outreach Program by Davies. LEX encourages youth belonging to under-represented communities to consider law school and careers in the legal profession through classroom visits, community engagement initiatives, and field trips to the University.

A generous donation by Davies is providing critical support to LEX’s mission, and will bolster its activities over the coming years.

A holistic admissions process that values the applicants’ personal statements, CVs, and reference letters, in addition to their grades.

Dedicated funding provided to aspiring Black law students, including several philanthropically funded scholarships.

Institutional leadership through the appointment of Brittany Williams as Assistant Dean (Students) and Dean’s Lead, Black and Indigenous Flourishing.

Remunerated positions for students contributing to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts, such as Indigenous Student Coordinators, Black Affairs Student Coordinators, and LEX coordinators.

* Black Law Students’ Association of Canada, “Black Law Student Census Report 2022-2023” (14 February 2023), indd.adobe.com/view/234705c0-1395-4c24-b226-45e673868ea1

31

COMMUNAUTÉ ÉTUDIANTE

Meet our

NEW STUDENTS Over $350,000 were granted in entrance scholarships this year, opening the Faculty’s doors to outstanding aspiring jurists.

RÉCIPIENDAIRE DE LA BOURSE DE LA BANQUE SCOTIA pour les études en droit, attribuée à un nouvel étudiant en droit ayant démontré son expérience dans la lutte contre le racisme et sa volonté de tirer parti de sa carrière en droit pour contrer le racisme systémique.

Diplôme d’études collégiales en sciences humaines au CÉGEP Heritage College. Ancien étudiant consultant pour le projet Action Équité et Diversité, où il a contribué à la création de contenu pédagogique inclusif envers les personnes racialisées poursuivant des études supérieures.

Passionné par les enjeux d’envergure internationale, il se voit, à l’avenir, offrir du soutien juridique aux immigrants en vue de faciliter leur intégration.

Ritchie NGIEME

« J’ai grandi dans un milieu où peu de personnes ont la chance d’entreprendre des études avancées. À travers les activités de bénévolat auxquelles j’ai participé, j’ai eu la chance de côtoyer des personnes extrêmement intelligentes qui se sont fait discriminer sous bases de caractéristiques sur lesquelles elles n’avaient aucun contrôle.

32

Je me suis promis d’étudier dans un domaine où je pourrais utiliser mes talents et mes habiletés en vue de créer ne serait-ce qu’un petit changement. Entamer mes études en droit représente pour moi la chance de prouver que ma perspective peut contribuer au milieu juridique, et ce, peu importe mes origines. »

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

RECIPIENT OF THE LEON LEVINSON AWARD, awarded to a deserving journalist or broadcaster who decides to pursue the study of law.

Iran-born Canadian. Honours in International Development Studies with a minor in Persian language at McGill. President of the McGill Pre-Law Students’ Society for two years. Writer and editor for The Tribune, with a focus on the Opinion section. Headhunted by the editor in chief of the Montreal Gazette for a short-term column council.

Sepideh “ I enter McGill Law with a long-time interest in Indigenous rights AFSHAR committed in Canada, an adapted passion from international human rights when I increasingly realized the continued

need for basic human rights right here at home. Starting law school, to me, is the natural next step in my longtime unwavering commitment to enacting change.”

RECIPIENT OF THE OSLER, HOSKIN & HARCOURT LLP ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIP, granted on the basis of academic achievement to a Black student entering the BCL/JD program.

Honours Political Science degree from Concordia. Montrealer of Haitian origin who grew up speaking both French and English.

Previously worked for the Ministère de la Famille, gaining hands-on experience in the application of public policy. Volunteered with an organization helping refugees and asylum seekers and on projects with the Montreal Black community.

Oldine “ From a young age I was passionate pursuing my goal of contributing SHEA about to society by becoming a lawyer.

I am interested in exploring the many different areas of law and appreciate being able to do so in both official 33

languages. The McGill exchange programs as well as the International Human Rights Internship Program are of much interest to me as I would gain an international perspective while pursuing my studies.”

FEATURE

PROTECTING YOUR

PRIVACY

Two of the country’s most prominent advocates for protecting our privacy rights are McGill Law graduates: Philippe Dufresne, BCL’98, LLB’98, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and Patricia Kosseim, BCL’92, LLB’92, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

By Mark Witten Dufresne, who was appointed privacy commissioner in

More recently, he served as the chief legal officer of

June 2022, views this as a pivotal time for Canada.

the House of Commons, and that experience is already

“There has never been a more important time for

proving useful to him in his new role. He had a close-up

privacy from the standpoint of great transitions and change,” says Dufresne. Last year, his office investigated

view of Parliamentarians at work and what goes into decisions about developing, passing, and implement-

cases involving a range of concerns — everything from

ing new legislation.

the use of facial recognition technology by law enforce-

As a law student at McGill, Dufresne was influenced

ment agencies, to the location tracking of Tim Hortons

by his very first professor, Nicholas Kasirer, BCL’85,

customers.

LLB’85 — McGill Law dean from 2003 to 2009, now

“Our laws on the public and private sector sides of

a Supreme Court of Canada justice — to pursue a career

privacy are past due for modernizing and they need to

in public service.

catch up to the technologies that have been developing

“It stayed with me, the inspiration not only of this

and continue to develop at a very rapid pace,”

amazing jurist and his strong legal understanding, but

says Dufresne.

also of someone absolutely committed, who encour-

Bill C-27, the new Digital Charter Implementation

aged public service and contribution to institutions

Act — which modernizes private sector privacy laws and strengthens the privacy commission’s enforcement powers — is a key tool Dufresne will be using to help accomplish that goal. The bill is currently before the

and to one’s society,” says Dufresne. “You can do it in academia, as a judge, or as a privacy commissioner.

That commitment to institutions and to the fundamental rights of Canadians is something I saw and

House of Commons.

experienced more broadly at McGill.”

Dufresne was once the senior general counsel for

For her part, Kosseim has been dealing with privacy,

the Canadian Human Rights Commission, where he worked for almost 15 years. He appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada on 15 occasions. These included a major pay equity case in which female postal workers were awarded $150 million, and cases advocating on issues ranging from accessibility and freedom of expression to workplace protection for Parliament

access, and digital data issues throughout her career.

