Osgoode Hall Law School faculty are pursuing a bold research agenda, securing more than $3 million in new funding in recent months. The grants support a wide range of projects that address urgent legal and social challenges, including refugee rights and environmental justice to corporate governance, innovation, and global security.
“This work positions Osgoode as a leader in legal research that matters,” said Dean Trevor Farrow. “Our faculty are shaping policy, supporting communities, and fostering informed dialogue on critical issues at both national and international levels. We are proud to support them in these vital endeavours.”
Justice, Equality, and Social Systems
Professors Faisal Bhabha and Sonia Lawrence are convening national conversations on anti-discrimination law, funded by the Law Commission of Canada.
Professor Shelley Kierstead, supported by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, is examining the challenges faced by mental health professionals working within Ontario’s family law system.
Law and Technology
Professor Sean Rehaag is expanding the work of the Refugee Law Lab through multiple grants:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant
- SSHRC Partnership Grants Stage 1
- Law Foundation of Ontario funding
- John Evans Leaders Fund
His projects explore how algorithmic decision-making affects access to justice for refugees, developing tools and networks that promote fairness in digital systems.
Professor Jonathon Penney, appointed York Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance, and the Law, is advancing scholarship in emerging areas of technology and regulation.
Governance, Finance, and Regulation
Professor Stephanie Ben-Ishai, named York Research Chair in Law, Finance, and Debt, is contributing to research on financial systems and regulation.
Professor Poonam Puri is leading two major projects:
- A comparative analysis of shareholder proposals in Canada and the U.S., supported by a SSHRC Insight Grant
- Expansion of the Investor Protection Clinic, funded by the Ontario Securities Commission and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, which provides legal assistance to retail investors and conducts research on financial regulation
Innovation, Intellectual Property, and Corporate Responsibility
Professor Hassan Ahmad is exploring the evolving role of corporate social responsibility with support from a SSHRC Insight Development Grant.
Professor Pina D’Agostino is advancing innovation and commercialization through a grant from Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON).
Tax and Global Legal Systems
Professor Jinyan Li, funded by the Canadian Tax Foundation and the International Fiscal Association, is examining tax sovereignty in a digitally divided world.
Legal History and Advocacy
Professors Philip Girard and Patricia McMahon continue to document Canadian legal history through grants from the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal Research.
Professor McMahon is also exploring the evolution of advocacy and professional responsibility through the lens of 19th-century legal thought, supported by a SSHRC Insight Development Grant.
Environmental Justice and Community Impact
Professor Dayna Scott has secured funding from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) to develop visual tools that assess the cumulative environmental and community impacts of industrial development.
A Diverse and Impactful Research Community
“What’s striking is not just the volume of funding, but the range of issues our faculty are addressing, from the future of refugee protection to the governance of emerging technologies,” said Associate Dean of Research François Tanguay-Renaud.
This latest round of funding highlights the depth and diversity of Osgoode’s research community, with faculty leading initiatives that blend rigorous scholarship with real-world impact.