By: Andrea S. Anderson, PhD Candidate, Osgoode Hall Law School There is nothing quite like being a defence lawyer—walking into a criminal courtroom with a nice suit on, pulling your litigation case, proceeding to the front to sit at counsel table ready to advocate for your client—only to be stopped by another member of the bar who advises you that the general public are to sit in the body of the...
Bringing Awareness to the ‘Gap’ A brief look at how stereotypes, myths & seduction affect the application of law in sexual assault cases By Jessica Zita Law has power in constructing knowledge and ideology, yet it functions in dynamic tension with social structure and systems that affect its operation. –Ruthy Lazar If the outpouring of dialogue inspired by Ghomeshi indicates anything, it is...
By Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights – Osgoode Students interested in international law often ask what it takes to find a career in this highly competitive and amorphous area of law. What is the recipe for success and where do I find the ingredients? At last month’s International Law Career Panel, hosted by Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights – Osgoode (CLAIHR-Osgoode)...
The 2015/2016 Obiter Dicta OCI Survey and Special Edition come courtesy the hard work of Obiter Staff Member and Osgoode student Michael Motala, and the Obiter Dicta staff. Click below to view the pdf version of the report:
OCI Special Edition
Mentally Ill in Law School The Obiter Dicta generally does not publish anonymous articles. A strict, limited exception allows students to publish anonymously exclusively for articles about their mental health experience in law school. This exception exists only for cases where there are concerns directly regarding the risk of exposure or stigma. The Obiter Dicta Executive Board has full and final...
Law and Technology The legal market is in an unprecedented state of flux. Over the next two decades, the way in which lawyers work will change radically. Entirely new ways of delivering legal services will emerge, new providers will enter the market, and the workings of our courts will be transformed. Unless they adapt, many traditional legal businesses will fail. On the other hand, a whole set...
Using TPM Protections to Label Consumers as Thieves The first battle cry was heard this past summer when Bell Media president Mary Ann Turcke announced that “it has to become socially unacceptable to admit to another human being that you are VPNing into U.S. Netflix.” And with that bold proclamation, a gauntlet had been thrown down and Big Media had declared war on those who it deemed to be...
In law school, there is no shortage of attention dedicated to the problems with the legal system. There are students, lawyers, and faculty working on access to justice, legal innovation, legal system reform, and legal aid projects. Ample opportunities exist to hear speakers, engage in workshops, and participate in conferences all aimed at improving the legal system. And yet, despite all these...
by the Osgoode Health Law Association There are many opportunities at Osgoode Hall to learn about health law, including coursework, clubs, and volunteer experiences. Below is a summary prepared by Osgoode’s Health Law Association. Courses Legal Governance of Health Care (4 credits) Disability & the Law (3 credits) Patents (3 credits) Administrative Law (4 credits) Health Law (3 credits) Law...
The Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) is a national non-profit organization that is dedicated to access to justice research and advocacy. The CFCJ was founded in 1998 and moved to Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in 2011. Earlier this year the CFCJ launched the Access to Justice Research Network (AJRN), an interactive online platform that invites the discussion and dissemination of...
Osgoode Women’s Network raises $3,760 “OWN Ran for the Cure and raised $3,760! The OWN Executive would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in some way, shape or form with this year’s CIBC Run for the Cure 2015. As a student club at Osgoode, we were able to raise $3,760, which surpasses last year’s fundraising efforts by over $1,000! $317 was raised from the...
Probable or not, possible or not, the mere possibility is something powerful In the worlds of environmentalism, environmental law, and particularly climate change advocacy, Roger Cox is currently quite the celebrity. This past June, he won a suit brought by environmental NGO Urgenda and 886 Dutch citizens against the Dutch government. To oversimplify, the plaintiffs successfully argued the Dutch...
Is “Physical” Access to Justice Attainable? If you’ve ever been to 47 Sheppard Avenue East, you’ll know the point of this article well before I reach it. 47 Sheppard is a Toronto courthouse primarily used for small claims matters, a location I first entered as a wide-eyed caseworker starting the Parkdale intensive. The building is ominous and grey, accessible only from a side entrance, with no...