She served in executive positions with Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), as senior general counsel and director-general with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and most recently as counsel in Osler’s Privacy and Data Management Group.

Hill staff.

34

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

“When you have worked in the private sector, public sector, research, academia and the health sector, every path along the way you come to appreciate the different perspectives and what different sectors in society are trying to do for the benefit of the collective good,” she says.

She learned early in her career that it is both essential and feasible to build privacy protection into the development of new science and technology initiatives. As an ethics officer at CIHR, Kosseim helped develop ethical guidelines for the use of personal health information in large population health studies and biobanks.

As information and privacy commissioner, Kosseim works not only with digital health care stakeholders, but those in many other sectors across Ontario to protect and promote privacy and access rights. “This is a dream role in terms of the data-related issues we’re living through as a society and to be at the heart of the problem as an advocate representing people’s rights,” she says.

Kosseim hopes to get the public more involved and engaged in the work of her office. She hosts a podcast called Info Matters and blogs on her office’s site about the issues that she and her colleagues regularly deal with. Last fall, her office launched the Transparency Challenge, a new initiative that spotlights innovative projects or programs in Ontario at the provincial and municipal levels that improve government transparency.

Kosseim says her interest in addressing ethical, legal, and societal issues began when she worked as a researcher for the McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law, after completing a management degree.

She enrolled in law the following September.

“During my four years at law school I learned how to learn, how to think, how to approach and analyze issues, which proved to be indispensable skills through my entire career and in my current role,” she says.

“McGill was also a time for me to discover my passion and my calling, and to follow my heart.”

This is an abridged version of an article published by McGill News alumni magazine in January 2023 — read the original story at mcgill.ca/x/UgA

35

ALUMNI COMMUNITY

Cocktail des diplômées et diplômés de Montréal Photos par Owen Egan et Joni Dufour

(en haut) Larry Markowitz, BCL’95, LLB’95, et Daria Hobeika, BCL/LLB’05. (en bas) Sydney Warshaw, BCL/LLB’17, et Nadir Pracha, BCL/LLB’16.

Le 12 avril 2023, plus d’une centaine de membres de la communauté diplômée de Montréal se sont retrouvés dans l’atrium du pavillon Chancellor-Day pour une joyeuse réception entre camarades de classe. Merci d’avoir fait un franc succès du retour de cette tradition annuelle !

(en bas) Kathy Nakashima, BCL’81, LLB’81, Alexandra MacBain, BCL/LLB’16, et Lloyd Cooper, BCL’81, LLB’81.

(en haut) Andréa Baptiste, BCL/LLB’19, Marie-Laure Saliah-Linteau, BCL/LLB’19, Alexis Faust-Trahan, BCL/JD’20, Andrea Gomez, BCL/ LLB’18, et Daphné Anastassiadis, BCL/LLB’19. (à droite) Rheza Adizora, LLM’21, Abdullah Sen, LLM’21, Amir Nahidi, et Didar Shwan, LLM’21.

Visionnez l’album photo complet au : mcgill.ca/x/UMQ

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FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 0 2 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

New York City Alumni Cocktail Photos by Andrew Muzin

We were thrilled to catch up with our alumni in the Tri-State area just before the holidays, on 8 December. This festive reception was generously hosted by McGill Law champion Jordan Waxman, LLB’91, BCL’92. (above) Event host Jordan Waxman, LLB’91, BCL’92, and Nile Kaya, LLB’91, BCL’93, in conversation with other guests.

(above) Viva Dadwal, BCL/LLB’19, Corina Stonebanks, BCL/LLB’94, and Julia Kolovarsky, BCL/LLB’02. (right) Dean Robert Leckey and Priyanka Timblo, BCL/LLB’13.

View the full photo gallery at: mcgill.ca/x/UMm

37

ALUMNI COMMUNITY

Celebrating Alumni Excellence Each year, the McGill Alumni Association recognizes those who have made standout contributions in service of the University, alumni life, and the betterment of society.

We proudly present the members of our community who were honoured in 2023.

Jérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly, BCL/LLB’15

Patrick Keeler, BCL/JD’23

PRIX JAMES-G.-WRIGHT

PRIX GRETTA-CHAMBERS POUR LE LEADERSHIP ÉTUDIANT

Professeur adjoint à la Faculté, Jérémy BoulangerBonnelly est dévoué à l’accès à la justice et au service à la communauté en tant qu’avocat. Il travaille pro bono à la contestation judiciaire de la loi québécoise sur la laïcité de l’État (« loi 21 »), qui interdit l’accès à certains emplois du secteur public provincial aux personnes portant des symboles religieux. Le professeur Boulanger-Bonnelly est aussi avocat pro bono dans la contestation judiciaire de certaines dispositions du Code civil du Québec affectant les jeunes personnes trans, ainsi que dans des procédures visant à faire reconnaître le statut juridique des familles multi parentales dans le Code civil du Québec.

Patrick Keeler s’implique auprès de la communauté montréalaise touchée par le VIH depuis 2010.

Décidé à répondre aux besoins urgents de cette population mal desservie — dont de nombreux membres n’ont pas accès au système de santé — il a fondé Le Cercle Orange en 2019 afin d’harmoniser au sein d’un système unifié les ressources existantes telles que des soins de santé sans frais, de la médication, de l’information juridique et du soutien communautaire.

L’approche unique de l’organisme et son grand succès en ont fait un modèle à suivre. À McGill, Patrick Keeler a aussi contribué à la fondation du McGill Business Law Meter, un blogue sur des questions d’actualité en droit des affaires, et participé au Concours de plaidoirie en droit des sociétés et des valeurs mobilières de Davies.

Luciano D’Iorio, ex-président de l’Association des diplômé.e.s de McGill, et Jérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly, BCL/LLB’15.

