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...
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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...
Photo CredIt: LIonsgate Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is a moviegoing experience in a category of its own. My 9:00 pm IMAX screening on the Saturday of opening weekend was attended by maybe a dozen others, half of whom would walk out before the movie was over. I can hardly blame them; the movie is bizarre and features plotlines that are introduced and never again addressed, nonsense...
Photo CredIt: AP Images/Kaung Zaw HeIn With all the excitement and turmoil over the past few years, the ongoing conflict in Myanmar has been absent from the minds of many. In September 2024, the military government rejected the peace offer to the various rebel groups and began to forcibly conscript young men into the army to try to offset their losses. But just how did things get here? The...
Each year, Osgoode Hall Law School welcomes a diverse student body from all walks of life. These students not only bring a keen interest in the legal career, but also the perspectives of various backgrounds. As a result, many clubs at Osgoode have emerged that reflect the interests of new generations of lawyers over the years. In September 2024, a number of new student clubs were ratified in...
Osgoode recently celebrated the well-deserved promotions of five exceptional professors. Dean Farrow proudly presented the recommendations, made by President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton, to York University’s Board of Governors. Professors Carys Craig, Valerio De Stefano, Dayna Scott, and Sara Slinn have all attained the prestigious title of Full Professor. At the same time, Professor...
Illustration by Manpreet Bharj The Osgoode Sikh Students Association (OSSA) hosted its inaugural moot competition, the Khalra Cup, last weekend at Osgoode Hall Law School. This was a huge accomplishment for a club that has only been in existence for less than two and a half years. The competition was a grand success, being very well received by participants from four Ontario law schools, judges...
IllustratIon By: Manpreet Bharj We asked upper year students at Osgoode to describe their course enrollment experience this year. This is what they had to say: *clears throat* “… so….”“Limited. Constrained. Conflicting. Minimal. Disorganised.”“Painstakingly annoying.”“I’m still traumatised by it!” “Almost as stressful as figuring out first year.”“Things need to be changed.” Course enrollment...
Changes to the 1L curriculum at Osgoode Hall bring changes to their semester breaks as well. First-year law students are now lucky to receive a full reading week during the fall semester of classes, which has not happened at Osgoode for several years. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the first-years only had two “reading days.” Students in 1L-3L now have a whole week off in November. This is...
This fall, the incoming class of 1L students stepped into a new era of course structure at Osgoode Hall. Major transitions from the year prior included the shifts for certain course delivery styles, shortened course lengths, and new mandatory requisites for completion of the program. The changes include the following: Legal Process I (LPI) has been changed to a full-year course called...
Photo CredIt: The CanadIan Press Images/Lars Hagberg As one of the oldest law schools in Canada, Osgoode Hall Law School has a wide and successful alumni network, ranging from sole practitioners to Supreme Court Justices. On 29 August 2024, the Honourable Arif Virani, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the appointment of Osgoode alumna, Justice Bhavneet K...
The Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta are advocating for the implementation of a new law—the Nehiyaw and Dene Nations of Treaty No. 8 Adoption and Private Guardianship Law—which aims to protect First Nations children. This law works to end the adoptions and private guardianships involving Treaty 8 children without written consent from either parents or guardians, and the First Nations themselves...
Photo credits: Doo Lee, CC BY 4.0 from Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law In the jurisdiction of intellectual property, few names shine as bright as Mickey Mouse. Yet, as the clock struck midnight on 1 January 2024, Micky took a historic step: he entered the public domain.[1] For many, this is their chance to dive into their creative minds and transform Mickey into distinct...
Osgoode Hall Law School is set to represent Canada at The Hague in May, the renowned court for international criminal law and the seat of the United Nations. Competing against top law schools such as Georgetown, University of Chicago, and University of Miami, Osgoode’s team will face a challenging and intellectually rigorous competition. This year’s case touches on critical issues...
Depreciation of goodwill in trademark infringement cases is highly subjective, and alternative arguments to those of the court can be made in the case of Subway IP LLC v. Budway, Cannabis & Wellness Store.[1] This Federal Court case was one in which Subway claimed that Budway violated their trademark, directed business away from Subway towards Budway, and depreciated the goodwill of the...
In the ever-evolving landscape of innovation, neurotechnology stands as both a beacon of promise and a nexus of ethical complexity. While patents fuel innovation, they also risk creating barriers that hinder society’s access to life-changing advancements in brain science. As Canada ventures into this domain, it confronts challenges regarding the patenting of life-saving devices, navigating...
On Saturday, 16 March, the Election Commission of India announced the dates for India’s upcoming 2024 General Elections. They are to take place between 19 April to 1 June, over a period of forty-two days and in a total of seven phases. These elections are the second longest to ever be held in the country, with the longest being the first ever General Elections held in 1951. Conducted 3 years...
Courtesy: On 23 February 2024, at the Special General Membership meeting of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 (CUPE), members voted strongly in favour of initiating strike action on February 26 until a fair employment contract is negotiated. CUPE represents teaching assistants, contract faculty, graduate assistants, and part-time librarians and archivists across York University...
Transit agencies participating in the One-Fare program. Courtesy: Prestocard.ca On February 26, the Ford government’s fare integration policy was enacted. The program was initially supposed to launch in March 2023. The fully funded One-Fare program by the Ontario government will make commuting more accessible and affordable for transit users. This one-fare decision will enable transit users...
#MMIW Artwork by Maddie Lamb (Courtesy: We R Native) The recent viral video revealing a disturbing scene at Winnipeg’s Marlborough Hotel has exposed the grim reality faced by Indigenous women in Canada. The footage displays an Indigenous woman with her hands zip-tied behind her, with workers trying to prevent her from leaving the hotel, hinting at a broader issue of violence, trafficking, and...