Common Law Section congratulates 2020-2021 internal award winners
Penelope Simons, associate professor and vice-dean for research at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law’s Common Law Section, is the law school’s new Gordon F. Henderson Chair in Human Rights, in which role she will serve a three-year mandate.
In this position, her research will cover access to effective remedies for those impacted by resource extraction in Canada and will be benefited by her knowledge in the areas of resource extraction and human rights.
“Professor Simons is a distinguished scholar, mentor and communicator whose research agenda continues to advance the research clusters within the University of Ottawa’s Strategic Areas of Research,” said Adam Dodek, former law dean, in the news release.
Simons has taught courses on human rights, public international law and business organizations in the law school. As a long-term member of the University of Ottawa’s Human Rights Research and Education Centre, she has served as its interim director, as a member of its management committee and as academic advisor to its Human Rights Clinic’s Business and Human Rights in the Americas Project.
“The Common Law Section is exceptionally proud of her appointment as the Gordon Henderson Chair in Human Rights, and we look forward to supporting her ongoing research and advocacy on corporate accountability and access to justice for victims of corporate-related violations of human rights,” said Alain Roussy, interim dean.
Simons previously practised corporate and commercial law at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Vancouver and worked on peace and disarmament-related matters in the nongovernmental sector. Admitted to the B.C. bar, she obtained her LLB from Dalhousie University and her LLM and PhD in international law from the University of Cambridge in the U.K.
The Gordon F. Henderson Chair in Human Rights, established in 1991 in honour of a long-time supporter and adviser of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre and a former chancellor of the university, features an endowment seeking to support the centre’s efforts in fulfillment of its mandate and in the field of human rights.
The Common Law Section has also congratulated the 2020-2021 winners of its seventh annual internal awards, created by its office of the vice-dean for research.
Excellence in Teaching Awards
Excellence in Research Awards
Excellence in Service Awards
