Medals
Gold Medal
The Gold Medal is awarded annually at Spring Convocation to the student in the graduating class who stands first with the highest cumulative grade point average over all three years of Law School.
Silver Medal
The Silver Medal is awarded annually at Spring Convocation to the student in the graduating class who stands second with the second highest cumulative grade point average over all three years of Law School.
Bronze Medal
The Bronze Medal is awarded annually at Spring Convocation to the student in the graduating class who stands third with the third highest cumulative grade point average over all three years of Law School.
Hennick Medal for Academic Excellence
The Hennick Medal will be awarded annually to the top student graduating from the JD/MBA program with the highest cumulative grade point average over their two degrees.
IP Osgoode David Vaver Medal for Excellence in Intellectual Property Law
The IP Osgoode David Vaver Medal for Excellence in Intellectual Property Law, created by IP Osgoode, was established to celebrate Professor David Vaver’s appointment in 2016 to the Order of Canada for his leadership in intellectual property law as a scholar and mentor, and also to commemorate his many contributions to this field at Osgoode Hall Law School.
The Medal is awarded to a student in the graduating class who merits special recognition for outstanding achievement in the area of intellectual property law or policy. The achievement may include not only academic excellence but also significant contributions to research related to intellectual property law or policy or exceptional commitment and enthusiasm through participation in IP-related extracurricular activity.
Dean’s Gold Key Award
These awards are given annually to students graduating from the JD program at Osgoode Hall Law School who have made an outstanding contribution to the Law School. Recipients will have demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment and enthusiasm through their participation in extra-curricular activities, Law School or University governance, clinical education, the Osgoode Hall Law Journal, or other similar endeavors. The Dean will call for nominations from faculty, staff and students each spring. Up to 10 will be awarded annually.
Dean’s Letter Recognizing Cumulative Overall Excellence
The Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School may exercise discretion to recognize graduating students who have demonstrated academic excellence, including but not limited to those whose cumulative overall academic results fall within the top 10% of the graduating class.
Course and Subject Area Awards and Prizes
Irving Aaron, Q.C. Prize in Real Estate Law
This prize was established in honour of Irving Aaron, Q.C. (Class of 1930), by his family, which includes his son Robert B. Aaron (LLB 1970) and his daughter Deborah J. Aaron (LLB 1976). It is awarded each year to a graduating student who has demonstrated high academic achievement in courses and/or research papers in the area of law relating to Real Estate.
Aird & Berlis LLP Prize for Academic Excellence
This prize was established by Aird & Berlis LLP, one of Canada’s leading business law firms. The firm has a longstanding commitment to excellence. The prize will be awarded to the student who stands first in each of the four sections at the end of first year.
Gurston Allen Prize in Conflict of Laws
The family of the late Mr. Gurston Allen, Q.C. of Toronto has presented an annual prize to the student who obtains the highest standing in the subject of Conflict of Laws.
Art and Science of Advocacy Prize
John A. Olah graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1973 and went on to practice trial and appellate litigation. He established this prize to be divided equally between the two students with the highest standing in the Trial Advocacy course. The purpose of the prize is to encourage excellence in litigation. Mr. Olah as well wishes to acknowledge and express his appreciation for the important role that Osgoode Hall played in his life.
Bennett Jones LLP Investor Protection Clinic Prize
Since its founding in 1922, Bennett Jones has cultivated leadership for the legal, business and political worlds. This prize will be given annually to the student(s) who have shown outstanding leadership and contribution in the clinical portion of the Investor Protection Clinic.
The Honourable Paul Bentley ’77 Prize for Professionalism
This prize is awarded annually to the student in the Trial Advocacy course who best embodies Paul Bentley’s qualities of civility, gentility and professionalism.
Hyman Bergel Prize in Advanced Torts
This prize has been created through the generosity of Hyman Bergel (LLB ’70). A prize will be awarded annually to the graduating student attaining the highest standing in Advanced Torts.
Howard S. Black ’83, ’01 (LLM) Prize in Estates
Awarded annually to the student standing first in Estates. Howard Black is an alumnus Adjunct Professor at Osgoode who has been teaching Estates and Estate Litigation for many years.
Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP Prize in Business Associations
The firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Solicitors of Toronto, has established an annual prize to be awarded to the student who obtains the highest standing in the subject of Business Associations.
Blaney McMurtry LLP Prize
An annual prize to be awarded to the student who obtains highest standing overall in the Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Law course, has been established by the Blaney McMurtry LLP firm.
Dominic Carinci Memorial Prize
David J. Carinci ’95, ’00 (LLM) endowed this prize in memory of his father, Dominic Carinci, a noted land developer in the Greater Toronto area. The award is to be given annually to the graduating student who achieves third highest standing in both Real Estate and Business Association.
Carswell Prize in Administrative Law
Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business, provides an annual prize for an outstanding student in administrative law. The recipient will receive the latest “three volume” edition of Judicial Review of Administrative Action in Canada, co-authored by Donald J.M. Brown, Q.C. and The Honourable Mr. Justice John M. Evans. The publication will be awarded each year to a student who has achieved a high academic standing in the Administrative Law course and who demonstrates, in the opinion of the course instructor, a keen interest in the field of administrative law.
