About Us
Who are we?
The Legal & Literary Society is one of the oldest professional student societies in Canada. Founded in 1876, The Legal & Literary Society is responsible for coordinating and funding the numerous professional, athletic, social and extracurricular activities at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Colloquially called ‘Legal & Lit’ or ‘L&L’, the body is the primary student government at Osgoode Hall Law School, and works in collaboration with Osgoode Hall Student Caucus to provide student services which help keep Osgoode Hall Law School one of Canada’s most prestigious law schools.
Legal & Lit is governed by a group of student leaders, the Executive, who are elected annually from all three years of the J.D. program. However, every J.D. student of Osgoode Hall is a member of Legal & Lit and everyone is encouraged to get involved and participate.
Our Constitution
The constitution of the Legal and Literary Society of Osgoode Hall Law School was approved by referendum on March 16, 2007 and amended in 2021. It contains 25 Articles and 27 By-Laws which we adhere to as your student government. Any questions about the constitution may be addressed to the President.
Executive Positions and Responsibilities
Every year, eight upper year students and four 1L students are elected to positions on L&L.
Click on any of the tabs below to learn about the position.
President
Treasurer
The treasurer oversees L&L books and JCR finances and presents a written report on financial status of L&L to the Executive at the end of each semester. They are responsible for the coordination of audit accounts receivable; accounts payable; banking & deposits; reimbursement and gifts for clubs; payroll for hired positions; preparation of T4s; remittance of withholdings; quarterly GST remittances; bi-annual retail sales tax payments; and monthly bank reconciliation and preparing the L&L budget.
Vice-President Internal
The VPI acts as second-in-command to the president, representing L&L whenever the president is unavailable, and sit as a member of Student Caucus. They run all social media for L&L, including the website. They supervise the JCR bar (which is managed by Osgoode students) and represent L&L in Orientation Week and the Wendy Babcock Drag Show.
Vice-President External
The VPX acts as general liaison between the Executive, York Temporary Use of University Space Office, and all clubs recognized by L&L (see club directory). They oversee operations of all clubs recognized by L&L, and maintain records of club membership and constitutions. They represent L&L on such committees, bodies, or councils as the president may designate.
Vice-President Outreach
The VPO focuses on funding and sponsorships to support the various projects L&L works on. They coordinate with law firms and other organizations to continue to provide a good social environment for Osgoode students. The VPO coordinates with other student government positions to take advantage of this funding through event planning and exciting initiatives.
Secretary
The secretary is Communication Officer for internal e-mailing and all L&L communications with the student body. They maintain the L&L Constitution and By-laws and keep meeting minutes. They prepare meeting agendas with the President and aid in the scheduling of events.
Equity Officer
The equity officer promotes initiatives and activities that aim to raise awareness of discrimination on campus and in the community. They sit as a member of Student Caucus and on the Equality Committee. They are responsible for observing all activities of L&L (and those supported by L&L) to ensure that they are not exclusionary or discriminatory in nature and address any problems as they arise within all best efforts and represent L&L when issues regarding discrimination and equity are raised in the York University and Osgoode Hall Law School community. They work with the President and Vice President External to develop equity-based and other relevant campaigns and actively solicit the opinions of equity seeking groups and work with those groups and other partners for the promotion of a discrimination free, equitable, and safe campus.
Social Conveyer
The social convener runs weekly Pub Nights at venues in downtown Toronto. They coordinate an annual Ski Trip to Blue Mountain. They also support other L&L execs and the student body with events they run off campus.
3L Representative
The 3L rep acts as a liaison between the third year class and the Executive. They coordinate the annual Dean’s Formal a.k.a. Law Prom and arranges for graduation photographs. They also coordinate end of the year social functions with the Social Convenor.