Six Osgoode Hall Law School alumni to receive awards

York’s Osgoode Hall Law School will honour six distinguished Osgoode alumni, one posthumously, with awards for furthering social justice, exceptional professional achievement or service to the law school at the Dean’s Alumni Reception this evening, from 6 to 8pm at Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen Street West in Toronto. 

"These awards are our way of recognizing exceptional alumni who have brought distinction to the profession of law and the law school,” said Osgoode Dean Patrick Monahan. “They are highly respected professionals whose accomplishments in the field of law are truly extraordinary."

Toronto lawyer Roger Rowe (right) (LLB ’87), a sole practitioner in the areas of criminal, family and immigration law, will be presented with this year’s Dianne Martin Medal for Social Justice through Law, which is named in honour of a deceased Osgoode professor who was a passionate defender of social justice. Rowe is one of the founding members and a past president of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and is also this year’s recipient of the Harry Jerome Award for excellence in community service.

Chris Paliare (left) (LLB ’70, LLM ’71), a founding partner of Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP who spearheaded the establishment of the Ian Scott Public Interest Fellowship at Osgoode in 2005, and Jane Pepino (right) (LLB ’70, LLM ’71), a partner at Aird & Berlis LLP and a dedicated activist who has served on the boards of numerous community organizations and chaired a number of special inquiries, will each receive an Osgoode Gold Key Award for exceptional professional achievement.

In the recent graduate category, Sven Spengemann (left) (LLB ’98), a legal affairs officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, will receive an Osgoode Gold Key Award for exceptional professional achievement. With a general counsel function in support of the mission, he is presently stationed in Baghdad’s International Zone.

Atul Tiwari (right) (LLB ’87), senior vice-president and managing director of BMO Asset Management, will receive an Osgoode Gold Key Award for 15 years of exceptional service, from 1992 to 2007, as a director of the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association. From 2004 to 2007, he also served as president of the Osgoode Alumni Association, and is currently a member of the Campaign Cabinet for the Building Osgoode Campaign.

The Osgoode Gold Key Award recognizing the achievements of public sector or government lawyers will be awarded posthumously to Archie Campbell (left) (LLB ’67, LLM ’73).

Campbell was the superior court justice who led a commission of inquiry into SARS and a 1995 inquiry into the botched investigation of the abduction and murder of two schoolgirls by Paul Bernardo. He also served as honorary president of Osgoode’s Alumni Association from 1995 to 2001.