Join the Runnymede Society for Law & Freedom 2025 on Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8 at the University of Toronto’s Hart House.
Each year, this national conference brings together over 200 scholars, lawyers, and law students to hear from some of the brightest minds in Canada’s legal community on the most pressing issues relating to constitutionalism, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.
Our conference this year will feature two keynote speakers. Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and past President of the American Civil Liberties Union, will be our Friday keynote speaker. Justice David Stratas of the Federal Court of Appeal will be our Saturday keynote speaker. See more information about our conference in the schedule below.
Sponsorship
Law & Freedom offers organizations a formidable opportunity to connect with up and coming as well as established legal professionals. If you are interested in exploring sponsorship opportunities to tap into Runnymede’s network of legal students, scholars, and professionals, please take a look at our sponsorship package and reach out to our National Director, Tim Haggstrom, at thaggstrom@runnymedesociety.ca.
Keynote Speakers
Nadine Strossen
Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School
Justice David Stratas
Federal Court of Appeal
Accomodations
Rooms are available at the Chelsea Hotel at a group rate of $199 per night until January 13th. Please note that supply is limited. Book using this link or by calling the Chelsea Hotel Toronto toll-free at 1-800-CHELSEA (243-5732) or 416-595-1975 and mentioning that you are booking a room as a guest of the Runnymede Society’s Law & Freedom Conference 2025 Room Block or use the Res ID: RUN020725.
Schedule
Friday, February 7
- Prof. Nadine Strossen
- Joanna Baron (Canadian Constitution Foundation)
Saturday, February 8
9:00 am (Great Hall) – The Supreme Court of Canada as an institution
- Prof. Andrea Lawlor | Associate Professor, McMaster University
- Prof. Paul-Erik Veel | Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- Prof. Ted Morton | Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary
- Moderator: Prof. Ian Brodie | Professor, University of Calgary
- Prof. Dave Snow | Associate Professor, University of Guelph
- James Manson | Senior lawyer, Charter Advocates Canada
- Prof. Paul Daly | Professor, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
- Moderator: Prof. Ryan Alford | Associate Professor, Lakehead University Bora Laskin Faculty of Law
- Christoph Pike | Associate, McCarthy Tétrault
- Prof. Stéphane Sérafin | Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
- Alexi Wood | Founding Lawyer, St. Lawrence Barristers
- Asher Honickman | Co-founder, Jordan Honickman Barristers
- Moderator: Prof. Malcolm Lavoie | Professor, University of Alberta Faculty of Law
- Caylan Ford | Founder & Chief Development Officer, Alberta Classical
Academy - Christine Van Geyn | Litigation Director, Canadian Constitution Foundation
- Malcolm Mercer | Chair, Ontario Law Society Tribunal
- Lorne Honickman | Partner, BT Legal
- Moderator: Professor Steven Penney | Professor, University of Alberta Faculty of Law
- Doyen Érik Labelle Eastaugh | Professeur Agrégé, Faculté de droit de l’Université de Moncton
- Professeur François Charbonneau | Professeur assistant, Université d’Ottawa
- Prof. Stéphane Sérafin | Professeur adjoint, Université d’Ottawa, faculté de droit
- Animatrice: Chantal Bellavance | Avocate de défense pénale, Boro Frigon Gordon Jones
2:30 pm (Great Hall) – Power Over Parliament?
- Prof. Dennis Baker | Associate Professor, University of Guelph
- George Avraam | Partner, Baker McKenzie
- Prof. Gerard Kennedy | Assistant Professor, University of Alberta Faculty of Law
- Jennifer Bernardo | Partner, Baker McKenzie
- Moderator: Kristopher Kinsinger | Lawyer, SV Law
6:00 PM (Great Hall) – Dinner
7:00 PM (Great Hall) – Keynote: “Doctrine Ain’t Dead, Yet”
- Justice David Stratas | Federal Court of Appeal
English (Canada) 
Français du Canada 
