University of Windsor Faculty of Law Turns 50

Members of the University of Windsor’s faculty of law school are celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The university welcomed its first law class in 1968 with a few dozen students. Before the Ron Ianni Faculty of Law Building existed, the program was held in a single classroom in Dillon Hall. The program receives over 1000 applicants a year and has had over 7000 graduates. A notable graduate from the first graduating class is Joe Comartin, a previous member of the Canadian House of Commons.

Christopher Waters, dean of the faculty of law, said what makes the program unique is the emphasis on access to justice. When looking at applications for the program they focus not only on grades and test scores but whether the student will contribute to their community.

“The question is, who do we want to arm with a law degree?” said Waters. “Who can do well at law school but also do good in their community.”

The faculty of law hosted a gala at Caesars Windsor to celebrate the milestone. According to their Facebook event, over 300 tickets were sold and a portion of sales will be used to establish a Windsor Law 50th Anniversary Scholarship.

The program also released a book entitled “Bridging the Law, Fifty Years of Windsor Law” in partnership with Biblioasis. The book is available at the university bookstore and Biblioasis located on Wyandotte Street in Walkerville. The official unveiling was part of the gala.

Sharon Hanna, regional history editor at Biblioasis, was approached by Waters late last year and said they wanted to create something to reflect the spirit of the school.

“It’s one of the younger law schools in Canada, but they have been pressing forward on a lot of fronts and we really wanted to highlight it,” said Hanna. “They were the first law school to have a majority of females in their class in 1985. It’s a huge deal.”

Other advancements the program has made are recently adding an Indigenous law requirement course.

“We want to bring into sharp focus the need for a different relationship between Canada and First Nations, and we think one of the places it’s important to revisit that relationship is in the context of our legal system,” said Waters.

Imad Alame, 27, is a second year law student who immigrated from Beirut four years ago. He decided to pursue law at the University of Windsor while working on community projects with faculty members prior to applying. Alame said the experience showed him the program is a good fit for those passionate about contributing to their communities.

“What makes Windsor law unique is its people,” said Alame. “The faculty members as well as students have diverse backgrounds and interests. Windsor law views diversity as a strength.”