Annie Bailey

Annie was that odd kid who knew when she was 12 that she wanted to be a lawyer “when she grew up”. She completed a 3 year criminology degree at Western University, then went right into law school without wasting any time. When people ask her if law school is everything she imagined, she responds by saying it is better than she could've hoped for. 

Annie joined Ian’s research team after taking his first year contracts class at the University of Ottawa. During her first year in law school, Annie dealt with her brother’s terminal cancer and passing, and Ian was there to help her every step of the way. Annie saw first hand that Ian is not only brilliant, he also cares immensely about his students. After learning far more than just contract law from Ian, Annie jumped on the opportunity to join his research team. Now she's learning about killer robots - definitely couldn't have dreamed about something that cool when she was 12!

Alex McArdle

Alex has an undying love for the environment. In fact, she is probably outside right now skiing or kayaking, depending on the season. Her passion for protecting the natural world is what spurred her into coming to Law School in the first place. However, since starting classes, she has discovered many different aspects of the law that she is interested in, including privacy law. She is inspired, everyday, to learn as many new things as possible. With her law degree she one-day dreams of balancing her two passions: ... Read more

Dustin Moores

Before attending law school, Dustin’s career was largely shaped by music. An avid drummer, Dustin played semi-professionally in several Montreal outfits and toured with singer-songwriter Colin Moore. Music also led Dustin to work at Canada’s largest independent event promoter, Evenko, where he managed websites and digital marketing for such notable events as the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival. While his aspirations of rock stardom have taken a backseat for the time-being, Dustin has a keen interest in technology and how we can use the law to ensure that technological advances ... Read more

Julia Ji

Originally from Seoul, then Toronto and now Ottawa, Julia’s interest in privacy law was peaked while working for Death Row Records (yes, the gangster rap record label with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac!). It’s a little funny because she studied Anthropology at University of Toronto hoping to become some sort of a modern, urban Jane Goodall. But instead, she fell into digital marketing and project management in the entertainment sector and financial services in Toronto. In 2014, when CASL took effect, she was made privacy officer at a financial services firm and this was it! She HAD to go to law school and find out more. ... Read more

Marshall Jeske

Marshall is contemplative and technology is very fun to contemplate. Marshall is interested in law and technology because it requires constantly asking new questions. How can we adapt a slow moving legal system to meet the needs arising from rapid technological growth? Change is happening at a rate that is both alarming and exhilarating. It has become difficult to predict 2 years down the road let alone 10. Marshall enjoys playing this near-impossible guessing game. Prior to his legal studies, Marshall worked in film, photography and digital media. He is a ... Read more

Meika Ellis

Seeing the joy in the life’s smallest beauties is something Meika has enjoyed since a child, from snow angels to 5:30am dew soaked spider webs. Now that she’s in law school, Meika still enjoys the small stuff but on a different scale, a nanoscale, in the form of robots.

Prior to entering law school Meika never had a second thought of robots in the law, rather just as curious inanimate creatures. Yet, in his first year Contracts Law course, Prof. Kerr was able to light the fire under Meika’s interest in both the worlds of nanotechnology and robotics. One year following 1L, Prof. Kerr humbly took Meika under his wing as he bestowed his expertise and knowledge in the world of robotics and guided her in her research and completion of her Major paper. ... Read More

Melissa Arseniuk

Melissa is a recovering journalist who spent a decade writing for various media outlets in Canada and the U.S. before deciding to go to law school. Transitioning from journalism to law has been an exciting “career pivot,” and she enjoys applying the investigative skills she developed as a journalist as part of Professor Kerr’s research team. Melissa is deeply interested in (read: borderline obsessed with) privacy and surveillance issues, and is a fierce proponent of encryption and privacy-protecting technologies. ... Read more

Natalya Odorico

After being forcibly torn from her beloved Toronto, Natalya has since found refuge in Ottawa’s nature, farmer’s markets and all-season bicyclists. After completing a B.A. at the University of Toronto which gave her a flavour of legal studies, Natalya’s was drawn to Ottawa to pursue a JD. Natalya has a curious mind and often demands: why? When she isn’t troubled with philosophic quandaries Natalya can most likely be found running (a nasty habit she picked up while studying for the LSAT) ... Read more

