These are among the questions Common Law researchers are exploring with support from the Law Foundation of Ontario (LFO) Research Assistance Fund for 2026–2027. Funded through the Faculty of Law’s LFO allocation, the program supports research that advances access to justice and the public interest while creating paid, hands-on learning opportunities for students.
Through research assistantships, students work alongside professors on projects addressing issues affecting communities in Ontario and beyond, developing practical research skills while contributing to research with real-world impact.
The funded projects span a wide range of legal questions and approaches. Here’s a brief look at each new initiative:
Professor Julie Ada Tchoukou – Access to justice for racialized students in Ontario universities
How do Ontario universities handle human rights complaints involving racialized students, and what do their internal processes reveal about institutional accountability? Dr. Ada Tchoukou's project will compare university human rights and complaint mechanisms, developing a framework to examine how institutions put their human rights obligations into practice. The research will also lay the groundwork for a larger study, while giving student research assistants experience in human rights research, administrative law and policy analysis.
Professor Angela Cameron – Supporting the Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot
When the Faculty of Law hosts the Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot in 2027, students and legal professionals from across Canada will come together to explore legal issues through consensus-building and Indigenous legal traditions. Professor Cameron's project will fund research assistance for the Moot's academic and educational components, including the preparation of research and learning materials. The initiative supports an experiential learning opportunity that engages participants with Indigenous laws, legal orders and contemporary issues affecting Indigenous peoples.
Professor Signa Daum Shanks – Reconstructing legal history through archival research
Professor Daum Shanks is examining the historical context surrounding a criminal proceeding whose original trial file is missing and which was never officially reported. One strand of this research investigates the complex history of Treaty 2, including the relationship between treaty boundaries, First Nations communities and later administrative decisions. A student research assistant will help uncover and assess archival materials, contributing to a broader account of historical events and their continuing significance for understanding treaty relationships.
Professor Stéphane Fournier – Making insurance regulation more accessible
Insurance regulation plays an important role in protecting policyholders and maintaining public confidence in the financial system, yet it has received relatively little sustained attention in Canadian legal scholarship. Professor Fournier's project aims to address this gap by developing a clearer and more accessible body of knowledge on how insurers and their products are regulated. The work will help make a complex area of law more accessible to those seeking to understand the rules and protections governing the insurance industry.
Professor Marel Katsivela – Strengthening Canada's maritime trade framework
With international trade facing geopolitical uncertainty and shifting commercial relationships, Professor Katsivela's project will examine how Canada can strengthen its maritime transportation system to support trade and economic resilience. A student researcher will help to analyze relevant regulations, policies and practices and develop concrete recommendations for Canada. The project will also bring together stakeholders through a conference to discuss and refine the recommendations before they are shared with government and industry representatives.
Professor Marina Pavlović – Building public interest advocacy capacity in consumer rights
Consumer problems involving telecommunications and banking can have significant consequences for individuals, yet they often receive limited attention in broader access-to-justice efforts. Professor Pavlovic's project will give student research assistants practical experience across the public interest advocacy process, from research and data collection to regulatory submissions and proceedings. The students will contribute to ongoing Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission proceedings and research examining the readability of consumer contracts, helping inform efforts to strengthen consumer protection.
Professor Doug Sarro – Expanding the reach of the uOttawa Startup Law Clinic
Since 2024, the uOttawa Startup Law Clinic has provided free legal information to early-stage businesses that may not yet be able to afford legal counsel. Professor Sarro's project aims to extend the Clinic's reach by developing an online, bilingual legal playbook to help startup founders navigate common legal issues. The research will also gather feedback from the founders the Clinic serves, helping assess its impact, improve student learning and inform an annual activity report.
Professor David Wiseman – Exploring access to justice for tenants in Ottawa
What can available data tell us about tenants’ experiences when facing eviction in Ottawa? Professor Wiseman's project will examine the information available to assess tenant access to justice, including the role of paralegals in eviction proceedings before the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board. It will also investigate how tenants navigate the threat of eviction and whether an ongoing, open-access database could support future research and law reform advocacy. Two law students will gain hands-on experience conducting research focused on housing and access to justice.
Through its support for the Common Law Section, the Law Foundation of Ontario is helping create these opportunities for research, student development and public engagement. For students, the funding creates opportunities to work alongside professors on research that extends beyond the classroom. For the broader community, the projects aim to produce knowledge and resources that can inform legal practice, public policy and institutional decision-making.
The Common Law Section thanks the Law Foundation of Ontario for its support and looks forward to following the research and impact that emerge from these projects.