Lakehead Opens Doors to Ontario’s First New Faculty of Law in 44 Years
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne helped cut the ribbon with Lakehead President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson, Faculty of Law Dean Lee Stuesser, Thunder Bay dignitaries and the faculty, staff and students of the Faculty of Law. Supplied photo
Ontario’s first Faculty of Law in 44 years officially opened its doors, Wenesday, September 3, with a large ribbon cutting ceremony at Lakehead’s Port Arthur Collegiate Institute (PACI), home to the University’s newest Faculty. Attendees of this historic event included the school’s first cohort of students and faculty, as well as dignitaries and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.
The inaugural class will teach 60 students everything they need to know to be lawyers and more, by focusing on aboriginal law and understanding aboriginal issues, the needs of small practitioners and natural resources law.
Professor Lee Stuesser, founding Dean of the Faculty of Law, was excited that the grand opening had finally arrived.
“This is a great day for Lakehead University, for Thunder Bay, and indeed for Northern Ontario. A new law school is opening that is different and that is intended to serve the communities in Northern Ontario and in smaller centres throughout Canada,” Dean Stuesser said. “A new law school is born. It is small; it is personal; and it is tailored to prepare students for professional practice.
“The Faculty of Law at Lakehead University is a creation of the community. Many said it would never happen – they were wrong. The communities in Northwestern Ontario fought for this school and together they succeeded. We are very proud of this new school and Thunder Bay should be proud,” Stuesser said.
Lakehead’s new Faculty of Law will educate lawyers who will play a vital role in Northwestern Ontario for First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities. The Faculty will provide its students with a fundamental legal education, while focussing on aboriginal law, natural resources law, and single or sole practitioner law.
“This Faculty of Law is in the North for the people of the North,” said Lakehead President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Brian Stevenson. “Our focus is on preparing students who wish to practice law in rural and smaller centres, where there is a need to enhance and increase access to justice.”
“On behalf of Lakehead University, I welcome our new law students, staff and faculty, and hope they decide to stay in Northern Ontario to help fill the demand in this region,” Dr. Stevenson added. “We are extremely grateful to the provincial government, First Nation and Métis communities, our local MPP’s, Bill Mauro and Michael Gravelle, the County and District Law Presidents’ Association, municipal organizations across Northwestern Ontario, and the Thunder Bay Law Association for their support in establishing this new and special Faculty of Law.”
In July 2011, Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) committed to support Lakehead University’s Faculty of Law. The MTCU fully funded the Faculty of Law with a $1.5 million investment for capital improvements made to the historic PACI (Port Arthur Collegiate Institute) building in Thunder Bay where the Faculty of Law is housed.
Lakehead University is a comprehensive university with a reputation for a multidisciplinary teaching approach that emphasizes collaborative learning and independent critical thinking. More than 8,700 students and 1,850 faculty and staff learn and work at campuses located in Orillia, and Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Lakehead University promotes innovative research that supports local and regional socio-economic needs. In Orillia, development continues on building a campus that meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. For more information about Lakehead University, visit www.Lakeheadu.ca.
