Osgoode Alumni - Board of Directors

John J. Tobin is a Tax Partner at Torys LLP, Toronto. John practices tax and structured finance with an emphasis on securitizations, managed assets, structured debt and equity finance, derivatives, private equity, leasing and cross-border transactions. John has represented international and domestic banks, financial institutions, pension funds, mutual funds, government agencies and Canadian and foreign companies in domestic and cross-border transactions. John has extensive experience in the areas of federal and provincial income tax, tax controversy, transfer pricing, withholding tax, capital tax, sales and use tax, and goods and services tax.

John was named in Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC’s IFLR 1000, Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms 2007—Leading lawyer in capital markets; repeatedly recommended practitioner in asset equipment finance/leasing in Lexpert 2007 Directory; and named in Woodward White’s Best Lawyers in Canada 2006— for equipment finance law. Received an award from Mondaq.com’s Most Popular Article in Canada in July 2007. John was also recently identified as a leading lawyer in capital markets by IFLR1000, The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms and in 2002 was identified as one of Canada’s top 40 lawyers under 40 by Lexpert.

John is a Director and Vice President of the Osgoode Hall Alumni Association and the former Chair of the Osgoode Hall Alumni Mentor Program. John is on the Tax Committee of the Canadian Finance and Leasing Association, the Investment Funds Institute of Canada and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Canadian American Business Council. John was a member of the CICA Going Concern Task Force .

Lynn is a partner in the Toronto office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and practices in the area of corporate law where she is the Toronto Regional Co-ordinator of the Investment Management Group.

A graduate of 1988, Lynn was recognized by Lexpert Magazine in 2003 as one of the top 15 women lawyers to watch in Canada and in 2002 as one of the top 40 lawyers in Canada under 40.

She is Chair of the Investment Companies and Mutual Funds Committee of the International Bar Association, a member of the OSC Advisory Committee on Investment Funds Implementing Improved Fund Governance.

Anil Kapoor of the Law Society of Upper Canada, practices criminal law, appeal and trials, and regulatory law primarily in the area of professional discipline. He is adjunct faculty at Osgoode Hall Law School, he has lectured at Continuing Legal Education Seminars sponsored by the Law Society of Upper Canada, Federal Department of Justice, Ontario Court of Justice education programs, the National Judicial Institute, Ontario Crown Attorneys’ Association, Criminal Lawyer’s Association. He has appeared numerous times before the Supreme Court of Canada, provincial courts of appeal in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. He authored Kapoor’s Criminal Appeal Review, a LexisNexis online publication from 1999 to 2005. In 2006 he was appointed Commission Counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182 (the Air India Public Inquiry).

Cassels & Graydon, she was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1969. She practised law with Weiler, Weiler and Maloney in Thunder Bay until 1972 when she returned to Toronto and entered the LL.M. program at Osgoode Hall. She received her LL.M. in 1974.

She was counsel for the Ministry of the Attorney General and later became Senior Counsel in the Policy Development Division. Appointed to the former District Court of Ontario in 1980, and to the Ontario High Court, February 21, 1989, Justice Weiler was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario on March 12, 1992. She was also appointed to the Court Martial Appeal Court on July 26, 1995. Justice Weiler is fluent in French and presides over appeals in the French language.

She has been a director of the American Judicature Society, the Canadian Judges Conference, and the International Association of Women Judges – Canadian Chapter. Justice Weiler has also served on the Justice Minister’s Advisory Committee for Judicial Appointments. Over the course of her twenty-seven years on the bench, and now fifteen years as an appellate judge, Justice Weiler has written judgments in all areas of law: criminal, civil, constitutional, administrative, employment and labour law and municipal law.

Bev was a very active student before she graduated from Osgoode in 2001 as the President of the Legal & Literary Society. She was also member of Student Caucus, a York University Senator and a research assistant to then Professor Patrick Monahan.

Following graduation, Bev articled and then was an associate at McMillan Binch LLP with their public markets group. She currently is a Corporate Solicitor at Morguard Corporation. Morguard Corporation is a major Canadian real estate and property management company. Bev has remained active in her volunteer activities for Osgoode participating in the Mentor Program and various fund raising and special event activities.

Anita Herrmann graduated from York University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours, degree History in 1980. After spending a year at the Université de Grenoble, she accepted her first full-time position at York University in the Office of Student Programs in the Faculty of Science. She has had extensive experience in a number of different areas of the University and has worked with students from admission through to graduation and beyond.

Anita joined Osgoode in 2000 as manager of the annual donations and stewardship. In that position, she created the Osgoode’s first permanent annual fund, The Osgoode Hall Law School Fund; the William Osgoode Society, the School’s cumulative giving society; and the Thomas Brown Phillips Stewart Society, which recognizes planned gifts. She became Director of the Office of Advancement in 2004 and is responsible for fundraising, alumni relations and alumni communications.

Gina is currently the Assistant Dean (Student Services) at Osgoode Hall Law School, a position she's held since September 2000. In her role, Gina oversees Osgoode's Student Services for the LLB program, including the Recruitment & Admissions Office, Student Financial Services Office, Career Services Office and Programs & Records Office. Prior to her appointment as Assistant Dean, Gina developed Osgoode's first Career Services Office from 1997 having returned to Osgoode after practising Family Law and Civil Litigation in Toronto upon her call to the Bar in 1993, during which time she also taught Business Law at Centennial College.

Active in student recruitment, development and wellness, Gina has been involved with the LSAC's Annual Meeting Planning Conference for two years and is appointed to the LSAC's Services and Planning Committee for 2007-09. At Osgoode, Gina has introduced a variety of new programs, including STAMP (Osgoode's Student Ambassador Program) and TOPSS (Teen Osgoode Program for Secondary Schools) and took the lead in administering the annual LSSSE to students. She has served on the Law School's Management Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and Osgoode Course Development Institute, as well as several pan-university committees. In 2007, Gina began studies at OISE in pursuit of a Masters of Education (Higher Education) degree, with a focus on professional education and student development.

Carol Albert received her Bachelor of Laws in 1980 and her Masters in Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution in 1998, both from Osgoode Hall Law School . In November, 1998, after 17 years in private practice with Gardiner, Roberts, where she conducted a litigation and ADR practice, Master Albert was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice for Ontario as Case Management Master. In that role Master Albert hears motions in civil and construction lien actions, presides over construction lien trials and conducts case conferences, pre-trials and settlement conferences.

Interested in international justice reform initiatives, Master Albert has participated in workshops and missions on case management, court connected mediation and alternative dispute resolution in Kenya , Uganda , Tanzania and Bangladesh . She has hosted judges and lawyers from those counties as well as from Ethiopia , Zimbabwe and China . Master Albert is a member of the International Development Committee of the Canadian Bar Association and on the JedNet roster of the National Judicial Institute of Canada.

