Lorne Sossin, dean of York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, announced on Jan. 7 the appointment of Marshall Rothstein as a distinguished visiting professor.
Rothstein, who has made rich and varied contributions to the law over the past 50 years, including serving on the Supreme Court of Canada from March 2006 until his retirement in August 2015, joined Osgoode on Jan. 1 for a one-year term.
As distinguished visiting professor, Rothstein will be involved with a broad range of academic activities focused on interactions with Osgoode students. He will work closely with IP Osgoode – the school’s flagship intellectual property law and technology program – as well as in areas of tax and administrative law.
“Marshall Rothstein is one of the great legal figures in this country,” Sossin said. “We are honoured that he is sharing his experience, insights, vision and humour with the Osgoode community. I know that he will make a lasting impression on our students and faculty, and important contributions to the law school.”
In addition to his work as distinguished visiting professor, Rothstein is currently an associate counsel at Hunter Litigation Chambers in Vancouver, where his primary focus is as an arbitrator on complex commercial and public law cases.
“It is exciting for me to be returning to Osgoode, which I have had the pleasure of visiting many times over the years,” Rothstein said. “I look forward to visiting Osgoode, engaging with the students and imparting what insight I can. I’m sure the experience will enrich my understanding of the law and legal education.”
Winnipeg-born Rothstein earned a bachelor of commerce degree in 1962 and a bachelor of laws degree in 1966 from the University of Manitoba, and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1966.
He started his career at Thorvaldson, Eggertson, Saunders & Mauro, followed by a merger with Aikins MacAulay at Aikins MacAulay & Thorvaldson, where he was a partner from 1972 to 1992 and a member and periodic chairman of the Management Committee/Executive Board from 1981 to 1992. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1979. He served as an adjudicator under the Manitoba Human Rights Act from 1978 to 1983 and as a member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal from 1986 to 1992.
Rothstein was appointed to the Trial Division of the Federal Court of Canada in 1992. While a judge of the Trial Division, he also served as a member ex officio of the Appeal Division, a judge of the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada and a judicial member of the Competition Tribunal. He was elevated to the Federal Court of Appeal in 1999, and to the Supreme Court of Canada in 2006. In 2010, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Manitoba.