The Right Honourable John R. Cartwright Prize
John Robert Cartwright was born in Toronto in 1895. After graduating from Upper Canada College in 1912, he enrolled at Osgoode Hall Law School but interrupted his studies in 1914 to serve in the First World War. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917. Upon his return to Canada, he resumed his study of law. Called to the bar in 1920, he joined the firm of Smith, Rae & Greer in Toronto. In 1947 he was counsel for the Government of Canada in the prosecutions that resulted from the findings of the Royal Commission on Spying Activities in Canada. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1949 and became its Chief Justice 1967, retiring in 1970. He is invested as a Companion to the Order of Canada in 1970 for service in the profession of law. Chief Justice Cartwright died on November 24, 1979, at the age of 84. This prize will be given annually to the students in each section of first year who are judged to have won the research competition in Legal Process.
Cassels Brock & Blackwell Prize
The firm of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP has established prizes to be awarded to the students with the highest standing in each of the four sections of Ethical Lawyering in a Global Community.
Marvin Kin Tung Cheung, OBE, Memorial Prize in Commercial Law
Marvin Kin Tung Cheung, OBE, was an accomplished and highly respected Chartered Accountant in Hong Kong. This Prize in Commercial Law was established by his sister, Greta M. Fung (LLB. 1990), to honour his memory because of his love, support and positive influence over her. It will be awarded to the student who attains the highest standing in Commercial Law.
CLASP Prize for Social Justice
This prize was established by three former division leaders of the Class of 2004. It will be given annually to a division leader who has excelled academically, demonstrated outstanding dedication to CLASP, and will pursue a career in the area of Social Justice upon graduation.
Criminal Procedure Prize
This prize is to be awarded annually to the student who obtains the highest standing in Criminal Procedure.
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP Prize
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP is committed to excellence in business law and has funded this annual prize. It will be divided among the students who rank first and second in the combined courses of Commercial Law, Business Associations, Securities Regulation and Taxation I.
Shane D’Souza ’09 Prize
Mitchell Sanders ’84 endowed this prize to recognize Shane D’Souza as an outstanding litigator and a highly principled professional. It will be given to the student who stands first in the Advanced Commercial Litigation Workshop. Should this not be offered then another course or seminar in the area of litigation or civil procedure will be substituted.
Kevin Dunsmuir Memorial Prize in the Area of Family Law
This prize was created in loving memory of Kevin Dunsmuir, Class of 1982. Kevin is remembered for his dedication and fierce loyalty to his family and many friends. An accomplished lawyer who was known as a tenacious, caring and professional advocate, he ran his own practice in Newmarket where he did significant work in family mediation. This prize will be awarded annually to a student who stands first in a course or seminar in the area of Family Law as determined by the Law School.
Ron Ellis ’09 (PhD) Prize in Administrative Law
This prize was established in honour of Ron Ellis ’09 (PhD), in recognition of his determined pursuit of fundamental reform of the structures of Canada’s administrative justice systems through his work as an educator, teacher, mentor, academic, adjudicator, advocate, counsel, and tribunal designer and administrator. At the time this prize was established, Ellis, who is the Author of Unjust by Design, (2013, UBC Press) (an empirical and scholarly, comprehensive critique of our administrative-justice systems), had been writing and speaking about – and advocating for – administrative justice reform for over forty years. It will be given to the student who attains the highest standing in the Administrative Law course.
Fasken Prize in Torts
This prize will be given to the student who stands first in each section of Torts.
Fogler Rubinoff LLP Prize in Advanced Business Law
This prize is to be awarded annually to the student achieving the highest standing in completing Advanced Business Law Workshop I.
Fogler Rubinoff LLP Prize in Property Law
This prize is to be awarded annually to the student achieving the highest standing in the area of Property Law.
Fogler Rubinoff LLP – Robert R. Jason Prize in the JD/MBA Program
This prize has been established by the firm of Fogler, Rubinoff LLP in memory of their friend and partner, Robert R. Jason. Bob was a highly respected tax lawyer and accountant whose enthusiasm and expertise contributed enormously to the firm and to the legal and accounting professions. Bob became a C.A. in 1977 and received his LLB from McGill University in 1980. He graduated from York University with an MBA in 1985 and with an LLM (Tax) from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1997. This prize will be awarded annually to the student who stands first in their final year of study in the combined JD/MBA program.
Jack Friedman, Q.C. Book Prize in Commercial Real Estate
This prize has been established by the family of Jack Friedman, Q.C. in honour of the fortieth anniversary of his call to the Ontario Bar. It is to be awarded each year to the student standing highest in Land Development and Commercial Real Estate Problems or, if that course is not offered in any year, to the student standing highest in Advanced Leasehold, Housing and Urban Development, or another equivalent course designated by the Student Awards Committee.
Joan Gilmour Prize in Health Law
The Joan Gilmour Prize in Health Law will be given annually to a student(s) who has demonstrated academic excellence in the area of health law in either the JD or LLM programs as determined by the Law School.
Joan Gilmour BA, LLB (Toronto), JSM, JSD (Stanford), of the Bar of Ontario joined the Osgoode faculty in 1990 after practising civil litigation and administrative law. She became one of Canada’s leading academics in the area of health law, a passionate voice for patient’s rights and one of the Law School’s most popular faculty members. This prize was established by her friends and colleagues in recognition of her outstanding contributions to legal research and education and the public good.