38

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

Dominique Hussey, BSc’97, LLB’97

Jonathan McGillivray, BCL/LLB’16

MAA TORONTO EXCELLENCE AWARDS – IMPACT AWARD

MAA TORONTO EXCELLENCE AWARDS – RISING STAR AWARD

Dominique Hussey has built a stellar career as a

Senior associate at Resilient LLP, Jonathan McGillivray

leader in the legal profession. She is Bennett Jones’

is one of Canada’s leading climate change lawyers and

Vice Chair and Toronto Managing Partner, and leads

is widely recognized for his ground-breaking work.

its Intellectual Property Litigation group. She has

He regularly attends and advises on the annual United

earned many accolades for her work, including the

Nations global climate negotiations and serves on

Law Firm Leaders Award in 2021 at the inaugural

the board of directors of GreenPAC, a non-partisan,

Chambers Canada Awards. She is the first Black

non-profit organization working to elect and support

woman to be managing partner of a Bay Street law

environmental leaders running for public office across

firm. She serves on the board of the BlackNorth

the country.

Initiative, a not-for-profit that aims to remove anti-Black systemic barriers. In June she began a term as president of The Advocates’ Society.

While at McGill, McGillivray was deeply involved in the Law community. He edited the McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law & Policy and co-chaired the Faculty’s Green Law Committee. Beloved and respected by his colleagues, he received the Faculty’s Patricia Allen Award for Participation.

Dominique Hussey, BSc’97, LLB’97, and Dean Robert Leckey.

39

In Memoriam Chris Axworthy, QC, LLM’71 Martin A. Aster, BCL’64, LLB’80 Geoffrey Gordon Briant, LLB’77 Kenneth Burke, LLB’84, BCL’85 Gordon L. Echenberg, BCL’64 Keith A. Ham, BCL’59

Armand de Mestral

Donald E. Hushion, BCL’64 Pierre Joncas, BCL’72 John Stanley Kennedy, LLB’83 Henri P. Lafleur, BCL’59 The Hon. Perry Meyer, KC, BCL’52 Law Professor at McGill from 1960 to 1975 Jacques-Yvan Morin, BCL’52 Vincent O’Donnell, BCL’55

The Honourable ALISON HARVISON 1941–2023

YOUNG, BC’83, LLB’83, a judge of the

D

Ontario Superior Court of Justice, was appointed to the Court of Appeal iplômé de Harvard et de McGill, Armand de Mestral, CM, est devenufor Ontario.

Justice Harvison a avocat au Barreau du Québec en 1967. Il a ensuite travaillé enYoung Suissewas pour member of the Faculty Law of McGill l’ancêtre de l’Organisation maritime internationale, avant of d’approfondir University from 1988-1998, teaching son expertise en droit maritime au ministère de la Justice à Ottawa.

Il a in the

of public, private and family law. joint la Faculté de droit en 1976. Au cours de saareas longue carrière, il a enseigné le droit constitutionnel, le droit de la mer, le droit international public, le droit commercial international, l’arbitrage international, le droit de communautaire européen et

Michael James Ogilvie, BCL’61

le droit aérien international public. Nommé professeur émérite après sa retraite

Ivan E. Phillips, BCL’59

de Covid-19 ne l’en empêche.

Christophe Preobrazenski, LLB’79

Le professeur de Mestral a reçu des doctorats honorifiques de l’Université de Lyon

Oscar Respitz, BCL’54

de la Chaire Jean Monnet en intégration économique internationale. En 2007,

Shannon Joan Rogers, BCL’96, LLB’96

en 2010, ce pédagogue dévoué a continué d’enseigner jusqu’à ce que la pandémie

et de l’Université Kwansei Gakuin au Japon. En 2003, il a été nommé titulaire il a été fait membre de l’Ordre du Canada.

Il a présidé la Société canadienne de la Croix-Rouge de 1999 à 2001, au cours d’une

Arthur H. Rosenbaum, BCL’63 Jason Victor Ruby, BCL’54 Arthur Michael Sanft, BCL’66 Earl S. Schwartz, BCL’54 Richard E. Shadley, KC, Ad E, BCL’63 The Hon. Joel A. Silcoff, BCL’67 Abraham Slawner, BCL’68 Ruth Sullivan, BCL’81, LLB’81 Donovan Waters, LLD’06 Law Professor at McGill from 1967 to 1977 G. Ian Watson, BCL’57 David H Wood, BCL’53 Susan Valerie Zimmerman, BCL’82, LLB’83

période de défis et de transition pour l’organisation. Devant les enjeux éthiques soulevés dans le cadre de cette fonction, il a toujours fait preuve de patience, de sagesse et de discernement. Armand avait à cœur et citait souvent le verset biblique qui rappelle aux fidèles « d’obéir, d’être prêts à toute bonne œuvre ».

Armand était un collègue et un mentor exemplaire. Il était profondément attaché au bilinguisme de la Faculté de droit, à sa communauté diversifiée et respectueuse, ainsi qu’à l’ouverture mondiale de notre programme intégré. Il faisait la promotion de McGill et de notre conception de l’enseignement du droit partout où il allait, vantant ce qu’il jugeait être son avant-gardisme et son ingéniosité.

Nous nous souvenons de lui comme d’un homme exceptionnel à bien des égards, alliant de façon singulière la douceur, la force et la modestie. Véritable gentleman, il se distinguait par sa curiosité intellectuelle et faisait preuve d’une intégrité, d’une fiabilité et d’une gentillesse sans pareilles. Armand et son épouse, Rosalind Pepall, ont élevé leurs fils dans un foyer chaleureux, empreint d’art et de culture.

Nous présentons nos plus sincères condoléances à sa famille, ainsi qu’aux nombreuses autres personnes qui, comme nous, ont connu et aimé Armand de Mestral et qui, comme nous, le regretteront profondément.

Robert Leckey, Ad E Doyen et titulaire de la Chaire Samuel Gale

40

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

ALUMNOTES

40’s, 60’s, and 70’s William Brock, Ad E, BCL’78, LLB’80, a été nommé président du conseil d’administration de l’Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie (IRIC) à l’Université de Montréal.

Philippe Lette, CM, BCL’68, was appointed to the Order of Canada for the excellence of his career in commercial, business and competition law. An attorney of the Quebec and Paris Bars with more than fifty years of practice, he has notably served as the President of the France-Canada Chamber of Commerce, and counsel to the embassies of Canada and Switzerland in Paris.

