Louise Otis to receive honorary doctorate from Université Laval
The Faculty of Law is pleased to announce that Adjunct Professor Louise Otis will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from Université Laval on June 16, 2019. This award honours individuals who have made a profound and lasting mark on their respective fields of expertise.
A civil and commercial mediator and arbitrator working both nationally and internationally, Louise Otis first joined the Faculty as a Boulton Senior Fellow and judge in residence in 2010. She began her career as a lawyer in 1975 and was appointed to the bench of the Quebec Superior Court in 1990. Three years later, she was named a judge of the Quebec Court of Appeal, where she served until 2009. During this time, she spearheaded the introduction and implementation of a voluntary judicial mediation program – one of the first in the world – that has since been adopted by all Quebec courts and tribunals. She has also participated in international governance and justice reform missions with many renowned organizations, including the United Nations, Word Bank, and the Global Fund.
Louise Otis has received many awards in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the legal community, including an appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada (2015); an appointment as a Grand Officer of the Order of Quebec (2016); Quebec’s Prix de la Justice award (2016); and a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Ottawa (2017).
“Louise Otis has played a tremendous role in advancing the administration of justice throughout her career,” said Dean Robert Leckey. “We are proud to count her amongst our faculty members and we are delighted to see that her lifetime of contributions to the legal field, and to alternative dispute resolution in particular, are being recognized.”