Osgoode Hall Law School

Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the Journal of Law and Social Policy, and the Osgoode Hall Law Journal. A variety of J.D. LL.M. and Ph.D. degrees in law are available.

The law school's alumni include three Canadian prime ministers, four Attorneys General, eight premiers of Ontario, four Mayors of Toronto, eleven Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, four of whom were Chief Justices, and one Academy Award nominee. The current dean of the law school is Trevor C.W. Farrow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Osgoode Hall was named for William Osgoode, an Oxford University graduate and barrister of Lincoln's Inn. He was the first person to serve as the chief justice of Upper Canada.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite DCB</ref>

The law school traces its origins back to the 1820s, and it counts the first Canadian prime minister (Sir John A. Macdonald) among its graduates.<ref name="https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/">Template:Cite web</ref> It was reorganized in 1889, and the Law Society of Upper Canada permanently established the law school on the site now known as Osgoode Hall.<ref name="https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/"/> At the time, it was the only law school in Ontario, and this remained the case until the establishment of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1949.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ontario lawyers were originally required to attend Osgoode Hall in order to practise in the province.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In 1855, the Law Society began requiring members to attend lectures given at Osgoode Hall (the building). In 1862, a law school opened in that building, only to close in 1868. It frequently opened and closed throughout the late 19th century.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The law school at Osgoode Hall was only titled "Osgoode Hall Law School" in March 1924, when the Law Society of Upper Canada formally assigned it that name.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The school signed an agreement of affiliation with York University in 1965.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It relocated from the Osgoode Hall building in downtown Toronto to York University's Keele Campus in 1968.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rankings and reputation

File:1st year class - Osgoode Hall Law School - Toronto Ont - 1944.JPG

The first year class of Osgoode Hall Law School in 1944

Osgoode Hall is one of the most elite law schools in Canada.<ref name="top-law-schools.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Times Higher Education ranked Osgoode Hall Law School 43 in the world in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022, Osgoode's joint JD/MBA program with the Schulich School of Business was named among the top 10 business and law programs in North America by FIND MBA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 2008 rankings published by Canadian Lawyer Magazine, Osgoode was ranked first in Canada<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref> and was awarded high marks for the quality of its professors, flexible curriculum, and the diversity and relevance of course offerings.<ref name="auto"/> The faculty has been described as the "strongest in the country," and rank number one in Canada for faculty journal citations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="top-law-schools.com"/>

In 2011, 2012, 2013, Maclean's magazine has ranked Osgoode second amongst Canadian law schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2025, Osgoode Hall Law School ranked 4th overall in Canada and 2nd in Ontario based off rankings from Times Higher Education<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The school remains highly competitive with about 2600 applicants a year and an acceptance rate of 8-10%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Original building and current facilities

File:Osgoode Hall.JPG

The law school is housed in a building named in honour of donor Ignat Kaneff.

For its first eight decades, Osgoode Hall Law School was located at Osgoode Hall at the corner of Queen Street and University Avenue. The structures at Queen and University (the earliest dating from 1832) are still known as Osgoode Hall. They remain the headquarters of the Law Society of Upper Canada, house the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, the offices of the Law Society of Ontario and the Great Library of the Law Society.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Currently, the law school is located on the Keele Campus of York University, in the Toronto suburb of North York.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May 2007, then-dean Patrick J. Monahan announced plans for an extensive renovation and extension of Osgoode Hall Law School involving a renovation of the existing building, and the addition of an additional wing.

The building was designed by architect Jack Diamond with the construction of the renovated building beginning in the summer of 2009. The project had been majorly funded by a $2.5 million gift by Ignat Kaneff,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the building has been renamed in his honour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The law school is referred to by York as its faculty of law. Osgoode's Professional Development offices and classrooms are based at 1 Dundas Street West in Downtown Toronto, overlooking Sankofa Square.Template:Fact

Student life

The Legal & Literary Society, Osgoode Hall Law School's official student society, coordinates student activities both on and off campus. The organization also funds the student newspaper, Obiter Dicta, along with over fifty student clubs, with notable examples including the Osgoode Hall Criminal Law Society and the Osgoode Constitutional Law Society (OCLS), which was founded in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Osgoode hosts Professional Development Programs (OPD) which are located in downtown Toronto at 1 Dundas Street near the original Osgoode Hall building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable alumni