Salahuddin Rafiquddin

Salahuddin (who goes by Saladin more often than not) is interested in all things law. Nonetheless, he is particularly interested in national security legislation/agencies, intellectual property, and the power of algorithms and artificial intelligence to provide substantive justice. He completed his BA in International Relations and Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs where he was also a junior systems administrator for the school and their research outfit, The Citizen Lab. Along with his law degree, Salahuddin is concurrently completing his ... Read more

Taryn Meyer

Taryn has just completed her first year of law school at the University of Ottawa. Growing up as the youngest of three siblings (with two incredible older brothers), she had a knack for arguing her family’s ears off. Taryn never lost a battle, and if she did, she made sure it was subject to an appeal. Alas, Taryn thought her tenacity should be put to good use through a career in law. Taryn is a product of Generation Y, a trait that has helped to spark her interest in technology law. While Taryn appreciates how technology has helped to convenience her life, she has always been curious as to how our privacy may be affected by such conveniences. Working with Professor Kerr has presented Taryn with the perfect harmony, allowing her to apply her previous education in psychology while building research skills in an area of law which she genuinely enjoys. Taryn hopes to continue researching with Professor Kerr throughout her time in law school, in addition to applying her tech interests through mooting and clinical work.

Adam Gamwell

Adam arrived in Ottawa from Gander, Newfoundland in 1997. He completed an undergraduate degree in English at the University of Ottawa in 2008, and worked in the not-for-profit sector before returning to school in 2010. Adam came to law school with a passion for environmental issues, and fully expected to specialize in that field. Instead, he attended a lecture by Ian Kerr, and was immediately side tracked into law and technology. Adam will use what he learns in the field to fight the robot uprising.

Adrienne McBride

Adrienne was once told she was the “quintessential middle child, with the added bonus of a ‘curly-hair personality.’” She took this as a compliment and strives to finds its meaning everyday. Her greatest inspiration is her grandmother, who lived restrained in a time when educational opportunities did not exist for women; because of this, Adrienne never takes for granted her participation in the academic world. Adrienne completed an undergraduate degree in media studies and a diploma in journalism. She enjoys lingering at the intersection between media and law. Pondering the impact that the internet and digital communication is having on ... Read more

Alesia Kachur

Alesia became interested in issues surrounding the development of new and emerging technologies when she first became familiar with the Human Genome Project in High School. Being a math and science geek at that time she was fascinated by the sequencing of the human DNA and the costs and benefits to society of having such technology available. Being a typical idealistic teen, she went on to complete her undergraduate degree in International Relations and Peace and Conflict Studies and her Master’s at the University of Toronto in an attempt to try and save the world. She spent quite some time … Read more

Alex Cameron

Alex Cameron is a Partner with Fasken Martineau and the Leader of the firm’s Privacy & Information Protection Group. He is recognized as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in the areas of privacy and cybersecurity, freedom of information and litigation. Alex is consistently sought out by clients from all industry sectors, including numerous Fortune 100 and 500 companies, in all aspects of privacy law  … Read more

Alexandra Mogyoros

As a first-year law student, Alex was very excited to be a member of Ian Kerr's research team, assisting in exploring issues that arise at the intersection of law, policy and robotics. After graduating from the English Common Law Program at the University of Ottawa, she spent a year practicing plaintiff side class-action law in Toronto, before returning to pursue her graduate studies. In 2015 she graduated from the BCL degree at the University of Oxford, St. Hugh's College. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, St. Peter's College, where she is researching intellectual property law, specifically certification marks... Read more

Andrew Bigioni

Having long been active in grassroots human rights advocacy, Andrew undertook legal studies to pursue social change on another level. While still deciding what form this will take in practice, his experience so far at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law has been outstanding. He considers himself very fortunate to have benefitted from interacting with so many brilliant and enthusiastic professors and fellow students. Apart from his classes, Andrew currently spends his time working with the Law Union at the University of Ottawa and ACORN Ottawa. He also holds a position as a Fellow with the Faculty of Law’s … Read more