L’hon. Brian Riordan, BCL’78, s’est joint au cabinet Spiegel Sohmer à titre de consultant. Nommé à la Cour supérieure du Québec en 2004, il a siégé comme juge à sa Chambre commerciale jusqu’à sa retraite en octobre 2022.

The Hon. IRWIN COTLER, OC, OQ, Ad E, BCL’64, LLD’19, has received

BARTHA KNOPPERS, OC, LLB’78, BCL’81, a été nommée membre The Honourable ALISON HARVISON indépendante du conseil d’adminisYOUNG, BC’83, LLB’83, a judge of the tration du Fonds de recherche du Ontario Superior Court of Justice, was Québec en santé. Professeure appointed to the Court of Appeal for titulaire au département de génétique Ontario. Justice Harvison Young was a humaine de la Faculté de médecine member of the Faculty of Law of McGill de McGill, elle dirige son Centre de University from 1988-1998, teaching in the génomique et politiques. areas of public, private and family law.

the prestigious 2023 Lantos Human Rights Prize, an honour previously bestowed on the likes of the Dalai

80’s

Lama and Hillary Clinton. An emeritus

Gary Bell, BCL’89, LLB’89, was elected

professor of the Faculty of Law, Irwin

General Secretary of the International

Cotler has had a distinguished career

Association of Comparative Law. He is an

as an international human rights

associate professor at the Faculty of Law

lawyer, representing some of the

of the National University of Singapore,

most notable political prisoners and

MANUEL SHACTER, KC, Ad E,

activists of the 20th century. He was

BCL’47, a reçu la Médaille du Bar-

a Member of Parliament for 16 years,

reau de Montréal pour souligner

and has served as Minister of Justice

sa contribution exceptionnelle à la

The Hon. Carol Cohen, BCL’82, is the

and Attorney General of Canada.

cause de la justice. Ayant pratiqué

senior judge of the Superior Court of

le droit pendant plus de 75 ans,

Quebec, where she has sat since 1997.

il a notamment servi comme

She teaches a highly appreciated seminar

Bâtonnier de Montréal en 1987-1988

called Anatomy of a Murder Trial at the

et co-fondé la Lord Reading Law

Faculty of Law, where she is an adjunct

Society. Il est spécialement connu

professor.

pour sa victoire dans l’affaire

L’hon. Clément Gascon, CC, Ad E, BCL’81,

Michael Goldbloom, CM, BCL’78, LLB’79, was appointed for a second five-year term as chair of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Board of Directors. Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Bishop’s University from 2008 to 2023, he was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2013 for his work building bridges between Montreal’s English and French-speaking communities.

Brody v. The Queen, [1962] SCR 681, remportée à la Cour suprême du Canada aux côtés de F.R. Scott, son ancien professeur de droit, alors doyen de la Faculté.

and practices as an arbitrator based in Singapore.

ancien juge à la Cour suprême du Canada, a été nommé compagnon de l’Ordre du Canada pour son exceptionnelle contribution au droit canadien et pour sa profonde détermination à dissiper les préjugés sur les maladies mentales, en particulier au sein de la communauté juridique.

41

ALUMNOTES Robert J. Lesperance, BCL’83, LLB’83,

Me Bajaj perpétue la robuste tradition

was appointed a per diem judicial

d’engagement des diplômé.e.s en droit en

justice of the Provincial Court of British

gouvernance universitaire; six membres

Columbia. A co-founder of Lesperance

de notre communauté siègent actuelle-

Mendes Lawyers, he is chairperson of

ment au Conseil.

the firm’s environmental and intellectual property practice groups. a 2024.

Alicia Barin, LLB’95, was appointed Vice-Chairperson, Broadcasting of the

The Hon. Lori Renée Weitzman, BCL’84,

Canadian Radio-television and Tele-

LLB’85, a judge of the Court of Quebec,

communications Commission (CRTC).

was appointed to the Court of Appeal of

A former vice-president of strategic

Quebec. Justice Weitzman was a Crown

planning for Astral Media, she has over

prosecutor in Montreal from 1987 to 2010

20 years of experience in the Canadian

and specialized in the prosecution of

media industry.

sexual assault and homicide cases.

90’s Arun Bajaj, BCL’93, LLB’93, a été nommé membre à titre personnel du Conseil des gouverneurs de l’Université McGill. Il est premier vice-président et chef des ressources humaines chez Gildan Activewear Inc. Présidé par Maryse Bertrand, Ad E, BCL’80, le Conseil des gouverneurs est la plus haute instance dirigeante de McGill.

the South Asian Bar Association

Andrée-Claude Bérubé, BCL’99, LLB’99,

of Toronto 2023 Legal Excellence

a été nommée vice-présidente directrice

Award. She is a senior legal coun-

et chef du contentieux d’AtkinsRéalis

sel at Alstom Canada, where she

(anciennement SNC-Lavalin). Elle était

specializes in business law and

précédemment chef adjointe du conten-

corporate ethics.

tieux et secrétaire corporative de la firme d’ingénierie.

Hugo Cyr, Ad E, BCL’97, LLB’97, a été nommé directeur général de l’École nationale d’administration publique pour un mandat de cinq ans débutant le 1er février 2022. Avocat émérite, il était précédemment professeur titulaire à la

Jacques Neatby, BCL’92, LLB ‘92, has co-authored Leadership Team Alignment: From Conflict to Collaboration (Stanford University Press, 2023). He is a partner at MindLab, a Europe-based consultancy supporting executive teams around the

Faculté de science politique et de droit

world with strategic alignment issues.

de l’Université du Québec à Montréal,

Marko Pavliha, DCL’92, was bestowed

où il a été doyen de 2015 à 2020.

a Doctor of International Maritime Law

Ariel J. Deckelbaum, BCL’98, LLB’98,

honoris causa from the International

was named partner at Ropes & Gray. He represents public and private companies, private equity and asset management firms, boards of directors, special committees, family offices, high-net-worth

DOUGLAS « DOUG » MITCHELL,

AMEE SANDHU, LLB’98, received

Maritime Law Institute (IMLI). His award letter highlighted the excellence of his career in international maritime law, as well as his decades of commitment to the IMLI as a lecturer and member

individuals, and other strategic investors.

of its governing board.