File:OsgoodeHallLawSchoolLibrary2.jpg

Osgoode Hall Law Library – lower level stacks

Supreme Court of Canada justices

• John Robert Cartwright, former Chief Justice<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Peter Cory, former Puisne Judge and former Chancellor of York University<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sir Lyman Duff, former Chief Justice<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Frank Joseph Hughes, former Puisne Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Wilfred Judson, former Puisne Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Andromache Karakatsanis, current Puisne Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Patrick Kerwin, former Chief Justice<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Bora Laskin, former Chief Justice<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Malcolm Rowe, current Puisne Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Wishart Spence, former Puisne Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Michelle O'Bonsawin, current Puisne Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Other judges

• John Arnup, Moderator for United Church of Canada, Justice at Ontario Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• George Ethelbert Carter<ref name=Toronto>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Kim Carter, Chief Military Judge of the Canadian Forces<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• (Jack Sydney George) Bud Cullen, Judge at Federal Court of Canada<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Charles Dubin, former Chief Justice of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Daniel Dumais (LL.M.), Emeritus Lawyer distinction from Barreau du Quebec, Puisne Judge of Superior Court of Quebec<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Asher Grunis, President of the Supreme Court of Israel<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sydney Harris (judge), activist lawyer and judge, President of the Canadian Jewish Congress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Bill Hastings, Chief Justice of Kiribati, Chief Censor of New Zealand, District Court Judge of New Zealand<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Russell G. Juriansz, first South Asian appointed to Ontario Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Harry S. Laforme, Justice at Ontario Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Patrick LeSage, Chief Justice of Ontario Superior Court of Justice<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Malcolm Archibald Macdonald, Chief Justice of British Columbia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Mark MacGuigan, Attorney General of Canada, Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Goldwyn Arthur Martin, QC, Justice at Ontario Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Roy McMurtry, Chief Justice of Ontario, Attorney General of Ontario, Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom<ref>Erin Anderssen, "Doing Canada justice," The Globe and Mail, 13 December 2003, pg. F.5</ref>
• James Chalmers McRuer, Ontario Court of Appeal, Chief Justice at High Court of Justice of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Charles Terrence Murphy, Judge at Ontario Superior Court,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> President of North Atlantic Assembly<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Willy Mutunga, former Chief Justice of Kenya<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dennis O'Connor, Associate Chief Justice of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• George Bligh O'Connor, Chief Justice of Alberta from 1950 to 1956<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• James O'Reilly, Federal Court Judge<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Coulter Osborne, arbitrator, Associate Chief Justice of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Richard, NAFTA Adjudicator,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lorne Sossin, Justice at the Ontario Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Charles Allan Stuart, Justice of the Supreme Court of Alberta<ref name="U of A">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Michael Tulloch, Justice at the Ontario Court of Appeal<ref name="star2012">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Karen M. Weiler, past Judge Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada, Justice at Ontario Court of Appeal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sharon A. Williams, Judge ad litem at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Warren Winkler, Chief Justice of Ontario<ref name="PMO">Template:Cite web</ref>

Premiers

• Bill Davis, 18th Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/06/27/bill-davis-up-close-and-personal.aspxTemplate:Dead link</ref>
• George Drew, 14th Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ernie Eves, 23rd Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
• Howard Ferguson, 9th Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Leslie Frost, 16th Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• William Howard Hearst, 7th Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Rachel Notley, 17th Premier of Alberta<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Robarts, 17th Premier of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

• Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
• Todd McCarthy (politician), Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham, Parliamentary Assistant to the President of the Treasury Board, Deputy Government Whip
• John Black Aird, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Canadian Senator and founding partner of Aird & Berlis LLP<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lincoln Alexander, 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
• Daniel J. Arbess, member of Council on Foreign Relations<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Oliver Mowat Biggar, co-founder of Smart & Biggar, first Chief Electoral Officer of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Leonard Braithwaite, member of Ontario Parliament<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lionel Chevrier, Attorney General of Canada, President of Privy Council of Canada, High Commissioner to the UK<ref>http://www.archivescanada.ca/fr/search/ItemDisplay.asp?
• Ali Ehsassi, Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party of Canada representing the Willowdale riding in Toronto sessionKey=1107899867043_206_75_45_162&l=1&lvl=1&v=0&coll=1&itm=275395&rt=1&bill=1Template:Dead link</ref>
• Ward Elcock, Director of Canadian Security Intelligence Service<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gordon Fairweather, Attorney General of New Brunswick, first Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Hugh Guthrie, Attorney General of Canada, Minister of National Defence<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ross Hornby, former Ambassador of Canada to the European Union<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ron Irwin, former Ambassador to Ireland<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• James Kelleher, Solicitor General of Canada, Member of the Canadian Senate<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Judy LaMarsh, Secretary of State for Canada, broadcaster<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Allan Leal, President of the Empire Club of Canada, Rhodes Scholar<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sir James Alexander Lougheed, Calgary businessman and Government Leader in the Canadian Senate<ref>Template:Cite DCB</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Alexander Malcolm Manson, Attorney General of British Columbia, Judge<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Matheson, M.P., Justice of Ontario, helped develop Canada's flag and the Order of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Pallett, Chief Gov't Whip, leader of Canadian delegation to NATO
• Lawrence Pennell, Solicitor General of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lionel Perez (politician), Montreal city councilor and member of Union Montreal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Richard Rohmer, aviator, Air Force General, lawyer, author, Honorary Advisor to Chief of Defense Staff<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dianne Saxe, environmental lawyer and scholar, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ian Scott, constitutional lawyer, Attorney General of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jagmeet Singh, Canadian politician, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada
• Sinclair Stevens, banker, President of the Treasury Board<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Tory, 65th Mayor of Toronto, Former President and CEO of Rogers Media Inc., Former Chairman of the CFL
• George Stanley White, former Speaker of the Canadian Senate<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• James Worrall, Chair of IOC Commission on The Olympic Charter, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Law