Anne Uteck

From “away” as Haligonians like to say, Anne arrived in Ottawa with her two children, Spencer and Kate in September 2006 to take up doctoral studies in the law and technology programme under the supervision of Dr. Ian Kerr. She dismisses those who call her brave for such an undertaking, saying it was merely a great opportunity to get away from the east coast fog and rain. Now fully entrenched in Ottawa-life, Anne juggles her time between school and kids. They are avid movie fans, skaters, bikers, pizza lovers and the thrill of fast scary roller coasters and steep water … Read more

Asiya Hirji

Asiya’s research for Ian’s Identity Trail project focuses mainly on the implications of technology and privacy on domestic abuse. She enjoys traveling, though avoids all-inclusives at any cost, meditating with camels at sunset and taking photos of random places and things. Though she is not particularly good at them, she enjoys playing a variety of sports. Her latest athletic endeavour includes attempting to twist herself into inhuman positions at yoga class (from which she has temporarily retired after a tragic ‘downward dog’ incident). RESEARCH Researched and reported on the implications of victim relocation for psychologically abused women (2006). Researched the … Read more

Beatrice Bozinovski

You can’t install carpet in a home you expect Beatrice to live in – she’s been destroying rugs with her dancing shoes before she even lost her baby teeth. Since she was a little girl, she has tried out all different kinds of dance ranging from jazz to ballroom and settled on salsa dancing as her favorite. While pursuing all different kinds of dance styles, she decided she better use the analytical part of her brain as well, and nothing says a balanced lifestyle like business school :p After four years of exploring the business world at the Schulich School … Read more

Byron Thom

Byron Thom is still trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. In the meantime, he is an associate director at BDC Capital as part of the IT Venture Fund.

As a venture capitalist, Byron helps software companies grow and scale, looking for elusive unicorns in the Canadian tech space. As part of the hunt, he applies his engineering, legal, and entrepreneurial backgrounds, to his roster of portfolio companies - empathizing with his fellow entrepreneurs along the way. Note–playing with the latest and greatest that Canadian tech has to offer is a pretty cool perk.

When taking the time to reflect, Byron is living proof the "Law of Robotics" and "Building Better Humans" are wise course decisions (though tax and biz org would also be useful–had he taken them). Also–all that research for Ian into ubiquitous computing and rfids was a perfect primer to the advance of the Internet of Things.

Charlotte Freeman-Shaw

Charlotte’s academic and professional career has taken many interesting twists and turns and has included history, international relations, music, law and robotics, privacy, criminal and civil law. At the moment, Charlotte has landed at a boutique litigation firm where she practices insurance defence with a core emphasis on construction law, engineers’ liability, litigation and dispute resolution. She also acts for the Toronto Wildlife Centre in estate matters. Where the path will lead next is completely unknown. This comfort with the unknown and quest for diversity in her legal practice is a direct result of her … Read more

Cynthia Aoki

It was very much an honour to work with Ian throughout my law school years, between 2005 and 2008. I worked on a number of projects that investigated the convergence of neuroscience and the law. Specifically, we looked at emerging technologies and the legal implications of mind-reading and/or lie detections through fMRI machines. I am now working as a litigation lawyer in Calgary, Alberta. (Un)fortunately, I have not yet tried a case in court with the assistance of fMRI machines. Perhaps this is something for us to consider in the future. Overall, the legal analytical skills I developed through my work with Ian is something I use on a daily basis. My continued interest in emerging technologies has allowed me to write about and present on how self-driving vehicles will affect the legal community. I am forever grateful for Ian's supervision, guidance, and friendship.

Daniel W. Dylan

Daniel is now an Assistant Professor of Law at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He was called to the bar of Ontario in June 2011 and the bar of Nunavut in April 2012. He received his LL.M., which focused on Canada’s intellectual property regime in relation to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, from the University of Ottawa in April 2011, his LL.B. from the University of Ottawa in 2010, and his J.D. from the Michigan State University College of Law ... Read more

Devon Robertson

Devon tends to do things out of sequence. She has been known to eat dessert before the main course; read the final chapter of a novel first; and work as a senior administrator of a law school before obtaining a law degree. Now that she is a law student, she is hoping to put her knowledge of doing things out of sequence to good use. Devon thinks it is important to consider the social, ethical and legal implications of technologies before they are integrated into our lives. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Ian on these issues, … Read more
 

