En vrac : des articles et des lettres d’opinion signés par nos diplômé.e.s, florilège de nominations à la Cour, des promotions en cabinet, des entrevues – et une première au Tonight Show animé par Jimmy Fallon.

Sankofa: An Africentric principle could right some wrongs

Anthony Morgan, BCL/LLB’12, Policy Options Politiques, 23 April 2019

Sakofa bird

There is a conventional notion that justice should be blind. But Canada’s Constitution says the opposite: it should not be blind, and it should not be colour blind. Canadians are exceptionally proud of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; it is considered a national symbol. But too few of us realize that section 27 of the Charter states: “This Charter shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians.” Keep reading…

Jessica Salomon debuts on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon and Jessica Salomon

On April 20, Jess Salomon, BCL/LLB’04, made her Tonight Show debut with jokes about moving from Canada to America with her Muslim wife right before Donald Trump’s election and her past as a war crimes lawyer for the United Nations with Amal Clooney. Watch her performance on YouTube.

Short Circuit: A Failing Technology for Administering Justice in Nunavut

David Matyas, BCL/LLB’19, The Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice

“If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail, but if all you have is a circuit court what happens to the administration of justice? This paper explores the history and contemporary usages of the itinerant ‘circuit court’ in the Canadian Arctic. Presenting the circuit court as a technology of justice, the paper explores why and how this instrument has been employed and the possibilities it constrains.” Read the paper.

Howard Leibovich named to the Ontario Bench

On March 26, Justice Canada announced that Howard Leibovich, BCL’94, LLB’94, Director of the Crown Law Office – Criminal, at the Ministry of the Attorney General in Toronto, was appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Read the press release.

Bartha Knoppers awarded 2019 Friesen Prize

McGill University Newsroom, 19 March 2019

McGill University Professor Bartha Knoppers, LLB’78, BCL’81, a global leader in the study of legal, social and ethical issues related to biomedical research in human genetics and genomics, has been awarded the 2019 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research by the Friends of Canadian Institutes of Health Research (FCIHR). Keep reading…

Catherine McKenzie : L’associée Superwoman!

Diane Poupeau, Droit-Inc, 18 mars 2019

La première chose que l’on est tenté de demander à Me Catherine McKenzie (BCL’99, LLB’99) c’est : quand trouve-t-elle le temps de faire tout ça ? Depuis qu’elle a été admise au Barreau en 2000 après des études à McGill, l’avocate mène sa carrière tambour battant chez IMK où elle a été stagiaire, sociétaire puis associée en 2007. Parallèlement à sa pratique, Me McKenzie enseigne les techniques de plaidoirie à l’Université McGill.  Mais elle est aussi romancière. Poursuivre la lecture.

Pierre Y. Lefebvre intronisé au American College of Trial Lawyers

Diane Poupeau, Droit-Inc, 13 mars 2019

Me Pierre Y. Lefebvre, BCL’81, associé chez Langlois, fait partie des 73 nouveaux « fellows » du American College of Trial Lawyers, intronisés le 2 mars dernier. La cérémonie s’est déroulée à La Quinta, en Californie, en présence de Sheilah L. Martin et de Rosalie Abella, juges à la Cour suprême du Canada, et de quelque 750 convives en noeuds papillon et robes de soirée. Poursuivre la lecture.

Patrice Abrioux named to the BC Court of Appeal

On March 8, Justice Canada announced that the Hon. Patrice Abrioux, LLB’80, of the Supreme Court of British Columbia had been appointed a justice of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Abrioux practised primarily in the field of civil litigation in Vancouver until he was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 2011. Read the press release.

Anna Loparco named to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta

On March 8, Justice Canada announced that Anna Loparco, BCL/LLB’02, a partner at Dentons LLP, was named a justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta. As a civil litigator, she practiced in a broad range of areas of law including intellectual property, constitutional, education, administrative, professional liability, corporate commercial, insurance, and privacy. Read the press release.

George R. Locke appointed a judge of the Federal Court of Appeal

On March 8, Justice Canada announced that the Hon. George R. Locke, BCL’91, LLB’91, a judge of the Federal Court, was appointed a judge of the Federal Court of Appeal. Prior to his judicial appointment, Justice Locke was as an associate and then a partner in the Intellectual Property Group at the Montreal office of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, formerly Ogilvy Renault LLP. Read the press release.

People on the move

David Sali, Ottawa Business Journal, 7 March 2019

Julia Kennedy BCL/LLB’08, has been named a partner in the business law group at Fasken. The McGill University graduate has worked at the firm for nine years, practising in the areas of corporate commercial law, copyright and communications law, trade and competition law, dispute resolution and employment law. Keep reading (scroll down)

L’interdiction du port des signes religieux: l’empressement à contourner des droits fondamentaux

Perri Ravon, BCL/LLB’11, Blogue Huffington Post Québec, 3 mars 2019

Le gouvernement du Québec est à veille de déposer son projet de loi interdisant le port des signes religieux chez les agents de l’État en situation de coercition et les enseignants. Nombreux sont ceux qui spéculent que le gouvernement pourrait, d’entrée de jeu, utiliser la clause dérogatoire pour éviter toute contestation constitutionnelle de la loi. Poursuivre la lecture.