Law journal celebrates 50th anniversary of showcasing legal scholarship

Osgoode Hall Law School of York University’s flagship publication showcasing legal scholarship, the Osgoode Hall Law Journal, has released its Spring 2008 issue on "Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility" – the first in a series of special issues celebrating the law journal’s 50th anniversary.

This special issue introduces a new layout and design, and the anniversary cover lists all the authors who have had articles published in the law journal in the last 50 years.

"All of the design and production work for the 50th anniversary was done by students," said Professor Jamie Cameron, editor-in-chief of the law journal. "I take enormous pride in their achievements, and would like to congratulate the members of our editorial board for their hard work and dedication to our year of celebration."

Cameron said the law journal, which was founded by students in 1958, has established a sterling reputation for leadership in legal scholarship. She had high praise for Osgoode Professor Trevor Farrow, who is the guest editor of the special issue on legal ethics and professional responsibility. As she explained, “Trevor’s leadership and commitment to the project made it possible for the law journal to play a valuable role in promoting the emerging scholarship in this area.”

Farrow said the papers in the Spring 2008 issue address “incredibly important and exciting topics, which are only now starting to achieve the attention and profile they need and deserve in Canadian legal scholarship.” He predicted that this issue of the law journal will be widely read and will generate further discussion and debate.

Osgoode Dean Patrick Monahan described the 50th anniversary issue of the law journal as “a milestone in the annals of legal scholarship in Canada.” He praised Cameron and Farrow, the students who worked on the anniversary issue and all of the law journal editorial contributors over the years “for their talent and commitment to presenting lively, in-depth discussion on a broad range of very important legal subjects.”        

The Osgoode Hall Law Journal’s 50th anniversary was unofficially launched by a special issue on Law and Feminism, under the leadership of Osgoode Professor Mary Jane Mossman, in Winter 2007.

Other special issues this year will feature Environmental Law (Summer 2008, with guest editor, Osgoode Professor Stepan Wood); Comparative Constitutionalism and Transnational Law (Fall 2008, with guest editors, Osgoode Professors Craig Scott and Peer Zumbansen); and Access to Justice (Winter 2008, with guest editors, Patricia Hughes of the Law Commission of Ontario and Osgoode Professor Janet Mosher). 

The Law Journal is also available online.