Gowling WLG Prize in Securities Regulation
The prize will be awarded annually to the student obtaining the highest standing in each section of the course in Securities Regulation.
Gowling WLG Best Blog in IP Law and Technology Prize
ipilogue.ca is a unique blog that links students around the world who are interested in intellectual property and related issues of law and technology. Two prizes will be awarded each term to Osgoode students as follows: one per term for the best posting and one per term for the best comment. Prizes for both fall and winter term will be awarded in the Spring.
Gowling WLG Prize in Climate Change Law
Prizes will be awarded annually to the students standing first and second in the course in climate change law. Should the course not be offered, the prizes will go to the top two students in the Environmental Law course.
John W. Graham Prize
The John W. Graham Prize was established by Edward S. Rogers in honour of John W. Graham, Q.C., Class of 1936, noted for his distinguished contributions to the development of telecommunications in Canada. The prize will be awarded annually to the JD student who produces an outstanding paper and has demonstrated an interest in communications law.
Helen Grossman, Q.C. Prizes in the Community & Legal Aid Services Program
These prizes were established by the late Helen Grossman, Q.C., Class of 1929. The income from a fund is to be awarded to students who have excelled in their contribution to the Community & Legal Aid Services Program of Osgoode Hall Law School.
Joel S. Guberman Prize in Immigration Law
The law firm of Guberman, Garson has established this prize to celebrate Joel S. Guberman’s recognition as one of 2002’s Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, as selected by Lexpert. The prize will be awarded annually to the student who achieves high academic standing and demonstrates a keen interest in the area of Immigration Law.
Caleb J. Hayhoe Prize
Caleb Hayhoe graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1962 and went on to a successful career in international law at Baker & McKenzie which included serving as the managing partner in the firm’s Moscow office. To celebrate his retirement and to honour their colleague, the law firm of Baker & McKenzie has endowed this prize. The prize will be awarded annually to the student who obtains the highest standing in the course International Business Transactions. In the event that this course is not offered an equivalent course designated by the Law School will be substituted.
Marie Henein Prize in Access to Justice
This prize was established in 2019 by the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program (PIAP) to honour co-founder Marie Henein ‘89, her important contributions to the administration of justice and to the program’s mission of providing access to justice to those who would otherwise go unrepresented.
It will be given annually to the student who stands first in the Community Legal Aid and Services Program (CLASP) seminar.
Insolvency Institute of Canada Prize in Insolvency Studies
This prize is to be awarded to the student who achieves the highest mark in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy course.
Sir Jack Jacob Prize in the Administration of Justice
A prize will be awarded annually to the student achieving the highest standing in the Class Actions seminar. This prize has been established by friends and colleagues at the Law School in honour of Sir Jack Jacob, an internationally acclaimed pioneer in the academic study and practical reform of the Administration of Justice, on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday and in recognition of his many contributions to Osgoode Hall Law School as a friend, visiting professor and inspiring mentor.
Koskie Minsky Prize in Insurance Law
This prize has been established by the law firm of Koskie and Minsky. It will be awarded each year to the student standing highest in Insurance Law.
Clifton H. Lane Memorial Prize
This prize is awarded by Mr. Justice Dennis Lane in memory of his father. Clifton Lane (1903-64), a son of pioneer Alberta rancher George Lane, came to Woodstock, Ontario for high school and then articled in Toronto at McMaster, Montgomery. In 1944, he and two partners founded the firm, Robertson, Fleury and Lane. Clifton Lane practiced in the corporate, commercial and real estate field where he gained a high reputation in the structuring of complex transactions. Active in the Toronto Board of Trade and its President in 1961-62, he died suddenly at the height of his powers. His deep love of the law makes this award a fitting memorial to a solid practitioner and a good man. The prize will be awarded annually to the student who achieves the highest standing in the area of Property Law at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Annie MacDonald Langstaff Prize
This prize will be awarded to a student in the “Feminist Advocacy: Ending Violence Against Women” clinical program who has demonstrated the compassion, tenacity, curiosity, respect for others, and commitment to justice that are among the hallmarks of outstanding feminist advocacy. It was established by Professor Mary Jane Mossman to honour the courage and efforts of a Canadian pioneer woman lawyer to use the courts to achieve equality on the basis of gender. The prize also honours the fiftieth anniversary of legislation, enacted in 1941 in Quebec, permitting women to become lawyers there.
John McCamus Prize in Contracts
The John McCamus Prize in Contracts recognizes excellence by Osgoode students in Contracts was established by Robert Wai in honour of his colleague Professor John McCamus, for his outstanding contributions to contract law through original research, influence on law reform, and the teaching of many generations of Osgoode students in the subject. It will be awarded to the top student in each section of the first-year course in Contracts.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP Prizes
The law firm of McCarthy Tétrault awards four prizes annually. The prizes are to be awarded to the students standing first and second, in the first and second years of Osgoode Hall Law School.
Makau Mutua Prize
This prize honours Makau W. Mutua, a Kenyan-American professor at the SUNY Buffalo School of Law, who served as dean from 2008-2014, for his pioneering and impactful work in human rights around the world. He teaches international human rights, international business transactions and international law. It will be awarded annually to the student who stands first in the International Human Rights Law seminar.
