Message from the Dean

Welcome to the Lincoln Alexander School of Law – Toronto’s first new law school in over a century. As the founding dean, I’m delighted to be part of this exciting new approach to legal education.

In particular, I am inspired by the Lincoln Alexander School of Law’s commitment to entrepreneurship, the integration of technology with law, the creative use of law to further equity, diversity, inclusion, and rigorous and innovative academic programming. Our vision of a progressive legal education is exactly what is required to meet the changing demands of the new legal economy. And I’m confident that our graduates will be ideally placed to capitalize upon the professional opportunities created by this new economy.

The core values that underpin our vision are interwoven in all that we do, from faculty teaching and scholarship to student participation in clinics, externships, moot court competitions, and student-led research projects. We cultivate the talents of our students and encourage a culture of advocacy and adventurousness. Social justice is our touchstone as we educate our students to be innovators and leaders in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

Our interdisciplinary approach to legal education enhances our program as does our emphasis on experiential learning. We’re one of only two Ontario law schools (and the only one in Toronto) to offer an integrated practice curriculum (IPC), which means that our graduates can become members of the practising bar without first apprenticing as articling students.

Our downtown campus location offers our students easy access to a vibrant legal community, the financial industry, a rapidly growing technology sector, and important opportunities to engage with those who have often been underserved by the legal community. Our current students and our future alumni will play a central role in establishing new ways of delivering legal services. The legal profession exists to serve the public, and our program of legal education is what the public deserves.

Our faculty, students, staff and supporters are making Canada’s newest law school a unique and innovative environment that inspires meaningful change and provides abundant professional opportunities to the entire Lincoln Alexander School of Law community.

Donna E. Young

Founding Dean, Lincoln Alexander School of Law