The year 1957 marked a time of great change and growth for Queen’s University. The university was expanding under the leadership of Principal William Mackintosh, with his plan to add one thousand students during his 10-year principalship well underway. The home of what would become the Agnes Etherington Art Gallery had just been donated to Queen’s. And in a brick house on University Avenue, the Faculty of Law opened its doors to an initial class of 11 students: modest beginnings for what Queen's Law has become today, with a nationally leading Juris Doctor program, a full graduate program, and more recently undergraduate offerings.

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Faculty of Law is hosting a special homecoming weekend which begins tonight with a welcome back reception at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. At this event, 13 Queen’s Law alumni from the class of 1967 will be inducted into the Tricolour Guard and presented with special medals by Dean Bill Flanagan.

“Queen’s Faculty of Law has been training leaders in the Canadian legal system for six decades, and this weekend will be an excellent opportunity for us to reflect and celebrate with our alumni,” says Dean Flanagan. “At the same time, it will be an opportunity to talk about the next generation of law talent, how we attract them to Queen’s, and how we support them in attaining a high-quality legal education.”

On Saturday, alumni will have the opportunity to tour the Queen’s Law Clinics in downtown Kingston, attend a symposium honouring recently retired Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell (Law'76), and participate in an anniversary gala cocktail reception and dinner at Ban Righ Hall. Some 260 alumni will be taking part in the weekend festivities. Among the notable attendees, in addition to Mr. Cromwell: John McClatchy (Law’67) who established the MacLatchy Environmental Law Internship Fund and is celebrating his 50th reunion; Geraldine Tipper (Law'60), one of only two women from the first graduating class and a practicing lawyer to this day; prominent U.K. lawyer James Dorr (Law’87), who has recently joined the Dean’s Council and is travelling to celebrate his 30th reunion; Deborah Orida (Law’92), Managing Director and Head of Private Equity in Asia for the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, who will be travelling from Hong Kong to celebrate her 25th reunion; and The Honourable J. David Wake (Law ’72), Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner and a former Ontario Court Justice.

Saturday will also mark the start of the QLAW60 fundraising campaign in support of student bursaries. The campaign will help students pursuing their JD offset the rising cost of post-secondary education.

“If students have the talent and the skills to succeed, we want to make sure that Queen’s doors are open to them,” adds Dean Flanagan. “We thank the many generous donors who contribute to our academic mission and the success of our learners.”

The QLAW60 campaign is already off to a good start. A graduate from the class of 1987 has pledged to match donations from his classmates up to $30,000. The full results of the campaign will be announced in May at the annual Celebrate Queen’s Law event in Toronto.

Learn more about the Queen’s Law Homecoming weekend.