Congratulations to our 2016 Dean’s Gold Key Award recipients!

Dean's Gold Key Awards 2016

The Law School awarded 13 “Gold Keys” this year to students graduating from Osgoode’s JD program who have made an outstanding contribution to the life of the Law School, either to the academic program of the School or other activities that are integral to the community.

Top row, from left: Ryan Robski, Oladipo (Ladi) Onayemi, George B. (Knia) Singh, Alicia Landry, Kyle Elliott, Henry Limheng, Brittany Ross-Fichtner

Bottom row, from left: Jennifer Davidson, Bethany McKoy, Scott Franks, Abigail Cheung, Noorain Shethwala, Vanessa Carroll

The award recipients (whose contributions are summarized in point form below) were announced by Osgoode Dean Lorne Sossin at the Dean’s Third-Year Lunch on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

The 13 students, who were nominated by their fellow students, staff or faculty, have demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment, and enthusiasm through their participation in extracurricular activities, Law School or University governance, clinical education, the Osgoode Hall Law Journal, or other similar endeavours.

2016 Dean’s Gold Key Award winners:

Vanessa Carroll

– President of the Osgoode Mooting Society
– Organized the four first-year moots
– Organized the Osgoode Cup (undergraduate)
– Secretary of the Criminal Law Society
– Vocal Director for Mock Trial
– Participated in the Wendy Babcock Drag Show
– Mooting: Wilson Moot, Gale Moot, Toronto Cassels Brock Cup Mooting Competition, Osgoode Open Moot competition, Lerner’s Cup

Abigail Cheung

– Chair of Student Caucus
– Member of the Legal Education Working Group, Faculty Recruitment Committee
– Associate Editor of the Osgoode Hall Law Journal
– Volunteer at CLASP
– Parkdale Community Legal Services
– Mooting: Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition

Jennifer Davidson

– President of the Mature Student Association (mother of three young children)
– Student Ambassador
– Co-President of the IP Society
– IPilogue Write and Editor for IP Osgoode
– Played a key role in the design, organization, and delivery of pioneering, ambitious experiential learning activity for the benefit of Osgoode’s Legal Information Technology class and students in the Osgoode Mediation Clinic
– Mooting: Oxford International IP Mooting Competition

Kyle Elliott

– President of the Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA)
– VP Communications of the Black Law Students’ Association of Canada
– Student Ambassador
– Mentorship Coordinator
– Volunteer with Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS)
– Parkdale Community Legal Services (Social Assistance, Violence and Health division)
– Volunteer for #JaneandFinchVotes campaign

Scott Franks

– Past President of the Osgoode Indigenous Students Association
– Past Senior Editor, Osgoode Hall Law Journal
– Written contributions to blogs and Obiter Dicta
– Involved in Pro Bono Students Association projects
– Represented Osgoode at the Indigenous Bar Association Conference for 3 years
– Mooting: Kawaskimhon Moot
– Participated in the Aboriginal Intensive

Alicia Landry

– Captain of the Osgoode Ultimate Frisbee team
– Osgoode Softball team
– Mental Health Law Society
– Volunteer with Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS)
– Volunteer at CLASP
– Chair of the Peer Support Centre
– Past webmaster for the Legal and Literary Society
– Mooting: Walsh Family Law Moot, Lerners and FOOM (judge)

Henry Limheng

– Student Caucus representative
– Written contributions to Obiter Dicta
– Osgoode Podcast (POZcast)
– Library Committee, Digital Innovation Committee

Bethany McKoy

– President of Legal & Literary Society
– Innocence Project
– Volunteer at CLASP
– Orientation Week Leader
– Mock Trial
– Organizer, Wendy Babcock Drag Show
– Peer Counsellor

Oladipo (Ladi) Onayemi

– Frosh Week Executive Committee
– Black Law Students’ Association (Elections Officer)
– Co-President of the Entertainment & Sports Law Association
– Mock Trial
– Leadership on Osgoode’s soccer, basketball, hockey, and touch football teams
– Social Convenor for the Legal & Literary Society
– “Wednesdays with Ladi” (firm sponsorship + bartending and socializing in the JCR)
– O-Week Coordinator
– Volunteer at CLASP
– Peer Mentor
– Christian Legal Fellowship

Ryan Robski

– President of the Law Students’ Society of Ontario (LSSO)
– Student Caucus representative (past Vice-Chair)
– Osgoode Mentorship Program Mentee
– Committees: APPC, Priorities & Finance Committee, Library Committee, FRC
– York University Senator
– 2015 Dean for a Day
– Passy Fellow for Osgoode Chambers
– Welcome Day Volunteer
– Dean’s Fellow
– Osgoode Mentor
– Orientation Leader
– Business Law Society

Brittany Ross-Fichtner

– Producer of Mock Trial (two years)
– Parkdale Community Legal Services
– Dean’s Fellow
– Mooting: Wilson Moot

Noorain Shethwala

– Coordinator, Pro Bono Students Canada
– Co-Chair of the Osgoode Constitutional Law Society
– President, Muslim Law Students Association
– Osgoode Mentor
– Associate Editor at the Osgoode Hall Law Journal (1L)
– Mooting: Diversity Moot, Price Media Law Moot, Client Counselling Competition
– Refugee and Immigration Law Intensive
– Ian Scott Public Interest Fellowship with CCLA
– Test Case Litigation Project

George B. (Knia) Singh

-Founder of Osgoode Students Against Institutional Racism (OSAII) – carding issue
– Volunteer for #JaneandFinchVotes campaign
– Mentorship for BLSA events
– Published multiple articles and had a significant news presence