Bora Laskin Prize
This annual prize is awarded to the JD student who writes the best paper in the course/seminar, Law and Religion in Legal, Social and Political Contexts (or a successor course on substantially the same topic or theme). In the event that the course/seminar is not offered in a given academic year, the prize may be awarded as an essay prize. The Office of Student Services is responsible for announcing the availability of the prize to students and faculty in relation to a student essay on law, religion and human rights/equality. Students may submit papers for consideration to the Student Awards Committee, and such submissions must be accompanied by a letter from the relevant faculty member attesting to the very high quality of the paper. The Student Awards Committee will determine the recipient of the prize, or, if the Committee concludes that no essay is sufficiently outstanding, the Committee may elect not to offer the prize in a given year.
Dale Lastman Scholarship in Corporate Governance
This scholarship was established to honour Dale Lastman LLB’82, who has distinguished himself as a lawyer, teacher, and an outstanding alumnus. It will be awarded annually to the student who achieves the highest standing in the seminar, Corporate Governance. Should this course not be offered, then a comparable course in the same topic would be substituted.
Benjamin Laufer Prize in International Law
In memory of Benjamin Laufer, a prize will be awarded annually to a student of the graduating class of Osgoode Hall Law School who has attained the highest standing in the fields of Public and Private International Law. To be eligible students must take a minimum of three courses in International Law subjects. This prize has been established by classmates and friends of Benjamin Laufer (Osgoode Hall Law School Class of 1979) and will be awarded at the discretion of the Student Awards Committee.
Stephen George Leggett, Q.C. Prize in the Intensive Program in Criminal Law
An annual prize has been established by Mrs. Suzanne Leggett in honour of the memory of her husband, Stephen George Leggett, Q.C., (1936-94). Stephen Leggett was an alumnus of Osgoode Hall Law School ’60 and one of the leading Crown Attorneys of the province of Ontario for over 30 years. He exemplified the finest qualities of a lawyer and a Crown Attorney. The prize will be awarded to a student who achieves the highest cumulative mark in the written component of the Intensive Program in Criminal Law.
Allen M. Linden Memorial Prize in Torts
The family, friends, colleagues and students of the late Allen M. Linden, a leading scholar and proponent of Canadian tort law, have established this prize in his memory. Allen M. Linden, the silver medalist of the Osgoode Hall Law School Barrister class of 1960, was a champion of torts. As an Osgoode faculty member (1961 to 1978), and as a jurist, with great passion and conviction, he devoted his professional life to the teaching, application and development of tort law. As a law professor, author, trial and appellate judge, husband, father, brother and grandfather he had an enormous influence over future generations of lawyers. His enthusiasm for tort law and its possibilities for law reform, and social justice was infectious and transformational. His writing and teaching approached tort law as a window into the drama of the human experience and as an effective and flexible remedy to bring justice by securing compensation for loss, encouraging better safety standards and resolving conflict. The Allen M. Linden Memorial Prize will be awarded annually to the top student(s) in the first year class in Torts.
Bruce Lokash Memorial Prize
In memory of Bruce Lokash, a member of the graduating class of 1978, this award is given annually to the male and female Osgoode students voted the athletes of the year, as voted and announced at the Annual Athletic Banquet by the Osgoode Athletic Committee.
Robert W. Macaulay Prize in Land Use Planning
This prize is awarded to a second or third year student who excels in Land Use Planning, in terms of either exam results or research papers.
Cornelia Mazgarean – Leadership Prize
The Cornelia Mazgarean – Leadership Prize will be given annually to a student in the Community & Legal Aid Services Program (CLASP) who has demonstrated excellent leadership skills by assisting fellow students and advancing CLASP’s mission of achieving social justice through education, advocacy and community.
Medico – Legal Society of Toronto Prize
The Medical-Legal Society of Toronto established this prize in 1985 in honour of the Centennial of the County of York Law Association. The prize is to be awarded to the student standing highest in the Disability & the Law course.
Faisal Mirza Criminal Law Writing Prize
Faisal Mirza, class of 2001, is a criminal trial and appeal lawyer. He honed his legal writing skills while at Osgoode Hall. This part of his education established a valuable foundation for effective trial and appellate advocacy. He established this prize to be given to the student who is judged to have written the best essay in criminal law course.
National Association of Japanese Canadians and Roger Sachio Obata C.M. Prize in International Human Rights Law
Roger Sachio Obata (1915-2002), C.M., B.A.Sc., P.Eng. was a lifelong activist for the Japanese Canadian community. He was a member of the Japanese Canadian Citizens League in the 1930s, a founding member of the Japanese Canadian Citizens for Democracy in the 1940s, and the first president of the National Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association (which later became the National Association of Japanese Canadians) in 1947. In 1977, Obata was elected president of the Japanese Canadian Centennial Society, which conceived and staged an event credited with awakening in the dispersed Japanese Canadian community a national consciousness of righting historical wrongs. For his lifelong struggle to enrich the lives of Japanese Canadians and for his exceptional contributions to the 1988 Redress settlement and apology, Obata was inducted into the Order of Canada in 1990. He remains a profound example for all Canadians who strive for justice, freedom and the rights of citizenship.
The prize was established in his honor by the family and friends of Roger S. Obata and the National Association of Japanese Canadians, a non-profit organization that represents the Japanese Canadian community and focuses on human rights and community development. It is awarded annually to the student who obtains the highest standing in the course International Human Rights. In the event that this course is not offered an equivalent course designated by the Law School will be substituted.
