The University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law has published its annual Alumni Magazine. Covering news of interest to the graduates of Manitoba’s only law school, the magazine includes news about alumni achievements, developments in the law school’s degree and other educational programs, and recognition of the community that helps fuel the Faculty in its mission to educate the next generation of legal professionals.
A focus of this year’s edition is the law school’s work to reduce barriers to legal education, broaden pathways into the legal profession, and ultimately enhance access to justice to Manitoba’s diverse population. As Dr. Richard Jochelson points out in his “Message from the Dean,” “One of our most important milestones was welcoming the inaugural cohort of the Internationally Trained Lawyer (ITL) Program…. Their arrival represents an important step in reducing barriers to professional accreditation, creating new pathways into Manitoba’s legal profession, and recognizing the experience and talent that internationally educated lawyers bring to our community.”
Seven internationally trained lawyers had joined the Robson Hall community in the fall of 2025 and brought with them legal education, professional experiences and perspectives from around the world, and studied alongside Juris Doctor students to complete the Canadian legal education requirements necessary to continue legal careers in Canada.
Other new initiatives included the appointment of Professor Brenda Gunn as the inaugural Phil Fontaine Professor in Indigenous Law and Economic Reconciliation, and the launch of the Winograd Initiative for the Study of Contemporary Hate Speech and Antisemitism, made possible through the generosity of UM alumni, Chuck and Libby Winograd.
The magazine features an In Memoriam piece for the late Professor Karen Busby [LLB/81], and news of the retirement of Professor John Irvine. Also featured are profiles of the 2026 Alumni Award recipients, Frank Lavitt, K.C. [B.Comm/76; LLB/79], Outstanding Alumni Award, Raven-Dominique Gobeil [BA/16; JD/19], Emerging Leader Award, and Evan Johnston [B.Comm/98; LLB/02], Trailblazer Award.
Finally, Faculty of Law alumni are invited to “Meet a few members of the Class of 2026,” where we feature some remarkable graduates from the Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Master of Human Rights degree programs.