Believing in the pivotal role of a university education in shaping one's opportunities, Master Albert has remained involved with both Universities she attended: McGill University Faculty of Music (now the Schulich School of Music) and Osgoode Hall Law School. Master Albert has volunteered as a mentor for Osgoode law students since 2003.

Geoff Belsher is the New York office Managing Partner for Blake Cassels and Graydon LLP and is one of the Partners responsible for the firm's U.S. initiative.

Geoff practises in the area of corporate law with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and cross-border transactions. He has represented publicly traded companies listed on every stock exchange in North America. He also advises a number of investment dealers, private equity funds and venture capital funds in both Canada and the United States with respect to public and private equity and debt financings for Canadian issuers. He has acted as special counsel to the target company in three of the highest profile hostile take-over bids, as well as some of the largest public offerings, in British Columbia history.

Geoff was an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia Law School, where he taught advanced mergers and acquisitions from 1995 to 2004. He was also an instructor at Osgoode Hall Law School teaching in the master of laws in securities law program. He was the editor of the Lexis/Nexis British Columbia Business Corporations Act and Commentary and the editor for British Columbia for the Bowne Appeal International Securities Laws Handbook, and has written and spoken in the area of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and cross-border transactions.

Cathy practises in the Litigation Group in the Toronto office of Blakes Cassels and Graydon LLP. She has a specialized practice in litigating constitutional and administrative law cases and providing advice on constitutional, privacy and freedom of information issues, in addition to practising general civil and commercial litigation.

Cathy is also a member of the adjunct faculty of Osgoode Hall Law School, where she has been teaching a specialized seminar on privacy and freedom of information since 2000.

Prior to joining Blakes, Cathy graduated as gold medallist from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was law clerk to the Right Honourable Antonio Lamer, P.C., C.C., chief justice of Canada from 1997-1998. After completing her clerkship, Cathy received an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School, where she studied constitutional, administrative and media law as a Frank Knox Memorial Fellow and Canada-U.S. Fulbright scholar.

In 2005, the board of directors of the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association awarded Cathy a Gold Key Award in recognition of exceptional professional achievement by a recent graduate.

Emily C. Cole is Senior Litigation Counsel in the Enforcement Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission. She conducted the insider trading and false press releases prosecution against John B. Felderhof, former Senior Vice-President of Exploration for Bre-X Minerals Ltd. Emily teaches trial advocacy at the University of Toronto and taught previously at Osgoode.

Before joining the Commission in 2002, Emily was with the law firm of Gowlings in Toronto where she practiced white collar defense and commercial litigation. Emily was called to the Ontario Bar in 1993 and admitted to the New York State Bar in 2008. She articled at the Crown Law Office - Criminal and after her call to the Bar clerked for the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice.

Emily was the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Massey Centre, Housing and Resources for Pregnant Young Women & Single Mothers and Chair of the Fundraising Committee from 2003 to 2005. She is also a former member of the National Executive Committee of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) and former Co-chair of the Public Education Committee. (1991 – 1995).

Tony Di Domenico's practice with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP focuses on a broad range of complex matters, including commercial, civil, administrative and class action litigation. He has appeared as counsel before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and various administrative tribunals, and assisted in matters before the Ontario and Federal Courts of Appeal as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. Tony is particularly experienced in the use of techniques in bringing disputes to early determination or settlement.

Tony summered with the firm in 2004, during which he was seconded to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, Constitutional Law Branch. He articled with the firm in 2005 and joined as an associate in 2006. Tony currently serves on the firm's Law School Liaison and Associates' Committees.

Tony teaches in the area of dispute resolution and negotiation, and serves as an adjunct professor of law at Osgoode.

Leslie Dizgun is an experienced advocate in corporate, commercial litigation and employment law matters, who practices as counsel to Blustein & Pearlstein LLP. His practice is oriented to providing effective and cost efficient solutions to business clients. He received his Master of Laws degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School and is co-author of a book on Mediation Advocacy: Effective Client Representation. He was an Adjunct Professor of civil procedure at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. Leslie has been a speaker at continuing legal education programs offered by numerous legal organizations.

Mr. Dizgun has represented large and medium-sized business enterprises in a variety of business disputes including collection/breach of contract actions, fraud/tracing proceedings, and employment and labour disputes.

Sandra Forbes is a partner in the litigation group of Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP. She practises in the area of corporate/commercial, securities, administrative and competition litigation and has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario as well as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, the British Columbia Supreme Court and the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada. She has also appeared as counsel before the Ontario Securities Commission, the Competition Tribunal, the Ontario Energy Board and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Sandra is a member of the firm's evaluation committee, a Director of the Advocates' Society and a member of its Executive, past Chair of the Society's Standing Committee on Advocacy and Practice (2003-2005), a regular contributing author to the Supreme Court Law Review on the law of evidence, a member of faculty of the Trial Advocacy course at the University of Toronto Law School, a member of the editorial board of the Ontario Reports, a member of the Selection Committee for the David Mundell Medal for legal writing, Chair of the Enforcement Practices and Procedures Committee of the Canadian Bar Association National Competition Law Section and a frequent speaker at conferences on various matters. She was selected by LEXPERT Magazine, in its September 2002 issue, as one of Canada's top 40 lawyers under 40 in its feature article "The Top 40 Under 40" and, in 2005, was named by LEXPERT as one of "25 Litigators to Watch".

Elissa H. Gamus graduated with a B.A. in Economics from York University in 1985. She received her LL.B. from Osgoode Hall in 1988 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1990. Elissa began her career in private practice from 1990-1992 with a medium sized firm in the areas of Plaintiff Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice and from 1992-2000 with a small boutique firm in the area of Family Law.

Elissa joined the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2000 and from 2000-2002 she was Counsel in Practice Advisory and from 2002-2003 she was the Head of the Bar Admission Course (BAC) Program Development, Faculty for the Professional Responsibility and Practice Management course and Counsel for the Specialist Certification Program (Family and Civil Litigation).

In 2004, Elissa returned to practice of Family Law practising in association with 3 other Family Law lawyers. Elissa appears in the Newmarket , Brampton , Toronto and Barrie Courts. Elissa was also recently appointed to the Panel of lawyers for the Office of the Children's Lawyer for custody and access disputes, child protection disputes, minors' rights and adoption consent.

Adam Givertz is a partner in Shearman & Sterling’s Toronto office. He advises corporations in connection with mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and general corporate matters, as well as issuers and investment banks in connection with public and private offerings of high yield and investment grade debt and equity and equity-linked securities. Adam has worked on transactions involving companies in a broad range of industries, including oil and gas, telecom, mining, metals, energy, forest products, financial services, retail and gaming. Adam joined Shearman & Sterling after completing his clerkship at the Canadian Federal Court of Appeal and was an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, where he taught U.S. securities regulation.

David was Chairman of Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP from 1995 until 2001 and is currently a member of the Firm's Business and Securities Groups in the Toronto office. He practices primarily in the area of securities law, advising public corporations and investment dealers.

