Celebrating their excellent instructors and the performances of their highly dedicated peers is how Queen’s Law students wind down the academic year. The hardware was handed out recently to the 2018-19 recipients, as selected by students, at the annual Law Students’ Society (LSS) Awards reception. 

Kicking off the festivities was the presentation of the Stanley M. Corbett Awards for Excellence in Teaching.  

Professor Jacob Weinrib received the award for his lectures that student nominators called “energetic, engaging, funny, compelling, and perfectly crafted to deliver the ideal amount of information.”

Weinrib, a full-time faculty member since 2015, credited his students: “The best part of my job is that I get to work every day with students who are bursting with ideas and energy and who want to use the structures that they study to make a better legal world.” 

Hugh Adsett, Law’93, a long-time instructor in the International Law Programs at the Castle, earned the award for his first year teaching on-campus as a sessional instructor. That’s because, as his nominators put it, “he sets a lively environment to encourage student debate, and designs creative exercises and simulation programs to allow students to participate and engage with the class in a fun way.” 

The recognition, Adsett told the crowd, was for his students. “I enjoy the opportunity to engage with all of you and to exchange ideas. Every single time I’ve taught a class here, I have learned so much myself.” 

Awards for students in each year of study were presented to recognize excellent commitment and contributions to the school. LSS President Lucy Sun, Law’19, received two of these awards. “Lucy has worked hard to increase diversity at Queen’s Law,” said the student award presenters, “She has done a lot to make sure all voices are heard at Queen’s Law, and not just those who speak the loudest.”
 
The Camaraderie Award, for a group’s “initiative, contribution, participation and organization of events and activities to further the Queen’s Law community spirit,” went to the Queen’s Law Venture Society. Founded last spring, this organization “exposes Queen’s Law students to the legal dimensions of entrepreneurship, facilitates innovative thinking in the law, and connects students to emerging ventures and professionals in the field.”

For yet another honour, Professor Lisa Kerr presented the Fasken Martineau DuMoulin Mooting Award to Jeremy Mutton, Law’19. A two-time competitive mooter and a practice coach, he received the award from the Moot Court Program Commitee for his outstanding contributions to the Queen’s Law Moot Program. 

A full list of awards and recipients follows:

Stanley M. Corbett Awards for Teaching Excellence: Jacob Weinrib (full-time faculty) and Hugh Adsett, Law’93 (term adjunct) 

Gavel Award: Lucy Sun, Law’19  

Spirit Award: Andrew Macdonald, Law’19

Denis Marshall Contribution Awards: Nathan Holman, Megan Pfiffer, Alison Shamie, Lucy Sun, Adriana Zichy, all Law’19

Millennium Award: Nataly Dil, Law’20

Spark Award: Taylor Barton, Law’21

Camaraderie Award: Queen’s Venture Law Society

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin Mooting Award: Jeremy Mutton, Law’19

By Lisa Graham