On 7 December 2024, Osgoode Hall Law School and the legal community lost an inspiring and dedicated scholar and advocate, Professor Alan Young.
Professor Young graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1981 and subsequently clerked for Chief Justice Bora Laskin at the Supreme Court of Canada. Professor Young then attended Harvard Law School and graduated with an LLM.
In 1986, Professor Young returned to his alma mater, Osgoode Hall Law School, as an associate professor. With a teaching career spanning over three decades, Professor Young touched the hearts of future generations of lawyers, law professors, and justices through his passion for criminal law.
Dean Trevor Farrow shared with Osgoode that “Alan was a trailblazer who made huge contributions not only to Osgoode, but to the law and legal profession in Canada.”
Professor Young also co-founded and served as the director of Osgoode’s Innocence Project, a clinical program that allows enrolled JD students to examine cases of suspected wrongful convictions. The program is pivotal in immersing and inspiring students to consider the systemic and institutional problems relating to wrongful convictions in Canada.
As a practicing lawyer, Professor Young was a fierce advocate for many. Most notably, he was involved with the landmark 2013 Supreme Court of Canada case, Canada (AG) v. Bedford, where the Court struck down Canada’s prostitution laws as unconstitutional. He further advocated for individuals charged for using medical marijuana, which was instrumental in the federal regulatory program authorizing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Professor Young also provided pro bono legal services to those who experienced violent crime and malicious prosecution.
Among his many achievements, Professor Young was recognized by Canadian Lawyer magazine as one of the top twenty-five most influential people in the justice system and legal profession in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014. He also authored the 2013 book, Justice Defiled: Perverts, Potheads, Serial Killers and Lawyers.
Professor Young’s legacy continues to live on through his remarkable contributions to the legal community, and through the many students, colleagues, and clients that he impacted through his passion and dedication.