Véronique Hivon, BCL’94, LLB’94, s’est

L’hon. Eleni Yiannakis, LLM’99, a été

Ad E, BCL’88, LLB’88, a reçu la

jointe au conseil d’administration de

prestigieuse distinction Advocatus

l’organisme de vulgarisation juridique

Emeritus du Barreau du Québec.

Éducaloi. En juin, elle s’est jointe à titre

Cofondateur du cabinet IMK

de professeure invitée au département

avocats, il a été admis en 2022 à la

de science politique de l’Université de

Canadian Academy of Distinguished

Montréal, où elle est également experte

Neutrals, et il a été nommé avocat

en résidence à la Maison des affaires

de l’année (Montréal) — litiges « le

publiques et internationales.

nommée juge de la Cour supérieure du Québec. Reconnue comme une avocate de premier plan par les guides Lexpert, Best Lawyers et Benchmark Litigation, elle avait été nommée en 2023 dans le top 100 des femmes en litige au Canada.

tout pour le tout » par le classement Best Lawyers in Canada 2024.

42

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

00’s Éric Blondeau, BCL/LLB’05, s’est joint au groupe Droit des sociétés et droit commercial de Fasken à titre d’associé.

Il possède près de 20 ans d’expérience en matière de gestion d’actifs, de fonds d’investissements, de fusions et acquisitions et de transactions commerciales.

Emily Crocco, LLB’01, was appointed chair and full-time member of the

Les membres de notre communauté diplômée ont brillé au dîner présidentiel de l’Association du Barreau canadien, division du Québec, remportant deux des trois prix individuels décernés : LISA MIDDLEMISS, BCL/LLB’12, de Gomberg Dalfen, a reçu le Prix Jules-Deschênes, qui récompense le dévouement exceptionnel d’une ou un bénévole au sein de l’ABC-Québec.

Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal by

MICHEL BÉLANGER-ROY, BCL/LLB’17, de Norton Rose Fulbright,

the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau,

a reçu le Prix Pro Bono — Rajpattie-Persaud, pour sa contribution active

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

à des mandats pro bono en matière de droits de la personne, notamment concernant les droits des jeunes trans, non binaires et intersexués ainsi que les familles pluriparentales.

Parmi les invités d’honneur de cette prestigieuse soirée, on comptait deux grandes figures de notre communauté diplômée en droit : l’honorable MAHMUD JAMAL, BCL’93, LLB’93, juge à la Cour suprême du Canada, et l’honorable ALEXANDRE BIEN-AIMÉ, BCL/LLB’10, juge à la Cour supérieure du Québec.

Martin Doe, BCL/LLB’08, was named

Charles A. Foucreault, LLM’06, s’est

CARA CAMERON, BCL’01, LLB’02,

co-Deputy Secretary-General and

joint comme associé au bureau de

s’est jointe au cabinet Woods en

Principal Legal Counsel of the Perma-

Montréal du cabinet international

tant qu’associée. Elle se spécialise

nent Court of Arbitration at the Hague.

Clyde & Cie. Il se spécialise dans les

Michael J. Eldridge, BCL/LLB’07, was

questions liées à l’assurance respon-

en différends commerciaux délicats, tels que les litiges contractuels et de droits des actionnaires, ainsi que les enquêtes et la défense liées aux enquêtes économiques (cols blancs), la fraude commerciale, la recherche d’actifs et les procédures de recouvrement.

named partner at McCarthy Tétrault,

sabilité professionnelle et en droit

where he is part of the Business Law

de l’assurance.

Group in Toronto. His practice is focused

Roberto Ghignone, BCL/LLB’09,

on capital markets, public companies,

was named partner at BLG, where

securities regulation and investment

his practice focuses on all aspects of

products, and public M&A.

privacy law. He was recognized in the

The Hon. Shaun E. Finn, BCL/LLB’02,

2024 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada

was appointed a judge of the Superior

in the Corporate and Commercial

Zachary Davis, BCL/LLB’09, was

Court of Quebec for the district of

Litigation category.

named partner at Pape Salter Teillet

Montréal. Previously a partner at BCF,

Natalka Haras, BCL/LLB’09, senior

LLP. He specializes in Indigenous rights

he created the firm’s class action defence

counsel at ADP Canada, was awarded

law, with an emphasis on litigation and

team. His illustrious practice had earned

the first ADP Chief Legal Officer’s

governance, and is called to the bar of

him membership in the prestigious

Legal Department Social Responsibility

Ontario, Yukon, Quebec, and Alberta.

International Association of Defense

Award. This annual award acknowl-

Counsel (2022) and a Fellowship in the

edges a member of ADP’s global legal

Litigation Counsel of America (2021).

department whose commitment to social responsibility has a positive, measurable impact.

43

ALUMNOTES

Albert Pelletier, BCL’01, LLB’01, joined

Samuel Singer, BCL/LLB’09, LLM’11,

Berger Montague (Canada) PC as

a reçu le Prix du héros (ou de l’héroïne)

Shareholder and CEO. He previously

de la Section de la communauté sur

practiced law at Davies Ward Phillips &

l’orientation et l’identité sexuelles

Vineberg LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, and

(SOGIC) lors du dîner présidentiel

the Ontario Securities Commission,

de l’Association du Barreau du Canada.

and he served as a discipline counsel for the Law Society of Ontario.

The Hon. CHRISTINE MAINVILLE, BCL/LLB’06, was appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice. Prior to her appointment, she was a partner

Eric Ward, BCL’02, LLB’02, was appointed as Special Advisor, Strategic

Sylvia Rich, BCL/LLB’07, won the

Foresight and Law Reform with the

University of Ottawa’s Shirley Greenberg

Information and Privacy Commissioner

Prize for Feminist Research with her

of Ontario. His role focuses on foresight

article “Police Violence as Organiza-

and anticipatory regulation in the service

tional Crime”. Her work argues that

of privacy and transparency rights.

patterns of pervasive police violence can and should be treated as organizational

Laurie-Ann Willett, BCL/LLB’09, was appointed Head of Legal, Canada at

at Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP,

crime in Canada.

where she practiced criminal, penal,

Marie-Pierre Robert, DCL’08, deviendra

New York Bars, she specializes in corpo-

and disciplinary law.

doyenne de la Faculté de droit de

rate law, and was previously Senior Legal

l’Université de Sherbrooke en janvier

Counsel for Joseph Ribkoff Inc.