David is recognized in the Lexpert Directory, Lexpert's Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada , Chambers Global and the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers as one of the leading lawyers in Canada . In addition to his practice, he has taught at the Ontario Bar Admission Course and lectured at Osgoode Hall Law School on matters of securities and corporate law.

David is a graduate of the Class of 1972 where he has been an active reunion and class gift volunteer for the Law School . He was also co-chair of the Peter Hogg Retirement Dinner.

Blake Murray is a senior partner at Osler Hoskin and Harcourt LLP, in the firm's Tax Department. He specializes in taxation with a focus on international taxation and transfer pricing, dispute resolution (including litigation), and tax aspects of corporate finance, reorganizations and merger and acquisitions. From 1989 to 1990, Blake was Senior Counsel to the Standing Committee of the House of Commons on Finance and Economic Affairs with respect to the implementation of the goods and services tax.

Blake has a number of professional affiliations, including: Canadian Bar Association (Member of Transfer Pricing Sub Committee), Canadian Tax Foundation, International Fiscal Association and the Toronto Board of Trade (Member of Taxation Committee).

Blake is a dual graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, obtaining his LLB in 1973 and his LLM in 1981.

Grace Palombo is currently the Senior Vice President Corporate Human Resources for CanWest Global Communications. In this role, she is responsible for and ensures that the Company's workforce, compensation and human resource programs are aligned with CanWest’s business strategy and values.

Prior to joining Canwest, Grace held various executive positions in the areas of Human Resources, Legal and Corporate Services with Husky Injection Molding Systems,
Canada Life Financial Services, Westcoast Energy/Union Gas and Bombardier Aerospace. Grace has also practiced law in Toronto, in the areas of Employment, Labour Relations and Corporate Law.

Grace has a passion and a commitment to improving healthcare and sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and is a member of the Audit Committee, the Administrative Affairs Committee and the Board Development Committee. She is also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Conference Board of Canada, Council of National Human Resource Executives, the Law Society of Upper Canada, The Canadian Bar Association, the Women's Law Association and the Women's Executive Network.

Mr. Sax has his own law firm, Sax Law Office and has been active for over a quarter century advising clients in corporate law, commercial real estate, competition law issues such as; misleading and/or false advertising, exclusive dealing, tied selling, market restrictions, abuse of dominant power; as well as e-commerce and international business matters. He has assisted established companies and start-ups in strategic planning, negotiations, documenting and completing transactions as well he has helped Canadian and foreign businesses in various fields get private and institutional financing.

Mr. Sax has spoken at several conferences domestically and internationally He was part of the Canadian Delegation to the OECD Ministerial on Electronic Commerce held October 7-9, 1998 in Ottawa and participated in a U.S. Consulate sponsored video teleconference with the former Senior Advisor to President Clinton for e-commerce policy. He has been a member of the Uniform Law Commission of Canada Working Group on Electronic Commerce and has lectured as a member of the Continuing Education faculty of Osgoode Hall Law School. He has been an Instructor, Negotiating Skills Course, Law Society of Upper Canada Bar Admission Course.

In addition to participating in Osgoode’s mentor program, Michael Sax is called by the Law Society of Upper Canada to mentor young practicing lawyers in various areas. Other volunteer activities include membership in Variety Club Tent 28. He has been involved annually in fundraising for the Baycrest Home For The Aged. He is Past President and Honorary Life Member of Aid to Disabled Veterans of Israel/Beit Halochem Canada, and in 2003 was a Vice Chair, Leadership Cabinet, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center For Holocaust Studies. He acted as the Canadian Chairman for the 4th Business Forum in Jerusalem in 1994 where he organized a delegation of business people interested in trading or investing in Israel. He is a Past Member, Board of Directors, Canada-Israel Chamber of Commerce.

Tom is Senior Vice-President and Deputy General Counsel of RBC Financial Group. His legal expertise is focused primarily on securities law, including regulatory matters relating to the financial services industry. Prior to joining RBC, Tom was a partner in Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP. In June 2002, he was appointed to the Ontario Securities Commission’s Securities Advisory Committee. From 1992 to 2003, he taught Securities Regulation at the University of Western Ontario Law School and, in 2003, at Osgoode Hall Law School. He has spoken at and prepared papers for conferences on topics such as proxy solicitation, corporate finance matters and corporate restructurings. Tom received a Bachelor of Music (performance major) from the University of Calgary in 1979 and was a professional orchestral trombonist for five years prior to commencing his legal career. He received an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1985 and was called to the Bar in 1987.

Paul G. Torrie is the founder and president of Global Resolutions Inc., a Canadian based alternative dispute resolution company, which offers Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services in the form of mediations and arbitrations. He is one of Canada 's leading experts in the field of ADR.

Paul was appointed by the Attorney General of Ontario to mediate multifaceted land disputes. He appeared as an expert witness on the settlement of insurance claims. Paul mediated one of Ontario 's most complex motor vehicle accident cases known as 'Operation Fog'.

Paul graduated from McGill University , Montreal , with an Honours Degree in 1976 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980. He has written and lectured extensively to various professional bodies, corporations, law firms and law schools on the topic of ADR.

Paul is a member of several professional organizations including the Canadian Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Ngai On is an Assistant Crown Attorney with the Crown Attorney’s Office in Whitby/Oshawa. He conducts prosecutions for criminal and quasi-criminal offences in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. Prior to joining the Crown Attorney’s Office, he was an associate at the firm of Cooper, Sandler and West where he defended those charged with criminal and quasi-criminal offences. Ngai On’s practice was focused on appellate advocacy and white-collar offences and he has appeared as counsel in all levels of court in Ontario.

Ngai On is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and a recipient of the Dean’s Gold Key Award. He is currently the co-coach of Osgoode’s Gale Cup Mooting team (criminal law). He also volunteers his time to lecture to the student division leaders at CLASP and with Ontario Justice Education Network. He is actively involved with the Fort York Food Bank providing consultations on legal and governance issues and with fundraising efforts.

Prior to practicing law, Ngai On worked as a management consultant and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering.

Professor Giuseppina (Pina) D'Agostino brings a welcome complement to the growing number of scholars Osgoode has in the field of Intellectual Property, with a unique focus on privacy, technology and e-commerce. Before her faculty appointment, Professor D’Agostino was recruited by the Federal government’s Recruitment of Policy Leaders (RPL) program to work on domestic and international copyright reform matters for the Department of Canadian Heritage. She also worked as an associate at Stikeman Elliott LLP where she practiced corporate and technology law. Professor D’Agostino completed her doctoral and masters studies with distinction at St Peter’s College, University of Oxford and was the recepient of various scholarships including a SSHRC fellowship. Her doctoral thesis, Towards a Balanced Copyright Treatment of Freelance Authors in the Digital Era will be published by Edward Elgar in 2006.

