From advancing ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence in the legal profession to improving access to justice through technology, Dr. Amy Salyzyn has made remarkable contributions to knowledge mobilization acrossCanada’s justice system. Her sustained efforts to translate complex legal research into practical guidance, public education, and policy development are recognized this year through the Common Law Section’s Award for Excellence in Knowledge Mobilization.
The Common Law Section introduced internal awards to highlight the importance of committed teaching, active and innovative research, and generous service to the community, the University, and the Faculty of Law. The Award for Excellence in Knowledge Mobilization is awarded to a faculty member who has demonstrated creativity, innovation and/or impact in the realization of knowledge mobilization activities and/or products. The successful candidate will have demonstrated an excellent ability to engage knowledge users throughout the research process.
Dr. Amy Salyzyn is a Faculty member at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society, and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section at the University of Ottawa. She was recently awarded the Dean of Common Law’s Research Professorship in Technology and Justice Futures. Her work examines how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are reshaping legal practice, professional responsibility, and access to justice.
Since joining the University of Ottawa in 2014, Dr. Salyzyn has delivered more than 100 continuing professional education sessions for lawyers, judges, and tribunal members across Canada. Through collaborations with organizations such as the Law Society of Ontario and the Canadian Bar Association, she has helped legal professionals navigate the ethical and practical implications of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Dr. Salyzyn has helped develop educational initiatives for self-represented litigants and high school students, including the Access to Justice Legal Apps Challenge Modules, which encourage young people to think criticallyabout how technology can improve access to justice. Through a partnership between the University of Ottawa and the Ontario Justice Education Network, these initiatives have already reached hundreds of students acrossOntario.
Her research agenda is explicitly oriented toward impact and mobilization. She has published more than 30 books, chapters, and articles on topics including AI and legal ethics, access to justice, court forms, privacy, equality, and professional regulation. Her chapter “AI and Legal Ethics” in Artificial Intelligence and the Law in Canada (LexisNexis, 2021) is widely regarded as a foundational text. Written before the widespread adoption of generative AI, it provided an early ethical framework that has since guided regulators and practitioners. The chapter has been downloaded more than 1,600 times on SSRN and cited by the International Bar Association, demonstratingits uptake beyond academia.
Dr. Salyzyn’s research on AI, legal ethics, and access to justice has had significant impact, informing regulators, policymakers, and public-facing legal tools used across Canada. She continues to contribute to national discussions on innovation and professional regulation through advisory roles with courts, regulators, and legal organizations.
Congratulations to Dr. Amy Salyzyn on this well-deserved recognition.