Carl Orbach, Q.C. Prize in Family Law
This prize is awarded annually to the student who receives the highest academic standing in Family Law I. Carl Orbach Q.C. ’56 practiced store front law in Cabbagetown for 52 years. Motivated by the human stories in Family Law, Carl Orbach Q.C. found practical, meaningful solutions for many clients over the years and most notably, he successfully represented the respondents in Friedman Equity Development Inc vs Final Notice before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Osgoode Hall Law Journal Prize
The Osgoode Hall Law Journal has been publishing continuously since 1958 and began as a student-run forum for students’ scholarship. Throughout the years many outstanding students have dedicated their time and talent to the Journal. This prize will be awarded annually to the Senior Editor who has demonstrated a commitment to legal scholarship and the collective endeavor of publishing outstanding legal articles.
Osgoode Society Book Prize in Legal History
The Osgoode Society Book Prize is to be awarded annually to the student in the JD or LL.M. Program at Osgoode Hall Law School who is judged to have written the best essay in the area of legal history.
Arthur Charles Pape Memorial Prize
From a young age Arthur Pape fought for social justice and peace. His convictions led him to a career in law where he dedicated himself to Aboriginal and worker’s rights across Canada. He represented Aboriginal people in several provinces and territories and argued many landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. This prize will be given to the student who stands first in the Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Law course at Osgoode.
Mabel Penery French Prize
This prize, to be awarded to the student with the highest standing in Law, Gender, Equality, was established by Professor Mary Jane Mossman to honour the courage and efforts of a pioneer woman lawyer in Canada to achieve equality on the basis of gender.
Ivan Cleveland Rand Prize
The Law Society of Upper Canada has established a prize at Osgoode Hall Law School in honour of The Honourable I.C. Rand, in recognition of his distinguished service as a member of the Supreme Court of Canada and of his contribution to legal education in Canada. The prize is to be awarded annually to the student at Osgoode Hall Law School who obtains the highest standing in the course Public & Constitutional Law.
Ronald Robertson Q.C. Memorial Tax Prize
Partners of McCarthy Tétrault and the family of the late Ronald Robertson Q.C. have established a prize to mark his unique professional contribution to the development of tax law and policy in Canada. The prize is awarded to the student who submits the best research paper for the seminar in Tax Policy. Should this seminar not be offered, the prize is awarded to the student with the highest standing in Tax Planning. Students enrolled in either the JD or graduate law programs are eligible to be considered for this prize.
Christopher Robinson Memorial Prize
This prize was founded by subscription of the members of the Bench and Bar of Ontario in memory of the late Christopher Robinson, K.C. The annual income of the fund is awarded to the member of the graduating class of Osgoode Hall Law School who takes second place in the examinations of the final year.
Martin J. Rochwerg Prize in Tax, Estates and Trusts Law
The Estate Planning Council of Toronto, partners, family and friends of Martin J. Rochwerg have established this prize on the occasion of the completion of his term as President of the Council. The prize will be awarded annually to the graduating student attaining the highest standing in the tax and fiduciary courses, taking a minimum of two courses from each of the tax group, and the estates and trusts group.
Ronald J. Rolls ’58 Q.C. Prize
The Ronald J. Rolls ’58 Q.C. Prize will be given annually to the student who stands first in each section of civil procedure, which is part of the Legal Process course.
Ronald J Rolls practiced civil litigation at Fasken Martineau for over 40 years. He coauthored a number of books on civil procedure including the Law of Civil Procedure.
Harry R. Rose Criminal Law Prize
The late Harry R. Rose, Q.C. in his will left a legacy for an annual prize to be awarded to the first year student who obtains the highest standing in the subject of Criminal Law.
The Honourable N. W. Rowell Prize
This award was created by the will of the late Chief Justice Newton W. Rowell. It is awarded to the student whose performance in the subject of Public International Law has exhibited the highest degree of excellence.
Harold J. Rubenstein Prize in Civil Liberties
A prize in memory of the late Judge Harold J. Rubenstein, endowed by his nephew, Philip Anisman is to be awarded annually out of the interest earned on a fund donated to the Law School by his sister, Miss Lily Rubenstein, to the student achieving the highest standing in the courses and seminars on Civil Liberties, Due Process or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Harold J. Rubenstein Prize in Restitution
A prize in memory of the late Judge Harold J. Rubenstein, endowed by his nephew, Philip Anisman, to be awarded annually to the student who obtains the highest standing in Restitution.
Samuel Rubinoff Prize in Legal Process
This prize is awarded to a first year law student writing the most outstanding research paper in Legal Process.
Stewart Saxe Memorial Prize
The Stewart Saxe Memorial Prize has been established in memory of Stewart Saxe by his family and friends. Stewart graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1973. He was a leading labour and employment lawyer, and negotiator. He was certified as a specialist in Labour Law by the Law Society of Upper Canada and recognized as one of the top labour negotiators in the country. Stewart built the highly successful Labour and Employment Practice at Baker & McKenzie, as well as serving as the managing partner of the Toronto office. The Stewart Saxe prize will be awarded annually to a student entering the second or third year of the JD program who has exhibited the highest degree of interest and academic excellence in labour and employment law.