Diana Marina Cooper

During my last year of law school, I assisted Ian with research on the fascinating intersection of law and robotics. Ian also supervised a paper I wrote on liability concerns associated with open robotics. With Ian's encouragement, I submitted the paper to the We Robot conference at Stanford Law and the paper has also been recently published in a book titled Robot Law, which is co-edited by Ian. My work with Ian inspired me to focus my practice on the field of robotics, and shortly after I graduated, I developed and led the UAS & Robotics Practice Group at the law firm of LaBarge Weinstein. In late 2015, I moved in-house in a general counsel role … Read more

Elena Ponte

Elena talks, muses, and asks questions that have no answers. Her quest: Truth and Beauty and life outside the cave. When she is not trying to hash out what exactly falls within the definition of '42', Elena researches the nexus between law and emerging robotics and technology. What if judges, arbitrators and mediators were robots?

Elena has a background in chemistry and mathematics, has worked in China and in Europe (at the UN in Bruges, albeit with no sightings of Colin Farrell's existential surrealism; and at the EU in Bruxelles). Currently, Elena is based in NYC and can see the UN from her window.

Eliot Che

Eliot is part human, part internet device. He first met ian in law school – first semester of first year. A typical coffee meet up turned into an inspirational three years of fun, mentorship and scholarship for which Eliot will be forever grateful. Along the way, Eliot met ian’s other mentees and researchers, forging incredible friendships that remain strong to this day. Only possible with ian’s support and encouragement, Eliot now works as a lawyer in downtown Toronto. Whenever he can, Eliot still puts on the Google hoodie he picked up during the California field trip with ian and the super six pack. When not checking items off his to-do list, he plays hockey and climbs walls, makes iphone apps, rides a 1991 honda CB750 and untrains his dog, Max.

Felix Tang

Working with Prof. Kerr helped broaden and deepen my understanding of the law by teaching me how to critically think about applying and modifying the law to address newly created issues caused by technological change. We examined issues such as how privacy is impacted by technology, and considered the basic application of ethics and law to robotics and artificial intelligence. Prof. Kerr was great at guiding and leading us in a thoughtful and cooperative manner.

Golsa Ghamari

Golsa graduated from U of T with an Honours BA in Political Science. Her undergraduate experiences include playing the double bass on stage in Prague, hosting her own college radio show and organizing mass school snowboard trips. Having completed her first year of law, Golsa still has absolutely no idea what she wants to do as a lawyer. She hopes to somehow combine her passion for public speaking, human rights and technology into some form of legal mashup that will help her be an advocate for international social justice and spread the word by using cheap and accessible technological means. … Read more

Hannah Draper

Hannah is a third year law student and pop culture junkie. She’s concerned about social and political issues (especially feminism and privacy), law and technology, communications, and celebrity gossip. She came to law school because she figured it was the best way to do something about the things that tick her off. She finds tech law a particularly interesting area because we have no idea what tomorrow’s developments will bring — nor the legal and ethical issues they will invoke. In this field, it sometimes seems impossible to be regulatorily proactive (perhaps primarily because bureaucracy simply does not move as … Read more

Hilary Young

Before she met Ian, Hilary was a gainfully employed civil servant: a program officer at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Then, one day, a proposal for a project called “On the Identity Trail” crossed her desk… She ended up quitting her job and going to law school. … Read more

James Wishart

James is a former historian and reforestation professional who went to law school in order to test the strength of his marriage. Once there, he was extremely fortunate to be accepted into Kerr Nation in his first year. He then spent the remainder of his LL.B avoiding the black-letter and happily exploring and writing on topics in the Delta Quadrant of law: high-tech invasions of privacy, transhumanism and human enhancement, and robots. Together with Ian and other team members, James helped develop the first ever "Robot Law" course and then, naturally, enrolled in it. As a commercial litigator at the biggest law firm in the world, James is still awaiting his first robot litigation, which he may well lose to the first litigation robot.

