This fall, we catch up with a few of our alumni who have distinguished themselves in the news
Charles C. Jalloh, BCL/LLB’02, elected to the UN’s International Law Commission
On November 3, 2016, Charles C. Jalloh, a professor at Florida International University’s College of Law, was elected to the International Law Commission (ILC). The ILC was established by the UN in 1948 for the “promotion of the progressive development of international law and its codification.” It is comprised of 34 legal scholars and practitioners from different parts of the world, who all must be experts on international law, and who are elected for five-year terms during annual general assemblies.
“I was humbled to have been nominated by Sierra Leone, and even more humbled that I was elected by the UN member states to this important position,” said Professor Jalloh. “Membership of the ILC is a terrific opportunity to serve the international community. In that role, I will have the privilege to work with some of the best legal minds to help advance the goals of a rule-based international legal order by participating in the codification and development of laws that aim to advance peaceful inter-state relations.” Keep reading…
Lisa de Wilde, LLB’80, in the McMcGill News
Carving a niche for Canadian content in a global market
By Sheldon Gordon | November 3, 2016. When Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly recruited a dozen outside experts as a “sounding board” for her review of federal cultural policies, it was no surprise that among them was Lisa de Wilde, the president and CEO of TVO (formerly known as TV Ontario) and the chair of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
“I’m there [on the expert advisory group] because I’m committed to the importance of strong Canadian media voices,” says de Wilde, BA’77, LLB’80. “I’m not sure there’s a simple answer [to protecting Canadian content]. We have a set of rules that are a complex tapestry.
“As the media space changes,” she says, “I think the question is how do we make sure there are platforms so that Canadian talent can express itself on what is increasingly a global stage. We don’t want to live in simply a North Americanized market.” Keep reading…
Stephen Toope, BCL’83, LLB’83, in the Korea JoongAng Daily
‘Take risks ㅡ you don’t have to be on exactly the right track’
By Sarah Kim | November 2, 2016. Breaking an 800-year tradition, Canadian international law scholar Stephen Toope takes up his post as the head of the University of Cambridge next year during a transitory period following the United Kingdom’s referendum to leave the European Union.
Toope, currently the director of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, told the Korea JoongAng Daily and JoongAng Ilbo in an interview in Seoul last Thursday that Cambridge will have an even more important role than ever as an emblem of the United Kingdom’s global standing following the British vote on June 23 to leave the EU.
“If we are in a period where there is going to be a huge focus on figuring out how Brexit works,” said Toope… Keep reading…
The Unbound Project on Alanna Devine, BCL/LLB’06, and Sophie Gaillard, BCL/LLB’12
“We Do It Because We Don’t Have a Choice”: 5 Canadian Lawyers Who Are Changing the World For Animals
By Keri Cronin and Jo-Anne McArthur | October 20, 2016. In recent weeks there has been a spotlight on Montreal. Of course, this world-class city is known internationally for its history, culture, and jazz, but lately Montreal has been getting media attention for another reason, the City’s attempt to ban pit bulls through breed specific legislation (BSL). Alanna Devine and Sophie Gaillard are lawyers who work at the Montreal SPCA, Canada’s oldest animal protection agency, and they have been at the forefront of the fight against this legislation.
The current fight over BSL in Quebec is just one of many recent cases where Canadian lawyers have used their expertise to try and make a difference for animals, and this summer we had the opportunity to bring Devine and Gaillard together with three other lawyers who have also made headlines for their commitment to standing up for animals in Canada: Camille Labchuk, Anna Pippus, and Lesli Bisgould. Keep reading…