Jenny Sferrazza ’16 Prize for Criminal Law
Jenny had a passion and love for the law. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Society from the University of Calgary in 2009. She went on to become a Judicial Clerk for the Calgary Youth Courts, a Bail Office Clerk at the Calgary Young Offenders Centre where she taught and helped guide troubled children and was then appointed as the youngest Justice of the Peace in Alberta. She graduated from Osgoode with a Juris Doctor degree in 2016 but sadly passed away before she could begin her career as a criminal lawyer. This prize will be given to the graduating student who has the highest combined grade in first-year Criminal law, Evidence and Criminal Procedure.
Sherrard Kuzz LLP Prize in Labour Law, Employment Law and Administrative Law
Established by the firm of Sherrard Kuzz LLP and awarded annually to a student in second year who has achieved academic excellence in the following areas of study: labour law, employment law, administrative law.
George Graham Sinclair Memorial Prize
George Graham Sinclair, a captain in the Royal Regiment of Canada, was killed at the age of 35 years old on Puys Beach during the Dieppe Raid on August 14, 1942. Affectionately known as “Gus”, he received his early education at Upper Canada College, went on to complete a BA from the University of Toronto and then graduated in 1933 from Osgoode Hall Law School. In commemoration of their 50-year reunion, the Class of 1933 has established this prize in his memory. It is awarded annually to the Osgoode Gold Medalist.
Simms Shuber Prize
Simms Shuber graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School with high honours in 1960 for which he was awarded the Bronze Medal. His family and friends have established this prize to honour his life and many achievements. It will be awarded annually to the student achieving the highest standing in the seminar, Corporate Governance.
Silversides Prize in Legal Drafting
This prize is awarded annually to the student who has the highest standing in Legal Drafting.
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Canada) Prize in Trusts
This prize is awarded annually to the student standing first in the course Trusts. The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) is an international organization for professionals involved in Trust and Estate Practice including Estates Planning. Education is one of STEP’s primary goals and the key to its mission- to raise and promote standards in technical knowledge and public service.
Nathan Strauss, Q.C. Essay Prize in Legal Ethics
The Nathan Strauss, Q.C. Essay Prize in Legal Ethics has been established by Lilly Offenbach Strauss in honour of her late husband, Nathan Strauss, a Life Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada, a graduate of the Osgoode Hall Law School and a distinguished member of the Ontario bar, whose integrity and exemplary professional conduct were a byword among fellow lawyers and generations of clients. The intent of this Essay Prize is to promote student interest in legal ethics and to stimulate debate about conduct proper to the practice of law as an honourable profession and a force for the good in the community at large.
The Essay Prize will be awarded annually for an essay of exceptional merit on any issue relating to legal ethics or professional conduct, preferably with reference to the implications for the practice of law of rapid social and technological changes. The subject of the essay may deal with broad theoretical issues or with a particular substantive area. The winning essay should be of publishable quality. Full-time students enrolled in any year of the JD or graduate programs of the Law School are eligible to compete.
Stringer LLP Essay Prize in Labour Law
This prize will be awarded annually to an upper year student whose research paper is the best overall in Advanced Labour Law.
Thorsteinssons LLP Prize in Taxation of Business Enterprises
Thorsteinssons has established a prize for the student who achieves the highest standing in the Taxation of Business Enterprises.
Barry D. Torno Memorial Prize
This prize was established in 1986 in memory of the late Barry D. Torno, who for many years was a leading practitioner in the field of entertainment law. The annual income from a fund contributed by his friends and associates will be awarded to the student who submits the best research paper each year on a subject related to Industrial or Intellectual Property Law.
Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP Prize
The Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP Prize is awarded to the JD student who writes the best paper in the seminar, Sexuality and the Law (or a successor course on substantially the same topic or theme). Should the seminar not be offered in a given year, the prize will be awarded to the student who has written a paper in the area of sexuality and the law. Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP is a Toronto law firm specializing in labour, employment law and human rights law.
Justice M.M. Van Camp Prize in Family Law
This prize for the student(s) with the highest standing in Family Law honours the memory of Justice M.M. Van Camp, the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario in 1971. Born and raised in Blackstock Ontario, she graduated from Osgoode Hall Law and was called to the Bar in 1947. As a partner in the firm of Beaudoin, Pepper and Van Camp, her legal work was varied but included divorce and other family law cases, and she was active in a number of community and legal organizations, including leadership roles in the Women’s Law Association of Ontario. Among other honours, Van Camp was appointed Queens Counsel in 1965 and was awarded the Order of Ontario in 2003, and (as her obituary stated) she was “a role model in the field of law for women.” Justice Van Camp was devoted to her family of origin, including her sisters and their children and families.
Walker Law Prize
This prize was established by Walker Law, a corporate/commercial litigation firm, and its founder, Tanya Walker ’05 who was also the first Black Female Bencher elected from Toronto in the 223 year history of the Law Society of Upper Canada. It will be given annually to the student who stands first in the Advanced Commercial Litigation Workshop.
WeirFoulds LLP Prize in Administrative Law
The firm of WeirFoulds has established a prize in memory of Robert B. Robinson, Q.C. to be awarded annually to the student achieving the highest standing in Administrative Law.
