The Runnymede Society at the University of Toronto

Events

Tue, Jan 14
Freedom of Religion
J140
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Jan 14, 2025, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Professors Brian Bird and Anna Su will discuss contemporary debates in Canada’s freedom of religion jurisprudence and the limits placed upon these freedoms.
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Thu, Jan 23
Premier Jean Charest
Toronto
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Jan 23, 2025, 12:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Lecture on Federalism
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Mon, Jan 27
Justices Jamal & Huscroft Fireside Chat
Toronto
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Jan 27, 2025, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Justice Grant Huscroft of the Court of Appeal for Ontario will host a fireside chat with Justice Mahmud Jamal of the Supreme Court of Canada.
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Tue, Feb 11
Justice Grant Huscroft - Keynote Address
Room J140
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Feb 11, 2025, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Court of Appeal for Ontario Justice Grant Huscroft will deliver a lecture on constitutional interpretation, including the originalist approach to interpretation.
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Tue, Feb 25
ON Attorney General Michael Bryant
Toronto
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Feb 25, 2025, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Former Ontario AG Michael Bryant (also the former CEO of Legal Aid BC and Executive Director of the CCLA) will provide a lecture on access to justice, legal aid, and his life in politics and the law.
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Mon, Mar 03
Memories of Justice Bertha Wilson; The Consummate Jurist
Toronto
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Mar 03, 2025, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Justice David Stratas will lecture on the work habits, interpersonal skills and character traits that led to Justice Bertha Wilson's success as a lawyer and judge and that can guide and inspire us as we start our careers in law. A question period on any topic will then follow.
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Our Mission

The Runnymede Society is a national student membership organization dedicated to exploring the fundamental principles of the rule of law, constitutionalism, and liberty. It seeks to foster intellectual diversity, rigour, and dialogue through open and balanced debate in law schools across Canada. Runnymede aims to provide outstanding support and opportunities for intellectual enrichment, networking, and professional development. Runnymede is named for the field in which King John signed the Magna Carta - the first document confirming the legal rights of his subjects. Runnymede's University of Toronto chapter was established in 2017.

2024-2025 Executive Committee

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Erik De Lorenzi

Co-President 2024-2025

A&O Shearman, NY

Deva Middleton

Co-President 2024-2025

Borden Ladner Gervais, Toronto

Daniel B Jolic

VP Mentorship & Outreach

Cassels Brock & Blackwell, Toronto

Daniel Parsons

VP Marketing

Volodymyr Shevchenko

VP Academics

Stikeman Elliott, Calgary

Ryan Edwards

VP Events

Roberto Fonseca-Velazquez

VP Events

John Borrows

Faculty Advisor

Andrew Sansone

1L Representative

Max Ray-Ellis

1L Representative

Ivy Chen

1L Representative

Sasha Steeves

1L Representative

Jia Deng

1L Representative

Duncan McHattie

1L Representative

Joanna Zhuang

1L Representative

Evan Youden

1L Representative

Past Executives:

Declan Gemmill

Co-President 2023-2024

Sullivan & Cromwell, NY

Tessa McHattie

Co-President 2023-2024

Kirkland & Ellis, NY

Mackenzie Thomas

Vice President 2022-2024

Bennett Jones, Toronto

Charles Ma

Co-President 2021-2023

Ast. Crown Attorney, ON

Former Law Clerk, Federal Court of Appeal

Sterling Mancuso

3L Representative 2022-2023

Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Canada

William Mazurek

Co-President 2020-2021

Torys, Toronto

Ryan Riemenschneider

Co-President 2020-2021

Sidley Austin, NY

Ryan Marinacci

Co-President 2019-2020

Bogoroch & Associates

Daniel K. Moon

Co-President 2019-2020

LexCheck, Toronto

Shearman & Sterling, NY

Christoph Pike

Co-President 2018-2019

BCL Candidate, Oxford

Kerry Sun

Co-President 2016-2018

DPhil in Law Candidate, Oxford

Former Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Canada

Katelin Everson

Co-President 2017-2018

Sidley Austin, NY

Kaz Nejatian

Co-President 2007-2008*

C.O.O., Shopify

Mentorship
Program

Applications to the Runnymede Mentorship Program have Closed.

This year we successfully connected U of T law students with managing partners on Bay Street, NY lawyers, sitting members of parliament, senior government lawyers, crown attorneys, and law professors.

Applications will reopen in Fall 2025.

Past Events

All Past Events: 2024-2025 term

Runnymede Fall Social at the Albany Club - Nov. 14th, 2024
SCC Justice Malcolm Rowe Keynote Address - Oct. 21st, 2024
Indigenous Megaprojects, with senior lawyers from Cassels LLP - Oct. 17th, 2024
The Notwithstanding Clause, with Professors Ryan Alford & Stephane Serafin - Oct. 9th, 2024
Attorney General of Ontario Doug Downey - Sept. 18th, 2024

"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom."

— John Locke