Jason Millar

Jason Millar worked as an engineer before returning to pursue philosophy studies full time. He earned his PhD in Philosophy at Queen’s University at Kingston (Canada). His interests lie at the intersection of ethics, technology and society. Currently, Jason is researching issues in design theory and design ethics related to automation technologies (e.g. driverless cars, implantable medical devices, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other robotics technologies). He is developing models that can help designers and engineers analyze automation technologies to anticipate and avoid integration problems due to what he calls “socially awkward technology”. … Read more

Jena McGill

Jena is an LL.B./M.A. student On the Identity Trail with Ian, where her research focuses on the intersection of privacy, equality and identity. Jena moonlights as a contemporary dancer, and has recently been spotted performing in Ottawa and Montreal. When not researching or dancing, Jena teaches yoga, rides her bike, knits very long scarves and strums the 12 chords she knows on her guitar. She also thinks about writing her M.A. thesis, examining the right to food as a human right in international law. Jena is a volunteer researcher for Friends of the Earth Canada, where she is looking at corporate social responsibility in the extractive industry in Guatemala. She appreciates her hilarious friends, good vegetarian cooking and Cosby Show reruns.

Jennifer Barrigar

Jennifer was happily employed as legal counsel with the federal government when she attended an early event organized as part of Ian Kerr’s “On The Identity Trail” project.  As she listened to the speaker, she had an epiphany and realized that she needed to be part of this.  At first on loan from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, then later as one of Ian’s students, she had the opportunity to do research, to co-author papers and presentations, and to meet, work with and learn from a variety of international experts.  She emerged from the experience with an LL.M. and an LL.D. as well as a variety of new friends, experiences, and knowledge.

Jeremy Hessing-Lewis

Jeremy had the privilege of working with Ian for three years on a range of projects relating to technology and privacy. This included research on encryption, reasonable expectations of privacy, and RFID. It was a land before robots. A simpler time. Before mediated reality, there was reality simpliciter

Jeremy subsequently returned to Vancouver where he bakes pies, practices business law, and consults on law practice management. For now.

Jessica Earle

So much of what Jess was able to achieve during and immediately after law school comes down to choosing the right seat during UOttawa Law’s first-year welcome barbeque. That’s where she met Ian, and learned about his cutting-edge areas of research, and the way he involves students in his various projects.

Jess snagged a first-year research assistant position with the good doctor, and spent her first summer of law school researching … Read more

Katie Black

Katie Black is an alumna of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law and former member of the Kerr Nation. After graduating magna cum laude, she clerked for the Chief Justice of Canada, the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin. Since being called to the bar in 2010, Katie has been active an active litigator, working in both English and French at Caza Saikaley LLP. … Read more

Katie Szilagyi

Katie, with apologies to Walt Whitman, contradicts herself; after all, she contains multitudes. A former engineer, erstwhile public servant, and self-declared parliamentary junkie, Katie went to law school in pursuit of the mythical liberal arts education. She overcame her initial panic that she could not survive legal education (rooted in a mistaken belief that everyone else had read Kafka) and, thanks to Ian, entered into a magnificent period of mentorship, learning, and self-discovery. Working for Ian allowed Katie to harness her deep desire to read the entire Internet into something productive; it provided her opportunities to read about everything under the sun and—in her humble view—the best liberal arts education one could ever ask for, honing her … Read more

Kinda Aljassem

Despite having graduated from law school almost eight years ago, Kinda’s time with Professor Kerr in Puerto-Rico and the Techno-Rico course, continues to be the highlight of her law school experience. Professor Kerr opened her eyes up to the domain of privacy issues in law, particularly in the area of health care in Canada.

Following her law school graduation, Kinda attended medical school at McMaster University, and is currently completing her residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Toronto. Her advice to any law student attending U of O is as follows: If you have the chance to work with Professor Kerr, without a doubt, take it. Should you be fortunate enough to be chosen to go to Puerto-Rico, without a doubt, GO!   