At the University of Oxford, Professor D’Agostino was also a Lecturer where she taught Jurisprudence and remains a Research Associate of the Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre (OIPRC). She is an active member in the intellectual property law community and has served as editor for various law journals, including the Osgoode Hall Law Journal (OHLJ) and the Oxford Commonwealth Law Journal (OUCLJ).

Professor D’Agostino’s current work is on collaborative scientific networks and is funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Rich Appiah is president of the Legal and Literary Society and is entering his third year of study at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Rich earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of
Guelph, where he specialized in American government and politics as a
President's Scholar. During his tenure at Guelph, he was involved in numerous University activities and organizations as vice chair of the Senate executive, chair of the Judicial Committee, president of the residence hall association, and senior manager of the fall orientation program. Rich transferred his involvement to Osgoode as a member of the Student Caucus of Faculty Council, the Legal and Literary Society, and as a Division Leader at CLASP.

Upon convocation from the University of Guelph, Rich was the recipient of numerous leadership and academic awards, including the prestigious Brian D. Sullivan Student Leadership Award, for significant contributions to student life. He was also the Department of Political Science's nominee for the Winegard Medal, the University's highest distinction. At present, he is interested in a career in litigation, and is summering at the law firm Hodgson Tough Shields Desbrisay O'Donnell.

Tom was called to the Bar in 1971, and practises exclusively in family law, at Bastedo Stewart Smith, a family law speciality firm in Toronto.

Tom has been a full-time and part-time faculty member of the University of Toronto, and of Osgoode Hall Law School, and has taught as a sessional lecturer at Atkinson College of York University.

He received his Q.C. designation in 1982, served as a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada for 12 years and on the Council of the CBAO for 10 years, and was the first Chair of the Family Law Certification Board in Ontario. He is currently on the Executive Committee of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Tom has contributed widely to continuing legal education programs in Ontario and elsewhere. He is a past Chair of the Family Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. Tom is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Trustee of the Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association, a Council Member of the International Commission of Jurists, (Canadian Section) and the current Chair of the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association of York University.

He holds a BA (Hons) and an MA from the University of Toronto, a PhD from Duke University, and an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School. In addition to his family law practice, Tom sits regularly as a mediator, mediator/arbitrator, and arbitrator in the resolution of disputes in the family law area, and was a founding Director of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation.

Calvin (Cal) Barry was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1988 after graduating with an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School.

He articled with Gardner, Roberts and worked as a Highway Traffic Act Prosecutor with the Provincial Prosecutors Office before moving to his current position as Assistant Crown Attorney with the Office of the Crown Attorney in 1988. He has appeared as a Criminal Prosecutor in all levels of Trial Courts.

Cal’s community involvement includes serving as past co-ordinator of the United Way fundraiser for the Downtown office, past fundraiser for the hildren’s Wish Foundation, past participant in the Metropolitan Toronto Police Torch Run for charity, Chairperson of the Sunnybrook Stables Fundraiser for the Canadian Olympic Equestrian Team, and past member of the District Attorney’s Association (U.S.A.). He served as Chairperson of the 50th Anniversary of Prosecutors, Ontario Crown Attorney’s Association (1996) and as a co-organizer of the Annual Jack Hughes Memorial Crown Attorney’s Baseball Tournament (1991-95).

Cal is a member of the Ontario Crown Attorney’s Association and has worked as Treasurer of the Association (1994-95) and as a member of the ssociation’s Finance Committee (1996-97). He has also served as a member of the Toronto Mayor’s Task Force on Drugs (1995-98). He is currently a Director on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Crown Attorney’s Association.

Professor Ben-Ishai teaches contracts, bankruptcy, and a seminar in corporate governance. Her current research interests include all aspects of business and personal bankruptcy, corporate governance and commercial law. Professor Ben-Ishai has published recent articles and book chapters on these areas and has presented on these topics at numerous Canadian and international conferences, including recent presentations in Peru, Australia, India and South Africa.

Professor Ben-Ishai's honors and service activities include being the Acting Editor-in-Chief of the Banking and Finance Law Review, Secretary of the Canadian Law and Economics Association, Member of the Personal Property Security Law Sub-Committee, Canadian Bar Association of Ontario, Academic Reporter for the Insolvency Institute of Canada Income Tax Task Force and Academic Director of the Osgoode PDP Masters in Banking and Finance Law. She is a past winner of the American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence and Fulbright and SSHRC fellowships.

Before entering academics, Professor Ben-Ishai practiced with the Insolvency and Restructuring Group at Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt. She also clerked for three judges at the Court of Appeal for Ontario: first, Chief Justice McMurtry and Justice Sharpe, and later, Justice Laskin.

Howard serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law in Wills and Estates at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a position that he assumed in 1992. Howard obtained his LL.B in 1983 and his LL.M. in Alternative Dispute Resolution in 2001, both from Osgoode Hall Law School. He is a Past Chair of the Executive of the Trusts and Estates section of the Ontario Bar Association and is a frequent lecturer on wills and estates matters.

Justice Reuben Bromstein was a commercial artist with his own advertising business for 20 years before he entered the legal profession. He attended Atkinson College in the evening to complete his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He then entered Osgoode Hall Law School and graduated with his LLB in 1969. In 1970, he received his BA and was called to he Bar in 1971. In 1983, he was appointed to the Ontario Court (Provincial Division), now the Ontario Court of Justice. Although now retired, he sits on a part-time basis in the Superior Court of Justice dealing with Small Claims.

He has worked on numerous committees including the Higher Court Rules Committee and helped to introduce and implement Case Management into the Court system.

Penny Cader is currently the Toronto Office Director of Legal Education at Gowlings. In this position, she is primarily responsible for implementing and supervising a program for the continuing education of associates and students.

Previously, as a member of the Business Law Group, Penny practised in real estate matters, with particular emphasis on mortgage remedies.

Prior to joining the firm in 1993, Penny accumulated close to 15 years of management and real estate experience in the private sector. Her career ncluded work as a management employee/instructor for Bell Canada as well as a real estate agent.

She returned to law school, received her degree from Osgoode Hall, and was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1993.

In her community work, Ms. Cader is involved in fund raising efforts for the Legal Education and Action Fund, United Way, United Jewish Appeal and the Mount Sinai Hospital.

Professor Cameron has taught at Osgoode Hall Law School since 1984. Her current teaching interests include American and Canadian Constitutional Law, the Charter of Rights, Criminal Law, and Freedom of Expression. Prior to joining this faculty, she was Clerk to the Right Honourable Justice Dickson at the Supreme Court of Canada, practised as an associate lawyer in Vancouver, and taught at two American law schools, Columbia and Cornell.

Professor Cameron has done extensive research in comparative aspects of Canadian and American constitutional law, with particular emphasis on the interpretation of constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms in each jurisdiction. With the publication of her book, which is a collection of papers titled, The Charter's Impact on the Criminal Justice System, she has begun to explore the constitutionalization of the criminal law.

