Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 33 MOST INFLUENTIAL TOP THE CRIMINAL LAW/HUMAN RIGHTS ALAN YOUNG PROFESSOR, OSGOODE HALL LAW SCHOOL, TORONTO ONE OF CANADIAN LAWYER'S TOP 25 MOST INFLUENTIAL for many years, in 2013 Young was finally victorious at the Supreme Court of Canada in a case taking on the legality of the country's prostitution laws. While the government has proposed a new bill to reflect the SCC's decision in Bedford v. Canada, Young and many others are extremely critical of it. He has urged the feds to send the new bill directly to the SCC for a constitutional opinion, thereby sparing sex workers the cost, risk, and uncertainty of having to litigate protec- tions for their health and safety all over again. In the past, Young has brought constitutional challenges to Canada's gambling, obscen- ity, and drug laws, and is known for providing free legal services for people whose alternative lifestyles bring them into conflict with the law. His legal challenges led the federal government to create a regulatory program for the use of medical marijuana. Young is also the director of the Innocence Project at Osgoode Hall, which teaches students how to investigate cases of wrongful conviction. What voters had to say: "Young took a courageous stance in assisting his clients to challenge Canada's harmful and antiquated anti-sex work laws, and shone light on the dangers of criminalizing any aspect of sex work with carefully presented evidence and skilful arguments." "Alan's victory will infl uence Canada and impact Canadians to a degree rarely equalled by members of our profession." ARVAY HAS APPEARED many times in the Top 25 Most Influential because he con- tinues to push the country's moral and ethical boundaries. He's not afraid to take on some of the most socially complex cases in Canada, making way for change and improving the lives of Canadians, especial- ly those on the edges of society. He is the lawyer who fought the federal government and won in the Insight injection case at the Supreme Court of Canada last fall. As a result of his work, the only legal, super- vised drug injection site in North America will stay open to pro- vide a safe place for use of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and morphine. He also continues to work with the British Colum- bia Civil Liberties Association in the fight to decriminalize assisted suicide. JOSEPH ARVAY PARTNER, FARRIS VAUGHAN WILLS & MURPHY LLP, VANCOUVER What voters had to say: "Joe has been a fearless champion of equality rights for many many years." liam ShaRP

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