Chanel. A member of the Quebec and

2024. Elle est professeure à cette faculté Sébastien Lebel-Grenier, DCL’02, was

depuis 2007 et y a été vice-doyenne

appointed Principal and Vice-Chancellor

à l’enseignement de 2015 à 2019.

of Bishop’s University. He was previously a professor at the Faculty of Law of Université de Sherbrooke, where he held many senior leadership positions, including the deanship of the faculty.

Erika Sasson, BCL/LLB’06, received the 2023 David Prize, an award aimed at celebrating New Yorkers with ideas for extraordinary change. She aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of

Pamela L. Marcogliese, BCL’02, LLB’02,

restorative justice for the most difficult

has been named Head of US Corporate

cases, creating a framework for broader

Advisory & Governance at Freshfields

adoption in New York City.

Bruckhaus Deringer. Her work focuses on capital markets transactions and corporate governance matters.

10’s Jordan Altman, BCL/LLB’14, s’est joint à Davies à titre d’associé dans sa pratique Droit des sociétés. En 2020, il avait remporté le prix Avocat de l’année — Droit corporatif du Jeune Barreau de Montréal.

Joydeep Sengupta, BCL/LLB’08, received a Rising Star award in The Legal 500: EMEA 2023. He is head of

Danielle Miller Olofsson, BCL’01,

Compliance and Investigations at

LLB’01, co-authored In the Public Eye:

Mayer Brown in Paris, where his prac-

Privacy, Personal Information, and High

tice focuses on cross-border litigation,

Stakes Litigation in the Canadian Public

investigations, compliance, and

Sector (LexisNexis, 2022). Written with

enforcement matters.

the Hon. Shaun E. Finn, BCL/LLB’02, prior to his judicial appointment,

BENJAMIN PERRIN, LLM’ 07,

this book offers an overview of the

authored Indictment: The Criminal

obligations of public entities in respect

Justice System on Trial (University of

of protecting personal information.

Toronto Press, 2023). The book brings the true stories of survivors and people incarcerated to light, along with the latest research exploring alternatives to the current system.

44

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

Emilie de Haas, BCL/LLB’19, was

Tanya (Toni) De Mello, BCL/LLB’11,

appointed legal communications officer

has been appointed vice president, equity

for the Chambers of Chief Justice

and community inclusion, at Toronto

Richard Wagner at the Supreme

Metropolitan University. In this role,

Court of Canada. She was previously

she provides strategic leadership, vision,

a research fellow at the International

and direction to support the university’s

Council for Commercial Arbitration.

goal to be a leader in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

RODRIGO A. GARCIA, BCL/LLB’13, est conseiller politique dans le cabinet du ministre des Finances du Québec Éric Girard. À ce titre, il est notamment responsable du projet en économie numérique « Infrastructures et données du Québec » (ID Québec) et il participe aux travaux annuels du cabinet entourant l’élaboration du budget et de la Mise à jour économique et financière du Québec.

Florence Ashley, BCL/LLB’17, LLM’20, joined the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law as a tenure-track assistant professor. Their work involves using transdisciplinary methods to study issues

Seven BCL/JD graduates for the Supreme Court of Canada This year again, McGill Law BCL/JD graduates fared outstandingly well in the run for Canada’s most coveted judicial clerkships. Six secured clerkships for 2024-2025, and another for 2023-2024.

STEPHANIE BELMER, BCL/JD candidate — Clerk to Justice Karakatsanis (2024-2025) EMMETT BISBEE, BCL/JD’22 — Clerk to Justice Martin, BCL’81, LLB’81 (2023-2024) KATRINA BLAND, BCL/JD’22 — Clerk to Justice Jamal, BCL’93, LLB’93 (2024-2025)

faced by transgender people in the legal

GARIMA KARIA, BCL/JD’23

and healthcare systems.

— Clerk to Justice Kasirer, BCL’85, LLB’85 (2024-2025)

The Hon. Alexandre Bien-Aimé, BCL/LLB’10, was appointed judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the

JEANNE MAYRAND-THIBERT, BCL/JD’23 — Clerk to Justice Rowe (2024-2025)

district of Montreal. Read about his

FÉLIX-ANTOINE PELLETIER, BCL/JD’21

McGill Law Journey on page 14.

— Clerk to Chief Justice Wagner (2024-2025)

Suzanne Bouclin, DCL’11, won the University of Ottawa’s Shirley Greenberg Prize for Feminist Research for her mono-

ANA QARRI, BCL/JD’22 — Clerk to the Hon. Judge Rowe (2024-2025)

graph Women, Film, and Law: Cinematic

La diplômée des cycles supérieures LAURENCE PRUD’HOMME,

Representations of Female Incarceration.

LLM’22, a également choisie comme auxiliaire juridique pour le cabinet

Her work argues that popular fictional

de l’honorable juge Suzanne Côté (2024-2025).

depictions of women’s imprisonment can illuminate the multiple forms of marginalization, social exclusion, and oppression experienced by criminalized women.

45

ALUMNOTES Andrée-Anne Dion, BCL/LLB’18, a été

Amélie T. Gouin, BCL/LLB’12, a été

nommée associée chez Shadley Knerr

nommée associée chez BLG, où elle

(anciennement Shadley Bien-Aimé).

pratique le litige commercial depuis plus

Elle siège au conseil d’administration du

d’une décennie. En 2018, elle a reçu le

Jeune Barreau de Montréal depuis 2020.

prix Administrateur de la Relève, décerné

Adam Drori, BCL/LLB’11, was named

par le Regroupement des jeunes chambres

partner in the Tax Group at Stikeman,

de commerce du Québec.

where he has been practicing since 2013.