Professor Cameron has also been involved in constitutional reform initiatives, serving as an advisor to the Honourable Premier Peterson during the Meech Lake Accord process, and as a witness to various Parliamentary committees and as a member of the national YES committee during the Charlottetown Accord and referendum process.

As well, she has been active in a variety of academic and public interest projects. Professor Cameron is on the Board of Editors for Ontario Reports, was Editor-in-Chief of the Media and Communications Law Review, and co-editor of Canada Watch. She is on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Professor Cameron has been invited by members of the judiciary, both Canadian and American, to lecture on various topics of constitutional law. Professor Cameron participated in public discussions and has lobbied for recognition and support of women's reproductive autonomy.

Madam Justice Sandra Chapnik obtained a BA from the University of Toronto in 1962, and a Secondary School Teacher’s certificate in 1963. For several years, commencing in 1963, she was a high school teacher.

In 1976 she obtained an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1978. Prior to her appointment to the now Superior Court of Justice in September 1991, Sandra was a vice-chair of the Worker’s Compensation Appeals Tribunal (WCAT) and a fact finder and mediator for the Ministry of Education. From 1982 to 1986, she practiced civil litigation, family, some criminal and entertainment law as a partner in Banks and Chapnik and acted as a part-time Rent Review Commissioner.

Professional positions that Sandra has held include President of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario, member of the national and provincial executives of the Canadian Bar Association, Bar Admission Course Instructor and Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Awards received include the Canadian Bar Association Award of Distinction and Award for Distinguished Service, the Women’s Law Association President’s Award and a Reuben Wells Leonard Scholarship from the University of Toronto.

Caroline Clark was called to the bar in 1999. She practiced in the areas of family law and solicitors negligence at Epstein, Cole until April, 2001, when she moved to the Business and Aboriginal Law Groups of the Department of Justice Canada. She is now focussing primarily on Residential School litigation as well as some commercial and personal injury litigation on behalf of the federal government.

Since graduating, she has continued involvement with the Law School as an active participant of the Osgoode Hall Law School Mentor Program as well as the Osgoode Hall Law School Institute for Feminist Legal Studies Mentor Program. She also worked on the Parkdale Community Legal Services 25th Anniversary Celebration planning and fundraising committees.

George H. Cowley has been a member of the Toronto Police Service for 29 years and prior to that was a police officer in Hong Kong and the Isle of Man. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (Osgoode Hall Law School, 1998) and a Master of Laws degree, specializing in criminal law ( Osgoode Hall Law School , 2001). George was called to the Ontario Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1999 and, on behalf of the Chief of Police, has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario.

George holds the rank of Staff Inspector and is the Unit Commander of the Legal and Prosecutions section of Professional Standards (Risk Management). George's work includes providing legal advice to members of the Service, responding to court orders and subpoenas, appearing in court as required, managing all civil actions against the police and supervising the prosecution of police officers in the tribunal for misconduct.

George is passionate about advocacy and while taking his Bachelor's degree succeeded in bringing the Arnup Cup for Trial Advocacy home to Osgoode. Continuing this interest, George is a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of Toronto Law School teaching advocacy and is one of a team that has been retained to conduct a diagnostic study of the Jamaican criminal justice system.

Andrew Evangelista is principal of the law firm Evangelista - Barristers & Solicitors, a specialized litigation law firm in downtown Toronto. Andrew was a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, Class of 1992, and was actively involved in academic and student affairs. As a student, Andrew served as President of the Legal and Literary Society and was an executive member of the Student Caucus of Faculty Council.

Andrew is an active member of the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association and has been on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association since 1994. For the past several years Andrew has served as Chair of the prestigious Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association Mentor Program, which matches first year students with Osgoode Alumnists and upper year advisors to assist first year students with their development at the Law School and in the legal profession. The Mentor Program is designed to foster a greater sense of community between Osgoode graduates and the student body.
Evangelista - Barristers & Solicitors, provides litigation and advocacy services to financial institutions, energy corporations, municipalities, specialized and general insurers throughout Ontario. Andrew focuses his practice on complex litigation and previously acted as defence counsel in the Walkerton class action litigation and most recently, Andrew has acted on behalf of financial institutions in relation to significant losses related to the Word Trade Centre. Andrew regularly lectures on issues concerning civil litigation, institutional liability, energy law and regulation, and insurance issues.

Andrew Evangelista is currently a member of the Canadian Defence Lawyers’ Association; The Advocates Society; The Metropolitan Toronto Trial Lawyers’ Association; The Defence Research Institute; The Canadian Bar Association and, The Ontario Bar Association.

After leaving a career in court reporting to attend Osgoode Hall Law School, Verlyn Francis graduated with and LLB in 1995 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1997. She is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association and the Canadian Bar Association.

She practises law full-time as a sole practitioner in Toronto in the areas of Estate, Family, Real Estate, Civil Litigation and Corporate Law. She is also a part-time law instructor at Seneca College.

Ms. Francis has spoken to professional and church groups about Estate Planning and Real Estate. She has been a seminar presenter on whether "race" should be considered in the Best Interest of the Child Test and has placed first in the National Association of Women in the Law essay competition. She has also written on the historical foundation to racial discrimination in employment in Canada.

While at Osgoode, Verlyn was actively involved in Faculty Council, was elected Chair of Student Caucus in her final year, was a Junior Editor of the Osgoode Hall Law Journal, Editor of the Professor Evaluation Guide, Caseworker for the Community Legal Aid Clinic, and Chair of the Student Faculty Relations Committee and Committee Liaison Person.

Verlyn’s extensive volunteer work includes tutoring to under and over-achieving Black students in the Saturday Morning Tutorial Program, run by the Canadian Association of Black Educators (1984-98) and volunteering with serving as a Board member of the Black Business and Professional Association on what was then the Scholarship Committee (1989-91). She served as a member of the Policy Committee of Justice for Children and Youth and assisted in developing policy and strategy for dealing with legal issues affecting children and youth in Canada. In 1994 she became a Trustee and served on the selection committee of the Harry Jerome Scholarship Fund and in has been Chair of the Board of Trustees since 1997. Francis is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Community Foundation and the Board of Directors of the Toronto Board of Trade.

Elizabeth Goldberg is Chief Constitutional Counsel with the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario. She graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1974. Since her call to the Bar in 1976, she has advised the Government of Ontario on constitutional issues, including proposals respecting partriation, enactment of the Charter, and the Charlottetown Accord. She has also represented the Attorney General in all levels of court in cases involving fundamental issues of interpretation of the Charter.

At present, she is Director of the Constitutional Law Branch where her work includes monitoring and co-ordinating all advice and representation in civil constitutional matters for the Ontario Government. She was a Trustee of the Law Foundation of ntario from 1993 to 2002. She is a member of the Class Proceedings Committee, and on the Board of Directors of the Osgoode Society and the Ontario Justice Education Network.