Albert Weisbrot, Q.C. Prize
Al Weisbrot graduated from Osgoode Hall in 1959 and went on to a distinguished career in Family Law. He always appeared with a smile, a twinkle in his eye and respect for the Court, opposing Counsel, and all parties. His ever-present warm sense of humour was legendary in defusing many a difficult situation. This prize has been established to honour Al’s scholastic and professional achievements. It is awarded annually to the student who attains the highest standing in an advance Family Law course.
Women’s Law Association of Ontario Prize in Estate Planning
This award was founded by subscription of the members of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario. The annual income of the fund is paid to the member of the graduating class who obtains the highest standing in the subject of Estate Planning.
Neil E. Wood Q.C. ’60 (LLB) Real Estate Prize
Neil is a graduate of the first Osgoode LLB class of 1960 after obtaining his undergraduate degree from the University of Manitoba. He has practiced law since his call to the bar in 1962 with the very successful Southwestern Ontario Blenheim law firm Kerr Woof & Mallory. The law firm focuses on real estate, estates and business law. The prize celebrates a legal career and achievements exceeding 50 years. It will be given to the student who stands first in Real Estate.
Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf Prize
This prize honors Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, a Somali lawyer and judge serving on the International Court of Justice since 2009 and the court’s president from 2018 to 2021, for his contributions and service to the international community. He was also a former General Counsel of UNESCO. It will be given annually to the student who stands first in the course on Public International Law.
Frederick H. Zemans Prize in Poverty Law (Parkdale)
A prize will be awarded annually to an outstanding student in the Intensive Program in Poverty Law at Parkdale Community Legal Services who has performed at a high level of excellence in all aspects of the Program. The prize has been established by the friends and family of Professor Frederick H. Zemans, Director of Clinical Education at Osgoode and founding Director of the Parkdale Community Legal Services in Toronto.
Prizes for Excellence Beyond Academic Achievement
Borden Ladner Gervais Professional Excellence Award
The BLG Professional Excellence Award is awarded to a student who has completed first-year and who demonstrates academic excellence together with a commitment to professional and service excellence by consistently expanding his/her knowledge of the law, demonstrating the highest standards of integrity, offering innovative ideas, taking a collaborative approach, and contributing to the community.
Cassels Brock & Blackwell Prize for Professionalism
This prize is awarded to a student in each section of the first-year class who has through their conduct and relationships with classmates and faculty demonstrated collegiality, inclusiveness and respect. The recipient serves as an example of positive leader and citizenship.
Dentons Canada LLP Prize
This award, a gift of the firm of Dentons Canada LLP is to be given each year to the student in second year, who in first and second year achieves excellence in academic studies and makes a significant contribution to the Law Journal, the Moot Court program, the Legal and Literary Society or Faculty Council.
Antonio Di Domenico ’05 Prize
This prize is given annually to the graduating student who, throughout their JD degree, has demonstrated academic excellence and leadership in student life at Osgoode. Antonio Di Domenico was very active at both Osgoode and York. He was Chair of Student Caucus of Faculty Council from 2004 to 2005, and served as a Governor and a Senator on York’s Board of Governors and Senate. He went on to an accomplished career in law, which he credits in great part to his studies at Osgoode.
IFLS Vanguard Award
Presented annually to graduating Osgoode students who, through their writing, have shown insight and intelligence in bringing attention to issues of importance for feminism(s), including but not limited to gender, poverty, sexuality, sexual orientation, violence against women, gender and racism, gender and Indigeneity, and equality. Research papers on relevant themes should be nominated by Osgoode faculty. The nomination must include a short statement (up to 250-300 words) by the instructor justifying the nomination. One Award winner will be selected. The recipient may be profiled on the IFLS website.
James C. MacDonald Memorial Award
Renowned for his leadership role in Family Law teaching, writing and reform, Jim was widely known for his compassion and intellect. After graduating from law school in British Columbia and practising for five years, he moved to Toronto and established MacDonald and Ferrier, Toronto’s first law firm specializing in family law. He later became the founding partner of MacDonald & Partners LLP which continues to practice exclusively family law today. Jim was a leading proponent of collaborative law and believed that litigation was a forum of last resort for family law matters. This award will be given to a JD student in 2nd or 3rd year who has demonstrated strong academic standing in family law; an interest in pursuing the practice of family law; an interest in alternative dispute resolution and collaborative family law; and has contributed to the community and/or student life at Osgoode. Preference will be given to a student who demonstrates financial need.
George M. Miller Prize for Northern Ontario
A prize established by George M. Miller Q.C. of Sudbury, Ontario, may be awarded each year to the student in the final year who was born in, or who has resided or whose parents have resided in Northern Ontario during the three years immediately preceding the final examination, and who among those eligible obtains the highest standing in the final year examinations. Northern Ontario is defined for the purposes of this prize as that part of Ontario lying north and west of a line drawn from the town of Mattawa to the town of Parry Sound, including those towns.
F. W. Minkler Prize
A Trust Fund was created by the will of Rachel S. Minkler in memory of her husband Frederick W. Minkler, a noted Ontario educator. The prize is to be awarded each year out of the income earned on the trust fund to a third year student whose integrity, scholarship and contribution to Osgoode Hall Law School is outstanding.
