At the 2024 Dean’s Annual Alumni Reception, Dean Trevor Farrow proudly presented Patricia Olasker ’77 with the prestigious Osgoode Award of Excellence. Established in 1983, this esteemed award is bestowed upon exceptional alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally and brought honour to Osgoode Hall Law School. Notable recipients include J.J. Robinette ‘29, G. Arthur Martin ‘38, Laura Legge ‘48, Peter Cory ‘50, and Lincoln Alexander ‘53.
The event also marked Patricia’s retirement as President of the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association. Under her exemplary leadership, the Association has flourished, making her a deserving recipient of this high honour.
A partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Patricia embarked on her legal journey at Osgoode at the age of 19. She graduated from the Law School in 1977, clerked at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and studied in the LLM program at UC Berkeley. Overcoming the challenges of women practicing law in the late 70s and 80s, she emerged as a leading expert in mergers and acquisitions, shareholder activism, and cross-border corporate finance.
Since joining Osgoode’s Alumni Association as a director in 2015 and becoming president in 2020, Patricia has demonstrated a strong commitment to alumni engagement, participating in the school’s annual convocation ceremonies. Her contributions extend beyond the board, serving as an adjunct professor at Osgoode and teaching courses on mergers and acquisitions and the regulation of the Canadian cannabis industry for over 20 years.
A generous donor, Patricia recently led a campaign at Davies to establish the $1.2 million Davies Fellows Award, providing financial support to first-year students with exceptional promise. Her legacy at Osgoode continues to the next generation with her son Max Ledger, a JD/MBA alum from the class of 2020.
The Osgoode Hall Law School community proudly recognizes Patricia Olasker’s unwavering dedication and outstanding service with the Osgoode Award of Excellence, celebrating her enduring impact on the institution and its alumni.