Kathleen Hammond, BCL/JD’19, won the

Annamaria Enenajor, BCL/LLB’12,

Toronto Metropolitan University Dean’s Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity

a partner at Ruby Shiller Enenajor

Award (2022) and the Lincoln Alexander

DiGiuseppe in Toronto, was elected a

Law Students’ Society Professor of the

bencher of the Law Society of Ontario.

CHARLOTTE-ANNE MALISCHEWSKI,

Her election platform focused on

BCL/LLB’15, was appointed Deputy

enhancing professional competence,

Chief Commissioner of the Canadian

encouraging responsible governance,

Human Rights Commission. She

School of Law.

and reducing barriers to an inclusive bar.

previously practiced civil litigation

Max Jarvie, BCL/LLB’15, s’est joint

Melissa Gaul, BCL/LLB’11, was named

in Toronto, with an emphasis on civil

à Davies comme associé au sein de la

and professional liability, administra-

pratique Technologie. Il détient une

tive, and public law.

expertise spécialisée en respect de la vie

partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada. Her practice is focused on

professor at the Lincoln Alexander

privée, en protection des données et

mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate and commercial law.

Year Award (2022). She is an assistant

Antoine Godin-Landry, BCL/LLB’19,

Catherine Gleason-Mercier, BCL/

s’est joint à l’équipe de direction du

LLB’12, was made partner in the

Camp Bruchési. Il gère en parallèle

Construction and Infrastructure Group

une pratique juridique solo à temps

at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel.

partiel et complète un diplôme d’études

In 2023, she was recognized as a “Future

supérieures spécialisées (DESS) en

Star” by Benchmark Litigation.

administration des affaires.

en intelligence artificielle.

Kristina Kékesi-Lafrance, LLM’22, a remporté le prix de l’Association des professeures et professeurs de droit du Québec pour le meilleur mémoire de maîtrise. Son mémoire, intitulé In the Context of Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy, Does Genetic Manipulation Produce Triparental Children in the Eyes of the Law?, a été rédigé sous la direction de la professeure Lara Khoury.

Grammaire pour un français inclusif

Rosel Kim, BCL/LLB’15, received the Young Lawyer of the Year award from the Federation of Asian Canadian

SUZANNE ZACCOUR, BCL/LLB’16, et MICHAËL LESSARD,

Lawyers — Ontario chapter. She is one

BCL/LLB’15, ont publié une nouvelle édition de leur ouvrage

of the founding members of the Asian

Grammaire pour un français inclusif. Le recueil a été mis à jour pour

Canadian Women’s Alliance — a coalition

rendre compte des débats passionnés qui ont eu cours dans

of Asian Canadian-identifying women

les communautés francophones depuis la première édition en 2017.

advocating for systemic change through a feminist and anti-oppressive lens.

Guillaume Lavoie Ste-Marie, BCL/ LLB’13, was named a Principal at Smart & Biggar. He is a litigator and trademark agent with extensive experience in copyright, patent, and trademark-related matters.

46

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

Michaël Lessard, BCL/LLB’15, s’est

Zain Naqi, BCL/LLB’14, was made

joint au corps professoral de la Faculté

partner at Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb.

de droit de l’Université de Sherbrooke.

His practice covers all aspects of business

Dans ses recherches, il s’intéresse

litigation, and he has represented clients

particulièrement à la manière dont le

at all levels of court in Ontario, at the

droit privé appréhende les individus

Federal Court, and at the Supreme Court

vulnérables ou marginalisés.

of Canada.

Zachary Masoud, BCL/LLB’14, was

François Nolet-Lévesque, BCL/LLB’16,

named partner at McCarthy Tétrault.

was named partner at BLG, where he has

He regularly represents Canadian

worked since 2018. His practice focuses

and foreign banks, private equity

mainly on transactional, banking and

firms, and domestic and international

technology law.

corporations.

SIMON BOUTHILLIER, LLM’20,

Marie-Andrée Plante, BCL/LLB’12, s’est

Pascal Mayer, BCL/LLB’13, was

jointe à la Faculté de droit de l’Université

named partner at Ropes & Gray. Based

de Sherbrooke. Candidate au doctorat

in New York, he is an executive com-

en droit à McGill, elle s’intéresse à la

pensation attorney primarily focused

construction et les mutations de la figure

on transactional work, with a robust

de la victime dans les discours juridiques

ancillary executive representation

canadiens et québécois contemporains.

practice.

Jessica Sudbury, BCL/LLB’16, s’est jointe à Bereskin & Parr. Sa pratique est

areas of public, private and family law.

axée sur la propriété intellectuelle et les

20’s

demandes de brevet dans le domaine

Camila Franco, BCL/JD’23, received the

des sciences de la vie.

2023 Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella

Hélia Taheri, BCL/LLB’14, was named

Award of the Royal Society of Canada.

partner in the Corporate Group at Stikeman. She was recognized as one of the country’s best in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada (Corporate category).

Anne-Sophie Villeneuve, BCL/LLB’16, was named partner at Davies. SpecializCAMILLE MARCEAU, BCL/LLB’18,

a été sélectionné comme une des The Honourable ALISON HARVISON 100 personnalités excellentes du YOUNG, BC’83, LLB’83, a judge of the Québec par le magazine Entreprendre.

Ontario Superior Court of Justice, was Il pratique le litige chez McCarthy appointed to the Court of Appeal for Tétrault à Montréal et il a représenté Ontario. Justice Harvison Young was a plusieurs clients devant la Cour member of the Faculty of Law of McGill suprême du Canada.

University from 1988-1998, teaching in the

ing in tax disputes, she represents clients

This prize is presented annually to a graduating law student in every law school in Canada who is most likely to positively influence equity and social justice in Canada or globally.

David Gelles, BCL/JD’21, has joined Scarborough Community Legal Services

before the Tax Court of Canada, the

as a staff lawyer.

Federal Court of Appeal, the Court of

Laura Hamdan, BCL/JD’22, won the

Quebec, and the Quebec Court of Appeal.

