With an eventful academic term and year winding down, I want to take this opportunity to offer this final message. It certainly seems like more than a mere 7 months ago when the Osgoode community returned to the newly renovated building. The sense of excitement and relief to have all of our faculty, staff and students under one roof, and light pouring in the new JCR, Bistro, and Library windows, all contributed to making this year particularly special. The memories of our Building Celebration last October will stay with all those who were a part of it for many years to come. What made this year so memorable, however, was not the building but the people in it, and their accomplishments. I am amazed at the breadth and depth of student leadership at Osgoode this year, from an intense year at Faculty Council and its committees, to a moving series to tributes to the legacy of Wendy Babcock, the launch of the LAWS Program, great engagement in the community through OPIR, a sensational Mock Trial, a year of significant achievement in mooting, a vibrant year for our clinics, and intensive programs, a myriad of terrific student contribution to Blogs, the Obiter and Journals, inspired and inspiring panels, new initiatives connecting students and alumni, and a host of other signature social, sports and club events (and this just scratches the surface). There of course have been challenges this year as well, and we have come together to deal with those as a community.
As someone who graduated from Osgoode exactly 20 years ago (I am particularly grateful to those small number of you who just read that and just exclaimed “but how is that possible – he looks so young!”), I am always struck by which aspects of the Law School experience stay with you. For me, and I hope for you, it was a sense that what we study, discuss and debate and what we do while we’re here matters – both to who we are individually and institutionally – and to the potential more broadly for law to lead to justice. The other part of the Law School experience that endures are the friendships forged during this period – while the legal community seemed vast then (and no doubt appears vaster still now), the experience of collegiality, support and sense of community I found at Osgoode has proven invaluable in all the settings I’ve worked since. My only regret is that I still have not found a way to drop the Rule against Perpetuities into a casual conversation.
Osgoode continues to be defined by the unparalleled excellence and diversity of our academic program, and by the committed and caring faculty and staff who breathe life into that program, and by the students who embody our pride and passion. So, 2011-2012 is not just another academic year at Osgoode, but a remarkable year of achievement to celebrate! I wish all of you a successful end of term and a safe and enjoyable summer.