Sally Hannon graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1986, articled at Lang Michener Lash Johnson and practiced at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP n real estate, land development, municipal and planning law. She currently practises in association with Harold Elston. Prior to becoming a lawyer, she was employed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as a Senior Community Planner.

In addition to her practice, she has held a Provincial appointment as a Deputy Line Fence Referee under the Line Fences Act, taught in the Regulatory Law Administration Program at Seneca College and worked with Osgoode’s Professional Development Department planning continuing legal education programs.

Her other current volunteer commitments include being a Trustee of the Sedbergh School and Director of the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation.

Carol is a partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, practicing corporate, commercial and securities law. She acts for both private and public corporations on a variety of matters, including acquisitions, financings and reorganizations.

She is a course director and member of faculty for the National Securities Law LL.M. Program at Osgoode Hall Law School . Carol serves on the board of directors of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, the Toronto East General Hospital and of Altruvest Charitable Services as well as on the Advisory Board of the Literary Review of Canada.

She is a director and Vice Chair of the Institute of Corporate Directors , a past director of the Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy in Canada and a member of the faculty of the National Association of Corporate Directors. Carol is a joint LLB/LLM graduate from the Class of 1986.

Dean Hogg joined the faculty of Osgoode Hall Law School in 1970. His research interests are constitutional law and liability of the Crown. Dean Hogg teaches Canadian Constitutional Law, Trusts and Income Tax Law. He was appointed Dean on July 1, 1998, and taught Trusts in 2001-02. Canada's leading constitutional law scholar, Dean Hogg is the author of six books including Constitutional Law of Canada and Principles of Canadian Income Tax Law, as well as scores of articles on public law. His work is internationally recognized and referred to, and his views have often been adopted by the Supreme Court of Canada. He has acted as consultant to the federal government and provincial governments and to various public bodies and private law firms. He has also appeared as counsel in constitutional litigation before the Courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Recognition of Dean Hogg's excellence in research and teaching, as well as his contributions to law reform, is provided by his appointment as Queen's Counsel (1980), as a University Professor of York University (1986), as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (1988), as an Officer of the Order of Canada (1991), and as a recipient of the Law Society Medal (1996). Between 1990 and 1992, and in 1997-98, Dean Hogg was Scholar-in-Residence at the law firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP of Toronto.

Dean Hogg holds an OC, LSM, QC, and LLB (New Zealand), and LLM Harvard), and a PhD (Monash). He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand and Victoria, and of the Bar of Ontario.

Prior to commencing his position at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1987, Professor Johnson taught at the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario. He has also held Visiting appointments at the University of Saskatchewan's Program of Legal Studies for Native People and at Aix-Marseilles III. His areas of teaching include Contracts, Property, Business Associations, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy and Insolvency; and he serves as the Director of the Osgoode Business Clinic. He has served as Director of Osgoode Hall Law School's joint LLB/MBA Program.

Professor Johnson's academic interests are focused in the areas of commercial law, land tenure reform, and international development. His publications include articles on land tenure reform, property law and secured transactions.

He acts as consultant to multilateral development agencies, advising on land tenure reform, access to credit and financial sector reforms in developing countries. As a result, he has extensive knowledge of law reform processes and project implementation in various countries, principally in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Justice Harry S. LaForme graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979. He articled with the firm of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and joined that firm as an associate in the practice of corporate commercial law. Shortly thereafter, Justice LaForme commenced is own practice and concentrated on issues involving aboriginal law and the Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He has appeared before each level of Court and has travelled extensively throughout Canada as well as representing Canadian Aboriginal interests in Geneva, Switzerland, New Zealand, and British Parliament. In 1994, Justice LaForme was appointed a judge of what is now the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario. He presently sits in the Toronto Region and has his chambers in Toronto, Ontario.

Justice LaForme’s immense pride in his background as a Mississauga Indian is documented in his biography, which is set out in "Canada’s Who’s Who."

His efforts have been recognized by his own Aboriginal people with such honours as receiving the 1997 National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the area of Law and Justice and being presented on twice by Aboriginal elders with Eagle Feathers, which symbolize the virtues of honesty, integrity, and respect.

In 1989 Justice LaForme was appointed as Commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario and from October 1989 to June 1990 Justice LaForme served as co-chair on the independent National Chiefs Task Force on Native Land Claims. The final report of the task force entitled "First Nations Submission on Claims" was tabled with the federal government on December 14, 1990 and subsequently gave rise to the establishment of the Indian Claims Commission. In 1991 Justice LaForme was appointed by the federal cabinet to Chair the Royal Commission on aboriginal land claims known as the Indian Claims Commission.

Timothy M. Lowman was called to the Bar of the Province of Ontario in 1980 and since that time has appeared as counsel in a broad range of litigation involving general insurance claims, product liability, professional errors and omissions, trade secrets, invention ownership, employment law, patent, trademark and copyright issues in the Ontario Court (General Division) and the Federal Court of Canada.

Since 1986, Mr. Lowman has been an instructor at the Law Society of Upper Canada Bar Admission Course, both in civil litigation and advocacy, and has been an instructor for The Advocates’ Society and Osgoode Hall Law School programs. Since 1987, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of he Osgoode Hall Alumni Association. He is also a contributing editor of Carswell’s Practice Cases.

Mr. Lowman has appeared as a speaker at a number of conferences and workshops in Canada and abroad for the Licensing Executives Society, Canadian Bar Association, the Law Society of Upper Canada, Association of Biotechnology Companies, Association of University Technology Managers, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association, and various Canadian insurance companies in the areas of civil litigation, product liability, and licensing, and has authored articles and texts on those subjects.

Mr. Lowman is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, The Advocates’ Society, Canadian Bar Association, American Bar Association, Licensing Executives’ Society, Insurance Adjusters’ Association of Ontario, the Patent and Trademark Institute of Canada and the Royal Canadian ilitary Institute.

Gillian McCullough is the Director of Alumni Relations at Osgoode Hall Law School. Prior to joining Osgoode in January 2002, Ms. McCullough was the Manager of Affinity Services for York University. From 1997 to 2000, Gillian McCullough held positions of increasing seniority with the Alumni Affairs Department of York University, where she was responsible for Community Relations, Chapters, Branches, Volunteer Board Management and Business Operations.

A former National Field Hockey Team athlete, Ms. McCullough devotes much of her community work to working to advance women in sport, including public speaking engagements, coaching and fundraising for York University field hockey alumni.

Ms. McCullough holds a Specialized Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree from the York University. In addition, she has been a speaker on various alumni related topics at both the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE), completed the CCAE Summer Institute (1997), and has attended numerous CASE and CCAE conferences across North America.