James H. Bocking Memorial Award of

est orientée sur les fusions et

David Wilson, BCL/LLB’14, was made

the Canadian Bar Association for her

acquisitions, les réorganisations

partner at Osler, where he is a member

corporatives, les émissions privées

of the taxation group.

et les projets d’infrastructure,

Alyssa Wiseman, BCL/LLB’16, was

tant du secteur public que privé.

named partner at Davies. She works with

s’est jointe au groupe Droit des sociétés et droit commercial de Fasken à Montréal. Sa pratique

clients across a broad range of industries, including aerospace, retail, communications, and media.

47

paper titled “Algorithmic Collusion: From Smokeroom to Code Lines?

How Collusion Can Evolve & Are We Prepared.” This prize is awarded to the best scholarly paper submitted on a subject relating to Canadian competition law or policy.

ALUMNOTES Kevin Nicholls-Dempsey, BCL/JD’21,

Balarama Holness, BCL/JD’21,

s’est joint au cabinet Blake, Cassels &

published his autobiography Eyes on

Graydon. Sa pratique est axée sur le droit

the Horizon — My Journey Toward Justice

commercial et des sociétés, notamment

(HarperCollins, 2023). A former Grey

les opérations de fusions et acquisitions.

Cup champion, he founded Montreal in Action, a grassroots organization advocating against systemic racism, and ran for mayor in the 2021 Montreal municipal elections.

Anne Iavarone-Turcotte, LLM’15, DCL’21, a reçu une mention d’honneur dans la catégorie de la meilleure thèse doctorale durant le congrès de l’Association des professeures et professeurs de droit du Québec. Sa thèse, intitulée Le choix : un paradigme, ses problèmes et des solutions pour penser le multiculturalisme et

AMÉLIA SOUFFRANT, BCL/JD’23, was one of the recipients of the 2023 Lieutenant Governor of Quebec’s Youth Medal. She was honoured for her involvement in tackling issues faced by BIPOC communities.

KANGNI HAN, BCL/JD’22, s’est

les femmes, a été réalisée sous la direction

jointe au groupe de Droit des affaires

du professeur Daniel Weinstock.

de Stikeman Elliott comme avocate,

Marc-Antoine Jutras, LLM’22, s’est joint

Jennifer Rogers, BCL/JD’21, joined the

à Norton Rose Fulbright, où il pratique

Department of Justice Tax Law Services

le litige civil et commercial.

in Vancouver as counsel.

après y avoir réalisé son stage.

McGill Law News, all year round Send us your updates and alumnotes at comms.law@mcgill.ca Read the web version of Focus Law/Droit at focuslaw.mcgill.ca Joignez-nous sur les réseaux sociaux : McGill University - Faculty of Law mcgill.ca/x/U2t

@LawMcGill

Dean Robert Leckey mcgill.ca/x/UX9

@LawMcGill

48

FOCU S LAW / 2 02 3 -2 02 4 / M C G IL L UN IVE RS ITY

The Chancellor Day Circle Charles Dewey Day fut le premier chancelier de l’Université McGill et, en tant que l’un des trois codificateurs du Code civil du Bas-Canada, une éminence dans l’histoire du droit civil au Québec.

Named in his honour, the Chancellor Day Circle was founded in 2017 to celebrate the Faculty of Law’s most significant donors.

Admission to the Circle is bestowed on donors who have given $100,000 or more to the Faculty of Law. La Faculté de droit remercie les membres du Cercle Chancellor-Day pour leur soutien inestimable :

Alex Kam-Wah Woo

Hillel Rosen & Liane Feldman

Mitch Garber, CM, & Anne-Marie Boucher

The Amiel Foundation

Ian Cuillerier

Mitzi and Mel Dobrin Family

Anna Loparco

Ian C. Pilarczyk

Nahum Gelber, CM, KC

Anne-France Goldwater

IMK LLP/S.E.N.C.R.L.

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Anna Yang & Joseph Schull

Isabelle Marcoux, CM

Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Ariel & Catherine Deckelbaum

James A. Robb, KC, Ad E

Penny & Gordon Echenberg

Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation

James A. Woods, Ad E

Peter D. Nesgos

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

The Hon. James C. K.-Hugessen, CM

Philippe Lette, CM

The Blema & Arnold Steinberg Foundation

Jordan & Caren Waxman

Québecor inc

BMO Financial Group

Kenneth Burke & Richard Adams

Richard Aftanas

The Boeing Company

Kugler Kandestin LLP

Richard Bogoroch

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

LGBT Purge Fund

Rio Tinto

Christopher Hoffmann & Joan Eakin

The Hon. L. Yves Fortier, PC, CC, OQ, KC

Robert L. Katz & Christina H. Otto

Clive & Barbara Allen & Family

Li Ka-Shing (Canada) Foundation

Robert L. Raich & Marlene Raich

The Chawkers Foundation

Robert Raizenne

Colin Stephen Baxter & Rachel Ralston Baxter

Marcel J. Arsenault & Cynda Collins-Arsenault

David P. O’Brien, OC

Mark A. Godsy

Scott Henderson

David W. Binet

Marlene & Joel King

Sophie Nappert

Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP

Maryse D. Bertrand, Ad E, & M. William Brock, Ad E

Stephen Allan Scott

Donald E. Meehan Donner Canadian Foundation Éric St-Pierre Fasken Fondation J. A. DeSève Gregory J. David

Masao Sekiguchi McCarthy Tétrault LLP The McConnell Foundation McMillan S.E.N.C.R.L., s.r.l./LLP Merle Wertheimer & Sam Hornstein

Roderick A. Macdonald & Shelley Freeman

Stephen Halperin & Andrea Morris Halperin Stikeman Elliott LLP Susan Wells Tunnell & David Tunnell William Friedman

Le futur du droit des affaires Forgé par vous Forgé par McGill

$4.5M raised to establish the Elizabeth Carmichael Monk, QC, Chair in Business Law – thank you!

Funded by engaged alumni, this chair will serve as the centre for a hub of excellence in business law, bolster teaching and research activities, strengthen connections with alumni in practice, and inspire generations of future leaders in business.

Our heartfelt thanks to campaign leaders David Binet, LLB’85, and Marc Barbeau, BCL’84, LLB’84, and to all donors who have contributed to this success!

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