The Court of Appeal for Ontario is marking the 50th anniversary of the appointment of Bertha Wilson to the Court, effective January 2, 1976. The Honorable Bertha Wilson was the first woman ever appointed as a Canadian appellate judge and the first woman appointed to sit as a judge on the Supreme Court of Canada.
There is much to celebrate when it comes to this extraordinary jurist, and we intend to do just that. On March 27, 2026, the court, together with the Law Society of Ontario, will host a symposium to honour her. It will take place in the Law Society’s Lamont Learning Centre. Registration for this exciting event will open on February 3 through the Law Society.
In the meantime, we are calling for law students to participate by submitting papers that highlight Bertha Wilson’s legacy in the law. One paper will be selected to be showcased at the Symposium.
Theme & Scope
Papers are welcome on Justice Wilson’s ongoing influence—through her jurisprudence, extra-judicial writing and speeches, or her work on reviews/inquiries. In addition to papers written specifically on Bertha Wilson, papers written as part of coursework in fields connected to her contributions (e.g., constitutional law, human rights, feminist legal theory, jurisprudence, law & social change) are also welcome.
Eligibility
Length
Cover Note (if applicable)
If your paper is not specifically about Justice Wilson, include a brief cover note (≤250 words) explaining how the topic connects to her legacy
Submission & Deadline
Review & Recognition
A committee will review all entries and select one paper to be showcased at the Symposium, including a brief presentation by the student author.
Questions may be directed to Lauralee.Bielert@ontario.ca