Kristen Thomasen

Kristen hails from the beautiful city of Hamilton, Ontario (the city of waterfalls) where she started her lifelong academic journey learning about proto-humans in her Anthropology Undergraduate at McMaster University. But all that time spent focusing on the past had Kristen yearning to work more in the present. She went on to do a Master’s degree in International Relations at Carleton University, which inspired an interest in  … Read more

Laura Bevan

The end quickly approaches for Laura’s law school career. Although a long-time Ottawan, she plans to become a West Coast girl at least until such time as she officially becomes a Lawyer. She practices Bikram yoga with aplomb but surprisingly little flexibility. She enjoys learning of any kind, and words-of-the-day (see ‘aplomb’). She is a committed Toronto Blue Jays fan, and is notorious for streaming games over the internet when they are not being televised. Yes, even spring training games. Laura has recently decided to take up the violin, and is routinely shamed by the much younger virtuosos in her … Read more

Laura Freitag

Laura’s currently planning her next meal. When she’s not busy organizing her day around dinner, she works as a commercial litigator in downtown Toronto. The rest of the time you can find Laura at the movies, at a theatre, in a canoe, or with her nose in a book (usually fiction). Before going to law school, Laura studied English Literature and Jewish Studies and directed theatre in her spare time.

While working for Ian, Laura researched golems (for the second time in her academic career), driverless cars, and algorithms. Working for Ian showed Laura the importance of loving what you do, thinking creatively, and striving for both balance and arête (his word, not Laura’s), all of which she attempts to practice in her daily life—with mixed success. 

Max Binnie

Max has recently completed first year common law at the University of Ottawa. He obtained his Honours B.A. from Queen’s University in Canadian History. Max brings diverse experience in politics and government to his research. He is currently focused on the scope and limitations of the reasonable expectations of privacy guaranteed by section 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. RESEARCH When not conducting research of s.8 privacy rights Max chooses to fritter away his time on a variety of mindless pursuits. His current goals include achieving mastery of the Extreme Hunter Arcade Game and training his trusty sidekick, … Read more

Meenakshi Lakhanpal

Before starting law school Meenakshi (Meena) spent most of her time reading and analyzing the wiggly heart rhythms from electrocardiograms (EKGs) and working on some groundbreaking cardiology research projects at a leading cardiac center in Toronto. While working with pacemakers, implantable defibrillators and similar cardiac devices, she was intrigued by oh so fascinating interface of law and medicine. To materialize this curiosity she started her law education at University of Ottawa in 2012. Meena was very excited to learn that her med techno background could be of interest to the Guru of Law and Robotics himself-Prof. Ian Kerr. And to … Read more

Meghan Murtha

Meg began her university career in political science and international relations, earning a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at the University of Alberta and a Master of Arts at Carleton University. Like many political science majors, she eventually enrolled in law school and has never looked back. A first year uOttawa Law Contracts class with Ian led to a research assistant position on Ian’s research team and three years of fascinating work on digital privacy, technology law, and robots. Along the way, she interned at EPIC in Washington, D.C., attended several conferences, spent countless hours … Read more

Melissa Anyan

Melissa recently finished her first year of law school. In a previous life, she studied health and psychology, with her favourite lessons coming from the field of ethics. Fuelled by her new academic interest, (and love of working in her PJ’s while eating KD from the pot), Melissa set out for law school. Since teaming up with Ian, she has been busy examining the legal and ethical implications of EULA’s attached to wearable and implantable medical devices. She is particularly concerned about the privacy and autonomy implications of these practices. Seriously, Repo Men much?? Beyond law school, Melissa is fond … Read more

Michelle Desroches

Michelle is a proud uOttawa graduate who recently sat down to calculate just how long she has spent at her alma mater. Admittedly, her math skills were a little rusty but shock set in when she realized that with the arrival of 2007 comes year #13. Ever the multi-tasker, she’s managing these days to navigate her way through first year common law while still trying to figure out how to put her biochemistry degree to good use. She figured that joining Ian’s research team was definitely a step in the right direction. Michelle’s research for the Identity Trail project focuses … Read more

Natalie Senst

Natalie is a research student with Ian’s Identity Trail project, working currently to understand what sort of privacy one can reasonably expect under a whole range of situational factors (note: it seems that one can not reasonably expect to maintain secret grow ops, be they in one’s home or in one’s backyard). To protect her own identity, Natalie can be found in a variety of guises. Competitive horseback rider Natalie can currently be found pausing to train her young “Beemer”. Social Justice Natalie is deeply concerned with injustice on an international scale, and is an executive member of a student … Read more

