Law Syrup
Tap into Law Syrup, a podcast series highlighting unique topics in Canadian law through conversations with special guests. Join host Herman Wong as he chats about what’s trending, how to explore tricky subjects, and where to hold space for accountability and growth. Designed for the everyday listener, each episode combines powerful insight with a casual touch. New episodes drop biweekly. Law Syrup is a co-production between Herman Wong and the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN).
Guests appearing this season include Supreme Court Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin, Bennett Jensen (Egale Canada), Adam Goldenberg (McCarthy Tétrault LLP), Johanna Macdonald (The 519), Professor Jamie Cameron (Centre for Free Expression), Professor Janice Tibbetts (Carleton University), Pam Hrick (Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund [LEAF]), and more!
Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for their support.
Herman Wong (he/him/his) is the host of Law Syrup and an incoming litigation associate at Torkin Manes LLP in Toronto. Previously, he served as a Justice Education Fellow for OJEN and was awarded the Tate Herbert Memorial Post-Secondary Award for his efforts in delivering educational workshops to high schools. An alum of Osgoode Hall Law School, Herman also served as a mentor, a copy editor for the school paper, Obiter Dicta, and a year representative on Student Caucus. During his studies, he participated in various tourneys, winning 1st place in the Winkler Institute Negotiation Competition. Herman also holds a Bachelor of Journalism and a Combined Honours degree in French from Carleton University. There, he received the Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement, the K. Phyllis Wilson Scholarship, the Elizabeth Paulette-Coughlin and Peter Coughlin Scholarship, and the Award of the Ambassador of Switzerland to Canada. Law Syrup is the result of Herman’s desire to combine his journalism and legal knowledge to improve access to justice, demystify preconceptions and biases of the Canadian justice system, and open space for discussion and critique.
Episodes:
- Available now: Why Should We Learn About the Law? – Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin shares her experiences growing up in northern Ontario, gives behind-the-scenes details of Canada’s highest courthouse, and remembers some of her career highlights.
- Available now: Out and Proud – Our Pride Month special episode includes a panel discussion about identifying as a 2SLGBTQ+ individual within the legal sphere. Panelists share their views on issues related to conforming to heteronormative workplace practices. Panelists include Bennett Jensen (Egale Canada), Adam Goldenberg (McCarthy Tétrault) and Johanna Macdonald (The 519).
- Available now: Express Yourself – Section 2(b) of the Charter – Professor Jamie Cameron discusses the Charter right of freedom of expression, including its limits and restrictions, its application to social media and accountability.
- Available now: Courtroom Journalism – Professor Janice Tibbetts gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her previous role as a courtroom journalist. She shares her most memorable stories covering some of Canada’s most prominent legal cases and discusses the course she currently teaches for journalism students in Ottawa.
- Available now: How Does Criminal Court Work? – In this episode, Herman sits down with Justice Mabel Lai from the Ontario Court of Justice to discuss how real-life trials work compared to TV and movies, the underlying humanity of criminal law, being a racialized female lawyer working in the profession, and drag kings performing at dim sum.
- Available now: Addressing Inter-Partner and Gender-Based Violence – In this episode, we speak to Pam Hrick, Executive Director & General Counsel at the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF). The discussion centres on gaps in the justice system related to acts of violence disproportionately targeting women, transgender and gender-diverse individuals. She also discusses the importance of helping to forge avenues of redress and healing.
- Available now: Journey to Law School – Herman takes a trip down memory lane with his high school friends Daphne Chu (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP) and Bronté Anderson (McGill University Faculty of Law) as they share their experiences heading to law school. Together, they discuss early inspirations, searching for resources, and helpful advice to anyone young or old who is curious about pursuing a legal career.
- Available now: The Top Five Cases of 2023-2024 (with Professor Sonia Lawrence) – Recorded at the Osgoode Hall in Toronto as part of OJEN’s annual Summer Law Institute, this episode features Professor Sonia Lawrence’s presentation on her picks for the most significant court cases from 2023 to 2024. Highlights include who is considered a “driver” under Ontario law, decisions revolving around Indigenous sovereignty, and Saskatchewan’s use of the notwithstanding clause in the Charter.
Tune in on these platforms:
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