Law School Love Stories 2025

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Common Law

Alumni

Law School Love Stories 2025

Love is in the air at Fauteux again!

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we are excited to share new alumni law school love stories.

Again this year, we thought it would be fun to shine the spotlight on alumni who studied Passionate Precedents or the Law of Attraction at Fauteux.

Meet our Law School Sweethearts:

Jessica Stansfield JD '16 & Luke Hills JD '16
Lavinia Latham JD '13 & Carl Alphonse JD '14
Cindy Lee LLB '09 & Peter Verschoote LLB '09
Brenda Hollingsworth LLB '95 & Richard Auger LLB '95
Kim Kovar LLB '85 & Eric Dionne LLB '85

If you met your life partner at law school, please join in the conversations on social media between February 12 and 14th and share your love story.

##FTXAmourLove

Read their love stories

Jessica Stansfield JD '16 & Luke Hill JD '16

How did you meet?

We met in the first weeks of 1L in 2013, at the soccer tournament organized by the Social Justice Caucus (a joint law faculty and student initiative, of which Jess was a member). Luke eagerly joined the tournament, having moved to Canada from England as a teenager and growing up with a love of football (soccer). As luck would have it, we were both assigned to the yellow team and met on the sidelines of the field.

What are your best memories shared with your partner at uOttawa/Fauteux?

Some of our best memories of uOttawa and Fauteux include skating on the Rideau Canal, exploring the ByWard Market and, of course, spending many breakfasts and late nights at Father & Sons!  We also made a lot of great memories travelling together in Puerto Rico following Jess’ January semester in San Juan taking The Law of Robotics with the late Professor Ian Kerr.

Summary of love story since connecting at law school :

After law school, Luke articled in Vancouver, and Jess in Toronto but she moved to BC to join Luke as soon as she was called to the bar. They spent three years living in Yaletown and practicing in Vancouver, before they got married in the rose garden at Stanley Park in May 2020.

They have lived in Toronto on the waterfront since moving back to Ontario in September 2020. Luke practices at Gowlings WLG in the area of public and private mergers and acquisitions and capital markets, with a focus on private equity, venture capital, mining, technology and artificial intelligence, and life sciences. Jess is a commercial litigator at WeirFoulds specializing in digital asset and fund recovery, civil fraud and conspiracy claims, and shareholder disputes.  

Lavinia Latham JD '13 & Carl Alphonse JD '14

How did you meet?

We met on the first day of law school in 2010 at the Château Laurier orientation, which was a meet-and-greet wine-and-cheese event. We connected during that first meeting but remained distant friends because of our busy schedules. We didn’t actually start dating until our second year.

What are your best memories shared with your partner at uOttawa/Fauteux?

One of our best memories at uOttawa and Fauteux Hall was our time studying together in the Desmarais Building, Morisset Library, and Fauteux Library. Carl was studying in the French Common Law Program, and Lavinia was studying in the English Common Law Program, both of which were quite demanding. We also loved walking to the market for delicious Italian sandwiches at La Botega that fueled our study sessions. Though it might sound overly academic, our fondest memories are those early mornings, late nights, and all-day studying marathons we shared together.

Summary of love story since connecting at law school :

Lavinia and Carl have been together for about 15 years and married since 2018. They live and work in Brampton, where they jointly own their law firm, Alphonse Latham LLP, which specializes in U.S. and Canadian immigration law, employment law, human rights, workplace investigations, and corporate training. While they don’t have children yet, they share their home with a lovely Yorkie-Shih Tzu mix named Casper. For fun, they enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, and working out at Orangetheory Fitness.

Cindy Lee LLB '09 & Peter Verschoote LLB '09

How did you meet?

We met in the concourse of Fauteux hall. We connected during the first year pub crawl in the first week of school. During first year we chatted in crim class a few times. We met for coffee at the Second Cup near campus around the spring of first year. Cindy wanted to sit down for coffee and Peter brought his books to study! We laugh about it now but Pete literally came for a study date! We chatted throughout the summer and started dating in the fall of 2nd year.

What are your best memories shared with your partner at uOttawa/Fauteux?

Going for walks along the canal, eating at Shawarma Palace, Law Ball, going to coffee at the Timothy’s by campus, being in Prof. Camille Nelson’s January class together.

Summary of love story since connecting at law school

Cindy and Peter have been since 2007, so 18 years!! We’ve been married almost 12 years now and have a 6 year old boy named Leo. We currently live in Calgary. 

Brenda Hollingsworth LLB '95 & Richard Auger LLB '95

How did you meet?

We were classmates starting in 1992, first connected on a project assigned in a first year public law class relating to an environmental issue. By third year, we were inseparable.

What are your best memories shared with your partner at uOttawa/Fauteux?

We spent almost every Friday night at FNS where they’d have was a live band. No joke—everyone would dance on the chairs, something that would definitely not be allowed now.

We spent every Wednesday night at Stacks which was a bar that stands where the tall residential building is just at the beginning of campus on Laurier.

We did Law Line together which was a legal call in helpline that students could volunteer for.  We had a binder of frequently asked questions which was really the only reason we could answer any questions anybody had.

Summary of love story since connecting at law school :

After graduating in 1995, Brenda and Richard moved to Toronto together where they both articled and then practiced on Bay Street.

They got married in 1997, two months after their Call to the bar.  On their honeymoon, they talked a lot about having a firm together someday. Two kids and eight years later they opened Auger Hollingsworth, a litigation firm that started in Ottawa and now has offices across Ontario.

The firm celebrates 20 years in 2025.

Brenda and Richard’s connection to the law school is ongoing. They taught Trial Ad together as part of a teaching team in the early 2000s. Richard also coached the Arnup Cup Moot team for several years.  One of Richard’s teams won, resulting in a trip to the Sopinka Cup.

Kim Kovar LLB '85 & Eric Dionne LLB '85

How did you meet?

We met in first year law school. We did share a few classes but more than likely met at a social function (neither of us can remember where specifically, although Eric first noticed Kim in torts class with Dean Hubbard). We started hanging around with the same crowd and went to several events. We became very good friends and ended up being roommates in a house with two other friends during third year. We didn’t date during law school, and we even double-dated in third year (she with her boyfriend at the time, and he with his then girlfriend).

What are your best memories shared with your partner at uOttawa/Fauteux?

So many –a highlight was the third year party (which Eric organized, when he was the third year Common Law Student Society rep).

Summary of love story since connecting at law school :

While articling (Kim in Toronto; Eric in Windsor), they got together during a weekend trip organized by Kim to Windsor in February of 1986. Eric proposed on January 29, 1987. They moved to Toronto in March of 1987 and got married at Blackcreek Pioneer Village on May 14, 1988. They’ve been married over 36 years and live in Toronto. Kim was a municipal lawyer at Aird & Berlis LLP throughout her career (including articling!) until her retirement on January 1, 2022. Eric spent most of his career as a commercial lawyer and managing partner at RZCD Law Firm LLP until retirement on February 1, 2023. They have two wonderful girls: Marlee 32 and Nicole (who just got engaged) 29. They are looking forward to having grandkids!