Achievement

Earl A. Cherniak, Q.C.  LLB’60

Earl Cherniak graduated in 1960 as the Gold medallist and went on to clerk for Chief Justice McRuer.  Earl is currently a senior partner at Learners LLP and an elected Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada. He enjoys an eclectic practice involving a broad spectrum of complex litigation, appellate advocacy and arbitration. He has played a major role in many of the leading Canadian judicial decisions.  He represented the Canadian Red Cross in the Krever Inquiry and he served as counsel for the Medical

Officer of Health in the inquiry into the Walkerton water-safety crisis. He acted as counsel to Madam Justice Bellamy on a judicial review of one of her decisions in the City of Toronto inquiry. Earl is a past president of The Advocates' Society of Ontario and obtained his QC designation in 1974.  He was an elected fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. In 1996, he became the 11th recipient of The Advocates' Society Medal.  Earl became the first recipient of the Ontario Bar Association Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation in 2004 and was selected by his peers to be included in the 2006 LEXPERT Guide to the Most Creative Lawyers in Canada.

Sue-Lynn Noel obtained her law degree in 2001 from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar in Ontario 2002.  She articled with the Toronto law firm of Owens, Wright LLP where she is currently an associate in the corporate/commercial practice group and coordinates the firm's articling student recruitment.

Since graduating from Osgoode, Sue-Lynn has continued with her community service work.  She has volunteered as a mentor for the Osgoode Hall Alumni Mentor Program since 2002 and mentors students through the Black Law Students Association.  She assisted with the development of the Sole Support Parent group at Osgoode as well as participated in the Osgoode Number One ceremony in January, 2006.  Dean Monahan selected her as one of two alumni representatives to sit on the Strategic Planning Committee related to the five-year strategic plan for the law school beginning in 2005.

Barbara Hall was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission on November 28, 2005, after more than 35 years as a community worker, lawyer and municipal politician. She served three terms as a city councillor from 1985 on and as Toronto's mayor from 1994 to 1997. From 1998 to 2002 she headed the federal government's National Strategy on Community Safety and Crime Prevention. Barbara has also practised criminal and family law, been a member of the Ontario Health Ministry's Health Results Team, and lectured nationally and internationally on urban and social issues. Barbara has served on many community boards, most recently she chaired Harbourfront Centre and was a board member of the United Way of Greater Toronto, the Laidlaw Foundation and Sunnybrook and Women’s Health Care Centre. She has a strong record of bringing diverse groups together to build safe and healthy communities. 

Barbara received her undergraduate education at the University of Victoria, proudly attended Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating in 1978, and received an Honourary Doctor of Laws from Ryerson University in 1998.

She is a recipient of many awards including a Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA, a Harold Award for support of the Toronto Arts Community and the Bob Marley Award.

Judith Wahl graduated in 1977 and went on to practice at Birenbaum, Koffman and Steinberg.  In 1984, she accepted her current position as the Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly.  Judith has been a sessional lecturer at the University of Toronto and McMaster University and has been appointed a Distinguished Fellow of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law Studies at the BC Law Institute.

The Attorney General of Ontario appointed Judith Chair of the Interim Advisory Committee for the Implementation of the Substitute Decisions Act from1992 to 1995.  More recently she is a member of the Alzheimer Roundtable for the Ministry of Citizenship and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Toronto Seniors’ Roundtable.

Service

Loretta Merritt, LLB’85

Loretta Merritt graduated from Osgoode with an LLB in 1985 and an LLM in 1990.  Loretta is a partner with Torkin Manes Cohen Arbus LLP and is one of the few lawyers in Toronto who has substantial experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in sexual harassment and sexual assault matters in civil lawsuits and employment cases.  She regularly publishes, presents papers and gives seminars to associates and colleagues on current issues in her areas of practice.

In addition to her legal career and raising twin toddlers, Loretta has found the time to be one of the most dedicated and loyal volunteers to Osgoode Hall Law School.  She has been on the Alumni Board of Directors for more than 15 years and has sat on the York University Alumni Association Board for more than 10.  She has been involved in the Mentor Program for 10 years and is a volunteer with the Class of 1985 Reunion Committee.  Whenever the Law School has asked, Loretta can be counted on time and time again to fill various speaking engagements and volunteer committee positions.