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So far, this year has been fraught with many events and politically or economically significant actions that have captured people’s interest and scorn. In this environment, I wish to discuss an event that, despite its impact on the region and people’s lives, has unfortunately gone unnoticed by many—the reignition of a conflict in Africa that has the potential to spill out into a wider war. In...

Photo Credit: NYC2012.com I was an unusual child. While other kids were watching cartoons, I was glued to Pat Foran’s Consumer Alert on CTV News and CBC’s Marketplace, fascinated by the way they held shady businesses accountable. As I grew older—and as the cost of living skyrocketed—my passion for consumer protection only grew.  So naturally, when I discovered Scocco Law’s Consumer...

We all grow up liking different things,  whether it is dinosaurs, dolls, or whatever your fancy. My thing was history and, thus, I am overjoyed at the uncovering of the potential first royal tomb of a Pharaoh since Tutankhamun in 1922. In mid-February, a team of archaeologists found what they believe to have been the tomb of Thutmose II, who ruled Egypt’s eighteenth dynasty around the late...

In early February, the Delaware district court found that an AI-powered model trained with Thomson Reuters’s legal research platform (Westlaw) infringed on copyright.  In Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GMBH v. ROSS Intelligence Inc., legal research startup Ross Intelligence developed a legal search engine using a natural language AI model in direct competition with Westlaw. Ross hired a...

Photo Credit: Siu Lun Terrence Tong and Emilie Barrette Last month, on February 7th and 8th, the Osgoode Hockey team hosted the very first Osgoode Frozen Forum: Law School Hockey Championship. While there is an annual tournament at Queen’s in Kingston, this was the first ever law school hockey tournament in the GTA. There were eight school teams and two alumni teams that played, totalling over...

Are you a law student passionate about legal research and writing? You should attend the Osgoode Hall Law Journal Research Symposium on 11 March in the Helliwell Centre! It is a highly anticipated event you do not want to miss.  The Osgoode Hall Law Journal (OHLJ) is one of Canada’s prominent peer-reviewed law journals and has been publishing papers since 1958. The journal is incredibly well...

The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright law has become a crucial point of focus for legal systems worldwide, particularly in Europe. As AI continues to reshape creative industries, questions surrounding the ownership and protection of AI-generated works have emerged, demanding a re-evaluation of traditional intellectual property (IP) frameworks. Recent legislative efforts...

Photo Credit: Joel Saget-AFP via Getty Images In recent years, the market for weight loss drugs has garnered significant public attention, primarily owing to the popularity of semaglutide products, namely Ozempic. These drugs, originally developed for diabetes, were used off-label for weight loss, with recent variants, including Wegovy, approved for weight loss in both Canada and the United...

Traditionally, Canadian family law has treated pets as property, much like furniture or cars, when couples separate. However, as societal attitudes toward companion animals evolve, so too must the legal framework that governs their fate during divorces and separations. British Columbia has taken a significant step in this direction by introducing new legal provisions that recognize the unique...

› Unicorn Seal – Indus Script Photo Credit: Mukul Banerjee Have you ever watched a spy movie and wanted to break a code or perhaps saw Indiana Jones and wanted to make your own discoveries that could contribute to the understanding of humanity’s ancient past? Well, such an opportunity exists, and you can get paid for it. The state of Tamul Nadu in India has offered a $ one-million reward...

Photo Credit: osgoode hall law school It’s no secret that law school is an expensive undertaking. This article aims to shed some light on the recent updates from the York University and Osgoode Hall Law School communities related to funds that impact the student experience.  L&L Referendum Recently, the Legal & Literary Society (L&L) announced that they intend to hold a referendum in...

The prorogation of Canadian Parliament by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sparked immense debate about legality. 6 January 2025 marked Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement regarding his upcoming resignation as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. The prime minister also requested the prorogation of Parliament until 24 March 2025, which was prorogued by the Governor...

Heads up, Osgoode!  The provincial snap election will be taking place on 27 February 2025. Ontario’s 2022 provincial election had a staggeringly low 44% voter turnout. Will you be the 44% or the 56% this year?  Even though this is technically a general election according to the Ontario Election Act, a “snap” election happens when an election is called earlier than a four-year period. There are...

Photo Credit: The Globe and Mail 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...

Photo Credit: Metis Nation of Ontario In November, we recognize National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. It is an annual occasion to honour the memory of women who have been victims of gender-based violence and to reflect on the ongoing struggle to prevent such violence. On this day, we also reaffirm the importance of addressing the systemic barriers that women face...

When hearing news about North Korean soldiers, most thoughts go to the Designated Military Zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea. However, there have been multiple allegations in October 2024 that North Korean soldiers are prepared to take on combat roles in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.  Ukraine alleged that North Korean soldiers are currently being trained in Russia before being sent to the...

November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Canada. In order to understand the complexities of domestic violence, it is important to raise awareness about a type of abuse that very often goes unnoticed, unreported, and consequently unpunished—coercive control. A Recent Act of Intimate Partner Violence in Canada On 18 October 2024, Brenda Tatlock-Burke was killed by her toxic and controlling...

“School-age children are paying an unacceptable price for the growing conflict and insecurity in eastern DRC,” said UNICEF Representative Grant Leaity.[1] If you have been privy to world events over the past year and a bit, you might have heard about several ongoing issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”), a country located in central Africa. The DRC is facing a myriad of issues...

Sheikh opened the doors to her new firm in June 2024 Photo Credit: muneezasheikhlaw.com Bay Street is often likened to a revolving door. Lawyers come and go. However, every so often, experienced lawyers decide to take the career-defining step of opening their own firms, and a new revolving door is opened. As the Canadian legal community expands and widens, leading professionals will inevitably...

Many law students do not encounter the word “moot” until they enter law school. At first, it can certainly be an intimidating endeavour. After their first moot competition, some students may never touch another one again. But others may become absorbed in it, dedicating hours to mooting throughout their law school careers. From 28 to 30 October, many of Osgoode’s 1L students got their first taste...