2015-16 Positions with the Obiter Dicta Hey Osgoode! The Obiter Dicta is Osgoode’s source for news, stories, and opinions about your school and the legal community. If you want to become involved with one of Osgoode’s most wellrecognized, independent student organizations, you can apply now by emailing obiterdicta@osgoode.yorku.ca We are looking for students interested in the following...
We are a group of Osgoode Hall Law School alumni writing to you in regards to the CUPE 3903 strike at York University. We wish to address both the administration and students in voicing our support for CUPE 3903 and the law students who are refusing to cross the picket lines in solidarity. Our Message to the Administration of Osgoode Hall Law School Why we support CUPE 3903 and Osgoode Hall Law...
My attempt to wade through, and make sense of, Toronto’s first camping festival’s lineup On 10 February 2015, the GTA’s worst kept secret was finally released into the public domain. The town of Barrie, or as hipsters call it, Oro-Medonte, will be hosting the area’s first camping music festival. Headliners Sam Smith, Kendrick Lamar, and Alt-J were billed as the headliners that will drive crowds...
Editorial Note: Karolina and Kendall were on such a roll after their Mock Trial review, he decided to join her as a co-writer for this issue’s editorial. So read on, Ozzies, for double the fun and none of the stress. Returning to school after a sumptuous break (or even worse, a dreadfully stressful one, replete with hours spent preparing summaries or participating in job interviews) is...
Managing the aspirational gap between what is and what you expect Many of us go through our lives setting what we like to label “goals” and “objectives” for ourselves. And for the most part this seems to be a healthy and productive thing to do. Though sometimes these aspirations morph into expectations, very high ones at that, and it is when this happens that we set ourselves up for potential...
Want to Win 1 of 20 Prize Packages from WestlawNext Canada?! Headphones, Portable Batteries, I-Tunes Gift Cards, USB Keys and more. Prizes packages vary. Contact ‘Christian’ for full details. This contest is only open to Osgoode Hall Law Students, and with so many prizes, your odds are great! How to Enter: Follow @WestlawCanada on Twitter (Link: ) Send the correct answer to the daily trivia...
Dear Obiter: Osgoode is set to compete this week in the International Law Student Mediation Tournament in Chicago. As a member of one of Osgoode’s teams, I received an email from Loyola University providing me with a few tips for my anticipated journey. They advised that “[i]n an effort to be eco-friendly[,] water facilities are available at Loyola,” and that “water...
Dear Obiter: In November 2013, a Black female law student at Osgoode Hall Law School was racially profiled while studying in the Osgoode Hall Library. The student was asked by an Osgoode staff person to provide identification because “she did not look like an Osgoode student.” The Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at Osgoode is deeply concerned about incidents of racial profiling and...
Terms like corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) and responsible investment are often used as buzz words – positive and reassuring music to our socially responsible ears. For those business-oriented but sustainability-minded law students, exploring this interdisciplinary area is often inaccessible. Yes, we want to change how business is practiced; yes, we want to learn more about this...
Dear Editors, I recently became aware of the passing late last year of former Osgoode Hall Law School professor Michael Mandel. Many of the hagiographic obituaries, such as that in the Canadian Lawyer Magazine, portrayed one element of his impact on legal education at Canada’s largest law school. I attended Osgoode in the mid-1980s and had a different perspective on the quality of education...
Calling all students, faculty, and staff! Over Reading Week, take a quick visit to your closet, a parent’s closet, a grandparent’s closet, to consider…is there is any professional attire in here that is no longer being worn? If so, the Osgoode Women’s Network (OWN) wants to help you find the perfect place to donate your gently used clothing. Dress for Success (DFS) is an international non-profit...
The Black Law Students’ Association would like to thank the Osgoode community for all their support in helping us achieve last semester’s goal for the LSAT Bursary Program. We are proud to announce that we are officially launching the LSAT Bursary Program this year and will be awarding three bursaries for our inaugural year. We’ve partnered with HarvardReady to support students in their...