The inaugural Emilio Binavince Student Research Colloquium, hosted by the Ottawa Law Review (OLR), was held on March 16-17, 2022. The event was one of the first student research conferences of its kind, providing students with the opportunity to present their research on highly-relevant legal issues while promoting legal research and writing within the Faculty.
During the virtual two-day conference, 16 students were organized into four panels, and each panel was hosted by a professor at the Faculty. The students represented a diverse mix of year levels and programs, including the National program, the PhD program, the Canadian-American dual JD program, and both English and French Common Law. The conference also included a keynote address by Mr. Justice Sebastien Grammond of the Federal Court, a former Dean of the Civil Law Section, and a seminar on academic publishing by the OLR’s submission managers.
Prizes were awarded for Best Research Paper in English and in French (accompanied by prizes of $1,000 each), as well as Best Presenter in English and in French.
Raji Gandhi, a 2L English Common Law student, was awarded the Emilio Binavince Prize for Best Research Paper in English, for "Case Commentary: An Examination of Prominent Canadian Armed Forces Sexual Assault Cases", while Asma Bouali, a French Common Law student, won The Emilio Binavince Prize for Best Research Paper in French, for “Loi réglementant certaines drogues et autres substances et les femmes enceinte toxicomanes” (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and Pregnant Women Addicts).
Priya Dube, a 2L English Common Law student, won Best Presenter in English for the presentation of “The GGPPA Reference: A Missed Opportunity for Meaningful Reconciliation”. Polsia Carrozza, a 2L student in the Programme de droit canadien, won Best Presenter in French for the presentation of ‘Les droits culturels autochtones : les lacunes des lois de propriété intellectuelle canadiennes et la possibilité d’un nouveau cadre juridique » (Indigenous Cultural Rights: Gaps in Canadian Intellectual Property Laws and the Possibility of a New Legal Framework).
The Common Law Section is grateful for the generous support of Emilio and Brigitte Binavince, their children and their families, without whom this event would not have been possible.
Engaging students in legal research and writing has always been important to Emilio Binavince. He founded the OLR when he was a professor in the Faculty of Law in 1966. His impact has been profound. Since its inception more than 50 years ago, the OLR has developed a reputation for being a world-class law journal that prides itself on its commitment to excellent legal scholarship, and its articles have been cited countless times by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Mr. Binavince and his family have committed to supporting this Colloquium for years to come, ensuring that excellent student research will continue to be recognized and rewarded within the Faculty.
Congratulations to the OLR on the great success of the first research colloquium! Here’s to many more years of celebrating the legal research and writing excellence of our students.