A Legal Forum for Intellectual Diversity

The Runnymede Society is a membership-based organization that invites speakers from all across the ideological spectrum to debate legal ideas that engage the rule of law, constitutionalism, and individual liberty. The goal is to focus on these age-old principles in the context of real issues that are not often explored in the law school classrooms.

Runnymede Society Announces Major and Rothstein Fellows! | La Société Runnymede annonce les noms des boursiers Major et Rothstein !

(La version française suit) CALGARY: The Runnymede Society is pleased to announce that Allison Jandura and Christoph Pike have been selected as our Jack Major and Marshall Rothstein Fellows for 2025–26. Ms. Jandura and Mr. Pike have both begun pursuing SJDs at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law this fall and share, among other impressive attributes, an undying commitment to the timeless principles of constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. Ms. Jandura holds an MSc in Molecular

Read More »

The Common Law and the Judicial Role

What is the proper pace of development of the common law? Today’s encore episode from Law & Freedom 2025 features Christoph Pike (McCarthy Tétrault), Prof. Stéphane Sérafin (University of Ottawa Faculty of Law), Alexi Wood (St. Lawrence Barristers), Asher Honickman (Jordan Honickman Barristers), and Prof. Malcolm Lavoie (University of Alberta Faculty of Law). Watch the full video on our Member Area. The full recording contains 1 hour and 05 minutes of Professionalism Content (Law Society of Ontario).

Read More »

Morton: The Politicization of the Courts

Have the courts become political? In this encore episode from Law & Freedom 2025, Professor Ted Morton argues that changes in how Canadians view the role of our courts and the purpose of our constitution have politicized our courts. The full panel discussion, featuring three other speakers, can be found on our Member Area.  Further reading: The Charter Revolution and the Court Party.

Read More »

Veel: A Quantitative Analysis of the Supreme Court

How does the Supreme Court of Canada decide which cases it hears? Paul-Erik Veel, adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, shares a fascinating quantitative analysis on the Court’s decision-making, exploring everything from case selection and output to judicial agreement. Watch this full session on Runnymede’s Member Area: https://runnymedesociety.ca/en/account/.

Read More »

The Runnymede Society Announces Two Graduate Legal Fellowships, Honouring Justices Jack Major and Marshall Rothstein

(La version française suit) CALGARY: The Runnymede Society is pleased to announce the expansion of its graduate legal fellowship program, offering two prestigious awards to exceptional Canadian students pursuing graduate legal studies. This year, in addition to the established Jack Major Fellowship, the Society will award a new Marshall Rothstein Fellowship. Both fellowships provide a $25,000.00 award. These fellowships are designed to support students who demonstrate a commitment to constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, principles central to

Read More »
Wednesday
26
November 26, 2025 | 1:00 pm

“Can the Centre Hold?” with Justice Malcolm Rowe

Osgoode Hall Law School (Moot Court - IKB 1005 & 1006) |

Please join the Runnymede Society’s Osgoode Hall Chapter for a special event with Justice Malcolm Rowe of the Supreme Court of Canada on Wednesday, November [...]

Monday
17
November 17, 2025 | 5:30 pm

Checks and Balances in Constitutional Interpretation

Osler |

Please join the Runnymede Society’s Vancouver Lawyer Chapter for an intimate talk about checks and balances in constitutional interpretation by none other than retired Supreme [...]

Friday
14
November 14, 2025 | 12:00 pm

The Declaratory Judgment: Its Availability and Its Limitations

Alt Hotel St. John’s |

Please join us for a free talk by Professor Gerard Kennedy that will explore the “declaratory judgment”—i.e., a judgment that does not give parties any [...]

Tuesday
11
November 11, 2025 | 12:30 pm

The Two Paradigms: Why the Law Has Become Incoherent

Western Law (Room 52) |

Please join the Runnymede Society’s Western Chapter for an engaging talk about the two conflicting paradigms that compete for dominance in Canadian law with Professor [...]

Wednesday
05
November 5, 2025 | 12:00 pm

Clause and Effect: Section 33 and the Constitutional Conversation

University of Alberta Faculty of Law (Room LC 101) |

Please join the Runnymede Society’s University of Alberta Chapter for a friendly debate on the interpretation of section 33 between Professor Eric Adams (Alberta) and [...]

Join our newsletter for event news near you.

Why join?

INTELLECTUAL ENRICHMENT

We provide funding for debates, symposia, and panel discussions with external speakers and refreshments. We are able to assist with reaching out to speakers and fund out-of-town speaker travel expenses.

SOCIAL LIFE

We host regular networking events with local members of the legal profession, academics, journalists, and other students.

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE

We aim to connect first-year students with upper-years who can provide mentorship and academic guidance, as well as course summaries.

en_CAEnglish (Canada)