W. Struan Robertson, Q.C. Memorial Prize
The firm of Borden & Elliott (currently Borden Ladner Gervais LLP) has established this award in memory of W. Struan Robertson, Q.C. This prize will be awarded annually to a student who, during his or her first and second years at Osgoode Hall Law School, best combines academic excellence with involvement in extracurricular activities including athletics.
Sojourner-Campbell Family Legal Visionary Award
Njeri Damali Sojourner-Campbell, JD, M.Ed (Osgoode, 2014) is currently a practicing labour, employment and human rights lawyer at Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP. Upon graduation, she founded UJIMA Mentorship Circle for Black femme law students and legal professionals. Her wife, Tomee Elizabeth Sojourner-Campbell, B.A. (Hons), M.A., attended Osgoode’s LLM research program with a concentration in human rights and consumer racial profiling. Tomee is also Managing Director of Tomee Sojourner Consulting Inc., an advisory, learning and development firm specializing in anti-racism, equity, inclusion and organizational development. At their wedding reception held in August 2017 at Osgoode, the couple committed to supporting the continuation of equitable learning for marginalized law students to pursue their full potential and build an emancipatory vision of the legal system and the profession.
The Sojourner-Campbell’s believe legal professionals must envision a transformative legal system that meets the needs of the most marginalized communities on Turtle Island (Canada). JD students who are Afro-Indigenous, Indigenous and/or Black may submit a one-page critical reflection statement outlining how they intend to marshal their legal education to better equip them to create the legal system they desire. Preference will be given to students who have demonstrated work or voluntary experience supporting Afro-Indigenous, Indigenous and/or Black communities.
By applying for this award, students are consenting to have their critical reflection statement shared with the donors.
Torkin Manes LLP Prize for Osgoode Hall Law School
The Torkin Manes LLP Prize for Osgoode Hall Law School is given annually to the student who best combines academic excellence with service to the community.
J. S. D. Tory Research and Writing Awards
Torys LLP established these awards to encourage and recognize student writing. Full-time graduate or JD students registered in a degree program at Osgoode Hall Law School are eligible to apply and may submit a paper which has been written for a law school course, seminar or supervised research, or which has already been accepted for publication by a legal journal. Normally four awards will be made each year. A student wishing to apply for an award may do so by submitting a copy of her/his essay to the Student Financial Services Office. A deadline will be established and advertised each year in the fall semester.
University Women’s Club of North York – Lee Robertson Memorial Award (Osgoode Hall)
The University Women’s Club of North York, with the support of her family, established this Award in the memory of their dear friend, Lee Robertson. Lee graduated from the University Law School in 1948. Although she did not practice law, she often helped the Club with her skills and knowledge. The University Women’s Club North York – Lee Robertson Memorial Award recognizes one student for their commitment to volunteering with women’s focused legal aid organizations, women’s social justice issues or other areas of activism related to women. Applicants must have completed at least one year of study, maintained a minimum GPA of 6.0, demonstrate financial need, and submit a one-page statement summarizing their participation in extra-curricular activities and/ or the community at large and outlining how they hope to continue to contribute to legal aid organizations, women’s social justice issues or other areas of activism related to women in Canada after graduation.
Chancellor Van Koughnet Prize
This award was founded by Lady Jan Van Koughnet and her late husband, Captain Edmund Barker Van Koughnet, R.N., C.M.G., as a memorial to The Honourable Philip Michael Matthew Scott Van Koughnet, formerly Chancellor of Upper Canada. The award is awarded annually to the member of the graduating class of Osgoode Hall Law School who takes first place in the examinations of the final year.
vs. All-Odds Bursary
This award was created by Jordana H. Goldlist, class of 2007. Jordana made it to law school against all odds: she was placed in a group home at 14 years old, expelled from high school at 16, left home for the second time at 17, then spent two years on the streets of Toronto. When she created this award in 2019, she was 40 years old and running her own criminal defence firm, JHG Criminal Law, while mentoring university students and street kids in transition. In 2018, Jordana documented her own transition in a TEDx Talk she gave called “Who Judges The Judge?” This award was created by her as a way to help others who have been accepted into Osgoode “against all odds”.
The award will be given to a JD student who has experienced extreme personal adversity in life: for example, homelessness, the foster care system, group homes, addiction, street life, sex trafficking, or involvement in the criminal justice system (either personally or their immediate family). To be eligible, applicants must submit a one-page statement which speaks to how they meet the criteria as listed above.
Jack Walker QC Award for Excellence in Legal Ethics and Professionalism
The Jack Walker QC Award for Excellence in Legal Ethics and Professionalism will be given annually to up to two graduating students who have achieved academic excellence and who, throughout their time at Osgoode, have demonstrated Jack Walker’s dedication to professionalism through their courtesy, honesty and integrity both in and outside the classroom.
The award was established in honour of Jack Walker on the occasion of his 50th anniversary of his call to the Bar. Jack graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1965 and, after teaching at the law school for a number of years, went on to become the most renowned and highly respected property tax lawyers in Canada and has acted on many high profile cases. He co-founded the International Property Tax Institute, was the founder of the Ontario Property Tax Lawyers Association and has written extensively on the topics of assessment and property taxation.
Matthew Wilson Memorial Prize
This prize was founded by the late Matthew Wilson, K.C. The annual income of the fund is paid to the member of the graduating class of Osgoode Hall Law School who takes third place in the examinations of the final year.