Backgrounder

September 7, 2007

About the Law Commission

The Law Commission of Ontario is a partnership among Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Law Foundation of Ontario and the Deans of Ontario's six law schools, which include the University of Windsor Faculty of Law; the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law; the University of Toronto Faculty of Law; Queen's University Faculty of Law; and the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Common Law and Civil Law sections).

The Commission's purpose is to recommend law reform measures to:

• Enhance the legal system's relevance, effectiveness and accessibility
• Improve the administration of justice through the clarification and simplification of the law
• Consider the effectiveness and use of technology as a means to enhance access to justice
• Stimulate critical debate about law
• Promote scholarly legal research
• Develop priority areas for study that are underserved by other research, determine ways to disseminate the information to those who need it and foster links with communities, groups and agencies.

Administration

The Law Commission is headed by a Board of Governors who will set the research agenda and oversee the day-to-day operations of the organization. The Board includes:

• Patricia Hughes, Executive Director, Law Commission of Ontario (non-voting)
• Dean Patrick Monahan, Chair, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
• Neil Finkelstein, Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
• Neena Gupta, Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
• Marie Henein, Henein & Associates
• The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, Counsel, Torys LLP
• Professor Yves Le Bouthillier, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law
• The Honourable James MacPherson, Court of Appeal for Ontario
• Murray Segal, Deputy Attorney General of Ontario.

A Research Advisory Board will provide advice to the Board of Governors regarding research projects and multi-disciplinary project teams, among other things. The Research Advisory Board includes:

• Professor Constance Backhouse, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, Common Law Section
• Professor Jeffrey Berryman, University of Windsor Faculty of Law
• Professor Jamie Cameron, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
• Professor Brenda Cossman, University of Toronto Faculty of Law
• Professor Sébastien Grammond, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section
• Professor Erik Knutsen, Queen's University Faculty of Law
• James Leal, Beament Green
• Professor Mark Perry, University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law
• Anne Marie Predko, Ministry of the Attorney General.

- 30 -

Disponible en français