John (Jack) Major Fellowship

The Runnymede Society is thrilled to announce the creation of an annual $25,000.00 legal fellowship, named in honour of former Supreme Court of Canada Justice John (Jack) Major. This fellowship is intended to support an exceptional Canadian student pursuing graduate legal studies and who shares the Runnymede Society’s commitment to constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. 

Expectations

Recipients of the John (Jack) Major Fellowship will join the Runnymede Society as a Scholar-in-Residence and are expected to write and submit an 8,000-word (minimum) research paper to a peer-reviewed Canadian law journal on a theme relating to constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, or the rule of law by the end of the fellowship period. Recipients are additionally expected to join the Dicey Law Review (co-published by the Runnymede Society, Advocates for the Rule of Law, and LexisNexis) as a senior editor for the duration of the fellowship period. 

Deadline

The inaugural John (Jack) Major Fellowship will be awarded on or before 31 December 2023, with the fellowship period retroactively beginning on 1 September 2023. Applications are due by 30 November 2023 at 11:59 PM ET. Interested students are invited to send their applications to the Runnymede Society’s National Director, Kristopher Kinsinger, at [email protected].  

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be Canadian citizens pursuing graduate legal studies (e.g., an LLM, SJD, PhD, DPhil, etc.) at an accredited law school or university during the fellowship period;

  • Applicants must send a cover letter and CV to the Runnymede Society’s national director on or before the deadline; letters of reference from a professor or mentor are not strictly required but are nevertheless encouraged;

  • Cover letters should demonstrate how and why the applicant shares the Runnymede Society’s commitment to constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law;

  • Applicants must have begun graduate legal studies at an accredited law school or university at the time of their application;

  • The initial fellowship period will be retroactive to 1 September 2023 and run through 31 August 2024; applicants must complete their graduate legal studies no earlier than 30 April 2024.

Presentation

Recipients will be invited to attend the Runnymede Society’s national Law & Freedom conference at the University of Toronto’s Hart House from 2-3 February 2024 to be officially presented with the fellowship. (Note that funding to travel to and from Toronto to attend the national conference cannot be guaranteed.)

en_CAEnglish (Canada)
fr_CAFrançais du Canada en_CAEnglish (Canada)