• Austin Cooper, criminal lawyer, defended Keith Richards in Toronto<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Marlys Edwardh, civil rights<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Fraser Elliott, founder of Stikeman Elliott, President of the Art Gallery of Ontario<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• J. S. Ewart, lawyer, advocate for Canadian independence
• Edwin A. Goodman, founding partner of Goodmans<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Randal Graham, law professor, novelist <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Edward Greenspan, criminal lawyer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gordon Henderson, President, Canadian bar association, Chancellor, University of Ottawa<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Marie Henein, criminal lawyer, defended Jian Ghomeshi<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jeffry House, refugee law, war resisters<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Gord Kirke, sports and entertainment lawyer<ref name="Kirke">Template:Cite web</ref>
• M. David Lepofsky, disability and human rights lawyer <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Rosen, criminal lawyer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Stuart Alexander Henderson, successfully defended Gunanoot<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Business

• Sir Edward Wentworth Beatty, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
• Marshall A. Cohen, Director at Barrick Gold Corporation & Toronto-Dominion Bank, member Trilateral Commission<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dame Moya Greene, Former CEO of Canada Post, Former CEO of Royal Mail<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Charles Peter McColough, CEO and Chairman of Xerox Corporation, member of Council on Foreign Relations<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John A. McPhail, founder and president of Great Lakes Power Company<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Jagoda Pike, former publisher of the Toronto Star<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Arthur Richard Andrew Scace, Chairman of Bank of Nova Scotia, director of Canadian Opera Company<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Kathleen Taylor, Chair of Royal Bank of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• John S. D. Tory, founder of Torys and Director of A.V. Roe Canada<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Arts

• Morley Callaghan, novelist<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
• Murray Cohl, co-founder of the Toronto International Film Festival<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Jeff Deverett, lecturer and film producer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Daniel Iron, film and TV producer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jerry Levitan, Oscar nominee<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Tom MacInnes, poet<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Aaron Schwartz (Canadian actor)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Science/medicine

• Robert Elgie, Ontario Minister of Labour, became a neurosurgeon after becoming a lawyer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Scholarship

• Payam Akhavan, international human rights<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Constance Backhouse, legal scholar and historian, President of the American Society of Legal History<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Deborah Coyne, constitutional law and international relations<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Giuseppina d'Agostino, intellectual property<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Michael Geist, internet and privacy law<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Colleen Hanycz, principal of Brescia University College from 2008-2015, current university president of La Salle University
• James C. Hathaway, international refugee law<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Michael Mandel, law professor, international criminal law<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Lyal S. Sunga, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, international criminal law.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Paul C. Weiler, Emeritus Professor of Law, Harvard Law School<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Alan Young, law professor, civil liberties<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gus van Harten, law professor, administrative law<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sportspersons

• George Dudley, inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame and executive for the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable professors

• Jean-Gabriel Castel, private international law, decorated member of French Resistance<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Peter Hogg, Canadian constitutional law, authored most-cited book at Supreme Court of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gord Kirke, sports and entertainment lawyer<ref name="Kirke" />
• Deborah McGregor, Whitefish Bay Ojibway environmentalist, educator<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Obiora Chinedu Okafor, international and human rights law, also UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• David Vaver, intellectual property law, also Emeritus Professor at Oxford University<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Borrows, Indigenous legal scholar<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Angela Swan, contract law scholar, Officer of the Order of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Leslie Green, philosopher and legal scholar specializing in jurisprudence, also Emeritus Professor at Oxford University<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of law schools in Canada

Footnotes

• Lorne Sossin Accessed 13 October 2012.
• Dean of Osgoode 2010 Accessed October 2012.

External links

• Template:Official website