Western Law welcomes human rights lawyer Sunil Gurmukh as new visiting lecturer

He will teach on racial profiling in policing and prohibited speech during the winter term

Western Law welcomes human rights lawyer Sunil Gurmukh as new visiting lecturer

Western Law has announced that human rights lawyer Sunil Gurmukh will join the faculty of law as a visiting lecturer for the winter term.

Gurmukh has represented clients in several human rights cases before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and in various courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He established the Gurmukh Family Bursary in Law at Western University with his father. The scholarship aims to enhance racial diversity at the law school. He has been leading the hidden racial profiling project at Western Law since 2020 and was a member of the faculty’s anti-racism working group.

Gurmukh will teach two courses at Western Law during the winter term – Racial Profiling in Policing and Hate Speech in Canada. These courses aim to focus on the experiences of equity-deserving communities and help students think like litigators and policy advisors.

“We are delighted to continue to work with Sunil at Western Law,” acting dean Christopher Nicholls said. “Sunil’s significant experience as a practitioner is an asset for students who hope to pursue human rights law and those seeking to deepen their understanding of critical systemic issues in the justice system.”

Gurmukh started teaching the racial profiling course in 2019. The subject introduces the legal framework governing policing, police oversight bodies in Ontario, and the province’s human rights system. Students will learn the systemic dimensions, emerging forms of racial profiling, and the different approaches to reducing racial profiling in policing.

Hate Speech in Canada is a new intensive course offered by Western Law. Students will explore legal frameworks governing hate speech, the definition of “hatred” in Canadian law, freedom of expression, and anti-hate legislation’s constitutionality. They will also learn about solutions, including legislative reform, education, and policy reform.

“It’s a critical moment to take both these courses,” said Gurmukh. “We are in the middle of a national conversation on systemic racism in policing and solutions. We also witness an alarming rise of hate, including hate crimes and online hate.”

 

Related stories

Free newsletter

Our newsletter is FREE and keeps you up to date on all the developments in the Ontario legal community. Please enter your email address below to subscribe.

Recent articles & video

Ontario superior court awards accident victim $1 million despite defence claims she was malingering

Common law reasonable notice still longer than extended mass termination notice: employment lawyer

Jessica Reekie appointed as new executive director of Community Legal Education Ontario

Ontario Superior Court approves settlement for a child hit by a car while crossing the road

Federation of Ontario Law Associations and FullStop slate trade barbs over law library funding

OCA finds force majeure clause allows for rent-free lease extension over COVID-19 lockdown period

Most Read Articles

OCA finds force majeure clause allows for rent-free lease extension over COVID-19 lockdown period

Federation of Ontario Law Associations and FullStop slate trade barbs over law library funding

Changes to personal injury law rules mean firms must be strategic: innovation forum webinar panel

Ontario superior court awards accident victim $1 million despite defence claims she was malingering