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Returning to Osgoode, 35 years later
DAVID LEPOFSKY
Contributor
cases at the Human Rights Tribunal. I
secured orders requiring TTC to audibly
In 1979, I left Osgoode Hall Law
announce all subway and bus stops, so
School, law degree in hand, excited
that blind people like me can know when
and anxious about an uncharted career
we’ve reached our stop. I’ve learned what
ahead. Thirty f ive years later, I am back
it’s like to have a case named after you,
at Osgoode, honoured to be selected as a
and to endure a long day being crossRoy McMurtry Clinical Fellow.
examined.
From January 13 to February 7, I will
It is an incredible honour to take a
be at Osgoode full time, eager to add
solid month out of my law practice, to
to your legal education, and to learn as
sp end w it h Osgoode ’s
much as I can. I want
students and faculty, to
to meet as many of you
teach and learn. To do so
as possible, to deliver
in the capacity of a felas many law lectures as
lowship named in honour
time permits, and to toss
of the indefatigable Roy
around ideas on your
McMurtry, for whom I
legal education, future
have such huge respect,
ca reers, a nd the law
makes it even better.
itself. Please feel free to
Have you contemplated
introduce yourself and
the possibility of a career
to chat, in my Osgoode
in the public service at
of f ice (Room 3048) or
any level? I’m delighted
around the school.
to tell you what it’s like.
C ont ra r y to p opu Thought about dedicating
lar myth, we blind folks
all or part of your prod o n ’t r e c o g n i z e a l l
fessional time to social
voices we’ve ever heard.
justice causes? There’s
I encourage you to just
lots we could discuss. If
identify yourself. You
you are wrestling with
can easily pick me out in
DAVID LEPOFSKY STANDS IN FRONT OF A T TC BUS. HE WAS
an interesting problem
a crowd, white cane in
RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ORDER REQUIRING ALL T TC VEHICLES TO
in constitutional, crimihand.
AUDIBLY ANNOUNCE STOPS, AND IS NOW A ROY MCMURTRY
nal or administrative law,
S o why ret u r n to
VISITING FELLOW AT OSGOODE.
disability rights or human
Osgoode?
For three
rights, and want to toss
decades I have been a
around ideas, that’s what
public sector litigator, at all levels of my career. For over three decades, I have
I’m here for. If you just want to learn
court and before diverse administrative enjoyed many volunteer hours engagmore about being a litigator (and espetribunals. I have appeared some 30 times ing in an activity for which law school
cially in appellate forums), swing by.
in the Supreme Court.
didn’t prepare me - - community orgaSince 1982, I have held three succes- nizing and community advocacy for the
David Lepofsky, CM, O.Ont , LL.B.
sive jobs in Ontario’s Ministry of the rights of people with disabilities. I was
(Osgoode), LL .M. (Har vard), LL .D.
Attorney General. From 1982 to 1987, one of many who successfully fought, 33
(Hon.) (Queens, Western) is a Roy McMurI cut my teeth in civil and administra- years ago, to win protection for persons
try Clinical Fellow at Osgoode. He invites
tive law litigation in the Crown Law with disabilities in the Charter of Rights
you to drop by his office if you want to know
Off ice Civil. I also got my feet wet in and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
what lectures he’s lined up to deliver while
some of the earliest Charter litigation. From 1994 to 2005, I led the non-paron campus. Feel free to follow him on TwitThen, from 1988 to 1993, I concentrated tisan community coalition that won the
ter if you’re into that: @davidlepofsky.
on constitutional litigation, as counsel enactment of the Accessibility for Ontarin the Ministry’s Constitutional Law ians with Disabilities Act, a law requirBranch.
ing Ontario to become fully accessible
Then came the time for a big change, to person 2v