Background

If you had to tell someone what is distinctive about Osgoode . . . what distinguishes Osgoode from other law schools . . .  what is unique about the Osgoode experience, what would you say?

We asked a number of our students, faculty and alumni that very question in the fall of 2010 as part of The Distinctly Osgoode Project. With the assistance of marketing research consultants Lee Jacobson of Lee Jacobson Consultants and Marillene Allen of Allen Research Corporation, we sought out our people’s perceptions of Osgoode and looked for stories of what has most mattered to them in their Osgoode experience.

Our goal in conducting this qualitative research was to bring together the voices of our community, particularly our students’ voices, and use them to craft a narrative by and for Osgoode.

The research results will provide input into the development of the Law School’s communications messages as we move ahead with our next five-year strategic plan and the initiatives built around those priorities.

I encourage you to read the full research report, which you will find in the left navigation bar of this page, and all of the wonderful quotes from the research participants. Below are a few highlights from the research report.

Lorne Sossin
Dean

Methodology

Four discussion groups were held with current Juris Doctor (JD) and Graduate students between November 15 and December 10, 2010. In addition, a total of 21 telephone or in-person interviews were conducted with three students in our Professional LLM program; two students who had transferred out of our JD program; seven young Osgoode faculty; five young (five years out or less) alumni; and four older alumni (six to 14 years out).

Four Key Themes

In speaking about the Osgoode experiences that they feel passionate about, students, faculty and alumni were remarkably consistent, which testifies to the strong identity of the School. The stories of their experiences, while expressed in different words and sometimes with differing emphasis, revolved around four distinctive themes that seem to be more institutionalized at Osgoode and apply across a broader range of activities, evoke a deeper and more consistent commitment, or are publicly embraced:

•  Openness — Opportunity — Flexibility are at the heart of Osgoode’s interactions with all of its stakeholders and all of the major activities of the Law School. In turn, these qualities ensure that students and faculty have multiple opportunities within the School and in their careers.

• Commitment to public law, social justice, and ethical lawyering is also strongly linked and an important part of the Osgoode experience and reputation.

•  Integration of theory and practice is perceived as operationalized in Osgoode’s approach to education and not confined to particular courses or faculty members, which is distinctive.

•  Transformative. Faculty, students and alumni talk of their years at Osgoode as transformative. All law schools are transformative, but Osgoode seems to be so on a much deeper level because of the diversity of people, ideas, and experiences students are exposed to.

Our diverse and talented student body.

“Surprises? – How great the section is . . . dynamic, really great opportunities. People lack arrogance and pretension. They talk to each other, support each other.”

The quality and attitude of our faculty.

“Faculty and the work being done here are fantastic.”

The diversity of courses and programs.

“So many ways to flourish here . . .”

Commitment to critical thinking.

“Osgoode is modern, big ideas. A progressive school where students are taught to challenge [everything].”

Transformative experiences.

“I think differently, different language. It’s exciting and adds confidence.”

Openness.

“We talk to colleagues in other faculties. It’s possible and encouraged . . . Osgoode is not a silo.”

Commitment to public law, social justice and ethical lawyering.

“[I’m passionate about] Osgoode’s commitment to social justice. It’s what we do, the courses we offer, the clinical programs, the orientation of the faculty and their research.”

Integration of theory and practice.

“Recent faculty see the bridge between the practical and the theoretical. It’s a culture of doers.”

Commitment to critical thinking.

“We ask the tough questions and bring a thoughtful critique to the law.”

Transformative experiences.

“Students are changed. It’s an intense process.”

Opportunities.

“No other school offers the same opportunities. Basically, I owe my professional career toexperiences there . . . ”

Diversity of people and courses.

“Size allows for real diversity, not just in the student population, but more important in the range of courses, especially electives.”

Quality of faculty and courses.

“The faculty was wonderful . . .  All of the profs, even the purely academic ones, broughtcommon sense and practicality to everything. They were passionate and caring about what theydo. It resonated with us. Topics that ought to have been boring, in fact weren’t. Great energy.”

Transformative experiences.

“Once you go to law school your way of thinking is changed . . . ”