Caroline Magnan

Caroline Magnan is Director of the Certification de common law en français (“CCLF”) program. Launched in 2016, the CCLF provides students from the law faculties of the Universities of Saskatchewan, Calgary, Alberta, Lakehead and Toronto Metropolitan with a unique opportunity to take common law courses in French and acquire the tools they need to offer legal services in French. The CCLF was awarded the “Boréal Rapprochement” prize by the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes du Canada in 2022 for its contribution to improving access to justice in French in Canada.

Caroline is a member of the Advisory Board of Jurisource.ca, the Board of Directors of the Refugee Hub, and the Adult Board of Directors of the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française du Canada. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta from 2019 to 2023.

Caroline received a Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Calgary Faculty of Law (2023) and a Teaching Award from the University of Ottawa Association Étudiante de Common Law Student Society (virtual teaching - winter 2022).

Caroline is also counsel at Juristes Power, providing legal and strategic advice on language rights, aboriginal rights and other complex constitutional and administrative law issues. Caroline has participated in numerous cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court and appellate courts.

Before joining the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, Caroline worked as legal counsel at the Court of Appeal of Alberta, was a tax lawyer in Calgary, and clerked for the Honourable Mr. Justice Michel Bastarache at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Caroline studied political science at McGill before completing her law studies at the Programme de common law en français, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (“PCLF”) (2006). During her law studies, she was awarded (ex æquo) the Yvon Blais prize for the best cumulative grade point average at the PCLF and the silver medal for the common law section. A Fulbright Scholar and Baxter & Alma Ricard Foundation Fellow, Caroline holds an LL.M. from Harvard University.

• Introduction à la common law en français
• Études approfondies en common law en français
• Stages en droit
• Rédaction juridique et recherche dirigée

• Author, « Language Rights in Canada’s Constitutional Tapestry: An Unfinished Quilt » in Kerri Froc, Howard Kislowicz et Richard Moon, eds, « The Surprising Constitution » (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2024) (Forthcoming)
• Presentation, « R c Tayo Tompouba à la Cour suprême du Canada », Réseau National de Formation en Justice (November 2023)
• Panelist, « C-13 : ce que veulent dire les changements pour nos communautés », Annual Congres of the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta (October 2023)
• Panelist, « Accès à la justice : les possibilités et défis liés au travail en français en milieu minoritaire », Conference of the Ontario Bar, AJEFO and Ontario Bar Association (March 2023)
• Presentation, « Language Rights in Canada », National Conference: Law and Politics, Youth Leaders and the Law (February 2023)
• Panelist, « Language Rights in Criminal Proceedings », Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, Justice and Solicitor General (May 2022)
• Panelist, « La pratique juridique en français à travers le Canada », Connexions carrières 2022 de la Faculté de droit de l’Université d’Ottawa (March 2022)
• Panelist, « Forum Citoyen de l’Ouest sur l’éducation postsecondaire en milieu francophone minoritaire » (February 2022)
• Panelist, « Livre blanc sur les langues officielles – quel impact pour les francophones en milieu minoritaire? », Round Table with Minister of Official Langages Mélanie Joly, Ricard Scholarship Conference (May 2021)
• Presentation, « La Certification de common law en français (CCLF) et l’accès à la justice dans les deux langues officielles », Forum annuel du groupe de travail fédéral-provincial-territorial au sujet de l’accès à la justice dans les deux langues officielles (December 2020)
• Author, « Learning another language of law: How collaborations and technology can improve access to justice through legal education », Law Matters (2020)
• Presentation, « L’importance de la formation en common law en français », Congres of the Centre canadien de français juridique (2020)
• Panelist « La modernisation de la Loi sur les langues officielles », Annual Congres of the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta (2019)
• Author, « Increasing the Opportunities to Study Law in French », Canadian Parents for French Magazine (2018)