Özlem Eskicioglu

Ever since she read the course description for Professor Kerr’s ‘Law of Robotics’ class at the University of Ottawa, Özlem has been hooked on Law and Technology. This growing interest is expressed in the recent research opportunities “Özzy” has been involved in, including: researching the concept of privacy default rules for Professor Kerr, comparing anti-spam legislation from around the world for privacy lawyer Shaun Brown, and updating practitioner Kris Klein’s book titled The Law of Privacy in Canada. Alongside her passion for law, “Öz” also has a strong commitment to her Turkish-Canadian community and is a member of the Council … Read more

Rachel Leck

Rachel learned to read in part with the help of a BASIC program her dad wrote for her on an old TRS-80 from Radio Shack. She became interested at an early age in the way we relate to technology by watching him (an early adopter) struggle to make a believer out of her mom (decidedly not an early adopter). Hindsight has shown her that being born to these particular parents is the first in a series of coincidences that led her directly (well, sort of) to law school and Ian Kerr at the University of Ottawa. She is an unapologetic … Read more

Rafael Texidor-Torres

Rafael navigates the academic and administrative seas of higher education, specifically as a professor of a number of social science and criminology courses, and serving in the Office of the General Counsel for the University of Puerto Rico's main campus. He thoroughly enjoys being deemed too square by most social theorists, and too much of a weirdo by most lawyers. His work with Ian, which ranged from cochlear implants and applied ethics to judicial legitimacy and the idea of a Chief Justice android, has unsurprisingly aided Rafael in the aforementioned navigation of higher education seas. More importantly, however, working with Ian has indeed guided Rafael in a slow but steady quest towards being good, right and just.

Reem Zaia

An old soul who prefers carbon copies over electronic versions of literature, philosophy and case law, Reem can often be found nestled with a book, the latest article in the New Yorker, or the Walrus, wrestling with new words and extrapolating some sort of metaphysical thought - a problem she attributes to her political science/philosophy degree, and to the philosopher Gottfried Leibniz. Called to the Ontario bar in 2016, she has a penchant for criminal, constitutional and parliamentary law. Between 2008 and 2015, … Read more

Sinziana Gutiu

Sinziana (Sinzi) is a lawyer who is spiritedly pursuing the seriousness of her craft while trying to maintain a healthy dose of sanity and humour. Realizing that “we only see clearly with our heart” and that “what is essential is invisible to the eyes” has served her well in this journey so far. ... Read more

Stephanie Low

After having a time in Ottawa at Fauteux Hall and researching technology and privacy law with Professor Kerr, Stephanie Low returned to her home base in Vancouver, British Columbia to practice employment and labour law.  When she's not negotiating severance packages, advising employers on workplace policies and wrongful dismissals, fighting for human rights, and pointing out employment standards, she spends her time practicing power yoga, cycling the city, hiking mountains, and camping lakeside.  She still likes cheesy '80s movies.  She's still obsessed with Cat Stevens and Fleetwood … Read more

Surinder Multani

Upon entering law school, the stress and competition filled the air in Fautuex but evaporated the minute Surinder stepped into her first contract law class with Professor Kerr, or Ian as he likes to be called. Ian wanted his students to love the law, love it enough to question and change it for the betterment of society. He didn’t want to teach future lawyers-to-be but agents of change. At least that’s what Surinder took away from the experience. Surinder was so captivated with Ian’s pedagogy and the way he saw that world that she stood tall and walked into his office, asking to work with him. During her research term with Ian... Read more

Vanya Ginic

Vanja is a corporate-commercial lawyer by day and a dog-lover, Netflix addict, and amateur chef pretty much the rest of the time. She recently graduated from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law where she was fortunate to have been a part of Ian Kerr’s research team. As a research assistant, Vanja assisted with various projects, including research into the privacy implications of “big data” with a focus on health and informed consent. There is no doubt that working with Ian was instrumental to Vanja's legal development. Not only did this opportunity improve her research and analytical skills, it also provided her with the guidance and mentorship that really makes a difference at the beginning of a legal career. Vanja is very grateful to have worked with Ian and highly recommends the opportunity to incoming students!

Zac DeLong

During my time as a law student at uOttawa I had the opportunity to research a variety of fascinating subjects at the interface between law, technology and philosophy with Ian's guidance, including the ethics of human technological enhancement and the philosophical import of the Turing Test. 

More importantly though, working with Ian was a chance to get to know him and the people he surrounds himself with. With Ian and the other... Read more