Professor McDougall holds an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School and an LLM from Harvard. He joined Osgoode Hall Law School’s faculty in 1976 and has taught a range of business and public law subjects including Business Associations (Corporations), Corporate Finance, the Law of Aerospace, Energy Law, Natural Resources, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Property, Consumer Law and Canada-U.S. Relations. On behalf of Osgoode Hall Law School, Professor McDougall coordinates the Joint LLB/MBA Program with the Schulich School of Business, and is a co-instructor of the senior integrated joint program seminar series.

Professor McDougall has written in the public law, energy and natural esources fields and has advised governments and corporations in the areas of takeovers and corporate acquisitions, divestitures, a wide variety of commercial negotiations, energy regulation and policy, and aerospace.

Philip McMullen was born in Liverpool, England, January 28, 1944 and educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at St. Edward’s College.

He worked with Dunlop as a research engineer, where his work included designing the rigid moving sidewalks such as the one used between terminals 1 & 2 at Toronto, as well as several other innovative types of conveyor systems, then moved to Northern Ireland to work as the chief research engineer with Goodyear International. He came to Canada in 1975, and worked in Elliot Lake as general manager of a medium sized rubber manufacturer. In 1978, he moved to Toronto, joining Spar Aerospace on the Canadarm project for the space shuttle. He started Spar’s Defence Systems Division in 1980, dealing with most of the western world’s military.

In 1990, he left the defence industry to attend Osgoode, graduated in 1993, and was called to the Bar in 1995. He started as a sole practitioner at Bay and Richmond, joined William Foden in Pickering Village, Ajax in 1998, and returned to sole practice in March of 2002. His current practice areas include corporate/commercial, international trade, civil litigation, human rights, and administrative law.

After earning an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School, Loretta Merritt was called to the Bar in 1987 and earned an LLM in Constitutional Law from Osgoode in 1990. She is currently a partner with the law firm of Torkin, Manes, Cohen & Arbus LLP.

Her areas of practice include Labour Relations and Employment Law, including arbitrations, negotiations, Ontario Labour Relations Board and Canada Labour Relations Board proceedings, Occupational Health and Safety Act proceedings, Human Rights Code and sexual harassment proceedings, Employment Standards Act proceedings, Workers’ Compensation Board and Appeals Tribunal work, employment litigation including wrongful dismissal and injunctions and advising employers and employees in ongoing workplace issues including employee terminations and purchase and sale of businesses. Other areas of practice include Civil Litigation including personal injury litigation, (products’ liability, medical malpractice, motor vehicle cases) and professional negligence and other torts including insurance litigation. Ms. Merritt also has extensive experience advising and representing both Plaintiffs and Defendant in sexual harassment and sexual assault matter in criminal, civil and employment cases.

Ms. Merritt regularly publishes, presents papers and gives seminars to associations, other lawyers and clients on current issues in her areas of practice. Her work has appeared in publications such as the Ontario Waste Management Association Newsletter, Society of Design Administrators Newsletter and Canada Employment Weekly. She has presented seminars for Infonex, Torkin, Manes, Cohen & Arbus Breakfast Seminar Series, Ontario Residential Care Association, Law Society of Upper Canada, B.D.O. Dunwoody, Hotel Human Resource Professionals, Association of Professional Placement Agencies & Consultants, Society of Design ministrators, Building Maintenance Contractors Association, H-R Outsourcing Seminar for Clients, The Canadian Institute Program, and Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.

Patrick Monahan joined the faculty of Osgoode Hall Law School of York University in 1982 and was appointed Dean on July 1, 2003.

He graduated from Osgoode’s LLB program, as a Gold Medalist, in 1980, and also holds a BA from the University of Ottawa, an MA from Carleton University, and an LLM from Harvard University. He is a member of the Bar of Ontario.

Prior to his appointment as Dean, Monahan was Associate Dean of Osgoode. Before that, he served from 1990 to 1993 and from 1995 to 2002 as director of the York University Centre for Public Law and Public Policy at Osgoode. He has also served as chair of the Osgoode Faculty Council and of its Academic Standing Committee, and as a member of the York Senate Executive Committee.

An affiliated scholar with Davies, Ward, Phillips & Vineberg LLP since 1993, he is the author or editor of numerous books including Constitutional Law (2nd ed.) (Irwin Law, 2002); Storming the Pink Palace: The NDP in Power -- A Cautionary Tale (Lester, 1995); and Meech Lake: The Inside Story (University of Toronto Press, 1991).

He is a frequent commentator in the national media on legal, constitutional and political issues and has appeared as counsel in public law cases at all levels of court in Canada, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Peter Osborne is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin. His civil litigation practice encompasses commercial, securities and administrative law matters with an emphasis on professional negligence and discipline. He regularly appears before a wide variety of courts and tribunals, and is a Trial Advocacy instructor at Osgoode Hall Law School and also for the Ontario Centre for Advocacy Training.

Peter has been a member of the Board of the Alumni Association since 1991 and has been involved with the Mentor Program. He has been awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration.

As the Managing Director of Mergers & Acquisitions at Scotia Capital Inc., James has overall responsibility for the firm's M&A financial advisory services. James has extensive experience with Scotia Capital, most recently as Head of Canadian Relationship Management.

Prior to that, James specialized in the Real Estate sector of the Investment Banking division of Scotia Capital.

James holds a Specialized Honours B.A. in Mathematics (summa cum laude) from York University and joint L.L.B/M.B.A. degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business at York University from 1990.

Nicholas P. Paul, Q.C. graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1960. He received the Gold Key award on graduation. In 1972 he was appointed Queen’s Counsel.

He is currently a Roster Mediator for Toronto in the Ontario Mediation Program and has acted as Counsel in numerous arbitrations and mediations and as a Mediator of ecclesiastical matters. He has taken several courses and seminars on the topic of Alternative Dispute Resolution and in 2001 he was appointed a Chartered Mediator by the ADR Institute of Canada.

His involvement in the community includes being the Chairman of the Election Committee for the conference of the organization of the Greeks in Diaspora and abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2001. In 1991, he was awarded the Order of Saint Andrew by the Ecumenical Patriarch His All Holiness Dimitrios of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Mr. Paul’s publications include Uniform Community Regulations of Greek Orthodox Parishes in Canada (1980 and bi-annual revisions to 1998), Securing the Purchase Transaction (Assets and Shares) (1983) for the Canadian Bar Association and Buying the Business Assets (1988) for the Canadian Bar Association.

Professor Pilkington joined Osgoode Hall Law School’s faculty in 1980 after earning an LLB from the University of Toronto, serving as a law clerk in the Supreme Court of Canada, being admitted to the Ontario Bar, and practising with the litigation group of Torys. She served as Dean of the Law School from 1993 to 1998.

Professor Pilkington's teaching interests are in Evidence, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure and the Legal Profession. Her research interests are mainly related to constitutional litigation and remedies, and the capacity of the adversary system as a means for deciding constitutional policy issues. Professor Pilkington has been involved with issues facing the legal profession as an adviser to the Law Society on reform of its discipline and complaints processes and on various constitutional issues.

