Graduating Scholarships

Graduation awards can be an important source of funding for students who have accrued high levels of debt over the course of law school or who are faced with significant post-graduation expenses such as lawyer licensing fees. Currently, the following awards are available for graduating students. Each of these awards requires an application, details of which will be provided by the Financial Services Office.

Wendy Babcock Social Justice Award

This award will be given to a student(s) graduating from the JD program who has incurred significant educational debt in order to pursue their legal education; demonstrated a commitment to serving the public interest (e.g. relevant academic, work and volunteer experience); and intends to pursue a career in social justice. Recipients must be Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents/Protected Person and Ontario residents. Wendy passed away just before her final year of study. Her classmates were so inspired by her courage and determination they raised the money to create this award so that her commitment to social justice will live on.

The Honourable F.H. Barlow Scholarship

The Honorable F.H. Barlow Scholarship was created by the late Mrs. Marjorie Forsythe Barlow in memory of her husband, the Honourable Mr. Justice Fred Holmes Barlow. An annual scholarship will be awarded to enable a student to pursue post-graduate studies at an approved institution of higher learning. In years when the scholarship is not awarded for post-graduate studies, the funding will be awarded to students with an expertise in the broadly defined area of commercial law as part of Osgoode’s upper year scholarship process.

Class of 2014 Bursary

The Class of 2014 Bursary was created to celebrate the Class of 2014 graduation and create a legacy for future students. It will be given annually to a graduating JD student who has incurred significant debt pursuing her/his legal education who intends to pursue a career in the public interest.

D. Paul Emond ’72 Award

Professor Paul Emond was in the first Osgoode class that began their degree at York University. The majority of his academic career was spent at Osgoode, first in the JD program where he created a popular and highly successful course in Environmental Law, and later as the founding director of the Professional LL.M (Alternative Dispute Resolution). He created this award to celebrate his long and very happy relationship with Osgoode. The D. Paul Emond ’72 Award is available to students in the final year of the JD program who have incurred significant debt pursuing their legal education. It may be given as emergency funding or as part of the back end debt relief program. Preference will be given to those students who have demonstrated a commitment to serving the public interest through their academic and volunteer work.

Adrian Hill, LSM Bursary

The Adrian Hill, LSM Bursary was created by Dr. Adrian Hill, JD, LSM who graduated from Osgoode in 1974. Adrian was a trial lawyer for thirty years before teaching and writing manuals on addictions, mental illness and work life balance. He is an author and the editor of Canada’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy. This bursary will be given to a student(s) graduating from the JD program who has incurred significant educational debt in order to pursue their legal education; demonstrated a commitment to serving the public interest (e.g. relevant academic, work and volunteer experience); and intends to pursue a career in social justice.

Osgoode@125 Fund

On the occasion of Osgoode Hall Law School’s 125th Anniversary, the Osgoode@125 Fund was established through a student-led fundraising initiative to provide support to JD students who are graduating having incurred significant debt pursuing their legal education in order to allow them to pursue a diversity of career paths. Interest from the fund will be distributed annually for debt relief through such programs as exit bursaries and forgivable loans.