Professor Pilkington holds an Honourary LLD from the Law Society of Upper Canada.

David Purvis is a past chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association and is currently chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. He is former vice chair of the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario (1989-1993) prior to which he was in private practice concentrating on administrative, family and criminal law. He is a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Osgoode Hall Alumni Association and has co-chaired the 20th and 30th reunion dinners of his class.

David is currently a part-time instructor at the Center of Law and Justice, Sir Sanford Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario and has recently received his LLM in constitutional law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

JP Rodrigues is President of the Legal and Literary Society and is in his third year of study at Osgoode Hall Law School.

After graduating from Osgoode, Mohan Sharma articled at Scott & Aylen (Toronto), focusing his articles on administrative, employment, and constitutional litigation. After his call to the Bar in 1999, he worked as an associate at Weir & Foulds in the areas of civil and commercial litigation.

Mohan is now working with the Ministry of the Attorney General in the Civil/Family/Policy and Program Branch as counsel, and has held this position since 2000. The focus of his work is on civil justice reform initiatives, including case management and the simplified procedures in the Superior Court of Justice. He has recently been appointed to act as a Ministry representative on the Simplified Procedure Monitoring Subcommittee of the Civil Rules Committee, and as research counsel to the Task Force on the Discovery Process in Ontario.

In 1999, Mohan formed the South Asian Legal Clinic Initiative (SALCi), a community-based advocacy group aimed at establishing a free standing legal clinic for low-income South Asians in Toronto. SALCi’s membership has grown to over 50 volunteers and has since been incorporated as the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO).

Gilbert Stanley Sharpe was born in Toronto, Ontario on April 2nd, 1944 and admitted to the Bar in Ontario in 1976. He earned a BA at the University of Toronto in 1966 before attending Osgoode Hall Law School. He practices in the area of health law.

He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Institute of Law and Medicine, International Academy of Law and Mental Health, American College of Legal Medicine, American Society of Law and Medicine, County of York Law Association, and Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity.

He is currently President of the Canadian Institute of Law and Medicine (1976-), editor-in-chief of Health Law in Canada, Butterworths (1979-) and author of The Law and Medicine in Canada, Butterworths. He is also Treasurer of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health (1997-), and has served as Chair of the Annual Congresses of the Canadian Institute of Law and Medicine (1979-), Co-chair of the Mental Health Summit 1999 – XXIVth International Congress on Law and Mental Health, and Director of the Legal Services Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health (1986-2000).

Ms. Shin Doi practises corporate/commercial law and intellectual property law in the Office of the Counsel at York University. She specializes in the commercialization of intellectual property and handles privacy law and research contract matters for the University. Prior to joining the University, Ms. Shin Doi was Assoc. General Counsel of IMAX Corporation and a member of the law firm, Gowlings.

Ms. Shin Doi is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Osgoode Hall Law School. She teaches Legal Drafting, directs the Osgoode Business Clinic and assists the Part-time LL.M. program in Business Law.

Ms. Shin Doi is the co-author of the leading Canadian text on drafting boilerplate contract clauses, Behind and Beyond Boilerplate: Drafting Commercial Agreements (Carswell). She holds a B.A. with Distinction, from University of Toronto (1989) and a LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School (1992). She completed her LL.M. coursework at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2002 and is currently completing her Thesis on commercial law.

Peter Straszynski studied Industrial Relations at McGill University and Law at Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Bar in 1993.

Peter is a partner with Torkin Manes Cohen Arbus LLP, and a senior practitioner in the firm’s Labour Relations and Employment Law Group. In addition to giving advice to firm clients in all aspects of employment law, he represents both private and public sector employers in a wide variety of legal settings, including trials and applications before the Ontario Court, hearings before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, boards of arbitration, the Human Rights Commission, the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board, and the Employment Insurance Commission.

Widely published in the labour and employment fields in industry periodicals, Peter also regularly presents seminars to firm clients and employers’ associations, as well as continuing education seminars for the benefit of other professionals.

Yair was called to the bar in 2002 and is currently serving as the Director of the Bronfman Israel Experience Centre in Montreal. Prior to joining the Centre, he articled at Fogler, Rubinoff through 2000-2001.

Yair was also President of the Legal and Literary Society during his time at Osgoode, as well as being involved in a wide range of student programs such as Faculty Council and Student Caucus. He also was a recipient of the Student Honour Award at Osgoode. Yair is also a participant in many volunteer and charity organizations, including CIBC Run For The Cure and the Canada Israel Experience.

In addition to his work as a practising lawyer and his responsibilities as chairperson of two government commissions, Justice LaForme taught the "Rights of Indigenous Peoples" law course at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1992 and 1993.

Atul Tiwari was called as a Barrister & Solicitor in Ontario in 1989 and as aSolicitor in the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1996. Prior to joining the BMO Nesbitt Burns organization in 1991, he practised corporate/commercial law with an emphasis on securities law in private practice. He has provided counsel in various areas to the Bank of Montreal Group of Companies including investment banking, mutual funds, investment management, compliance and corporate secretarial. He spent close to two years in London, UK with the Bank of Montreal Group of Companies establishing an on-site Legal Department.

He is currently Managing Director in the mutual fund and investment anagement area, managing the legal requirements for this line of business and, as a member of the Executive Committee, having co-ordinating responsibilities for new products, corporate development and strategy.

After earning an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School, Bonnie A. Tough went n to obtain a Masters in Law from Oxford University in 1978, following which she worked as a law clerk to the late Justice Estey of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1979, and was admitted to the Bar in Ontario in 1980.

She was a partner in a major Canadian law firm until 1998, when she became a founding partner of the firm Hodgson Tough Shields DesBrisay O’Donnell, a civil litigation and labour law boutique. She is a litigation partner with expertise in class actions, commercial and insurance litigation. She has appeared as Counsel before all levels of court in Canada and various administrative tribunals and has extensive experience in acting for both plaintiffs and defendants in class actions in a wide variety of cases ranging from tainted blood to securities cases. She is also currently a part-time lecturer in insurance law at Osgoode Hall Law School. Bonnie is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Civil Litigation and is a ellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Babara was called to the Ontario Bar in February, 2001, following the completion of her articles at the Supreme Court of Canada, where she was Law Clerk to Madam Justice Louise Arbour. She is currently a member of the Health Law Group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Toronto. Her practice involves advising public hospitals and hospital foundations on a variety of legal issues and also includes the representation of hospital clients at Coroner’s Inquests, before administrative tribunals and in civil actions.

After articling with Carson, Poultney, she served on the Board of the Alumni Association from 1980 to about 1990, and was Chairman of the Career Services Committee for several years, considering alternate career choices.

Louisa served as Co-Chair of the Osgoode Centennial Celebration with Mr.
Justice Sam Grange.