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The Stanley M. Corbett Awards for Excellence in Teaching are being established as a joint initiative of the Faculty of Law and the Law Students’ Society to recognize teaching excellence by instructors in the Faculty of Law.
No more than two awards may be made each academic year on the basis of a sustained commitment to excellence and innovation in teaching and student learning over a number of years or to reflect excellence in teaching and student learning in a particular academic year. These awards will replace the former annual L.S.S. Teaching Awards for a full-time faculty member and for a sessional lecturer.

These awards will be non-monetary, however each recipient will be recognized with an individually engraved wooden plaque.  

In his 50-year association with Queen’s University, Stanley M. Corbett, LLB’95 (BA’66, MA’72, PhD’82), distinguished himself as a scholar, author, teacher, mentor, leader, colleague and friend. He started his studies in mathematics and moved to philosophy for post-graduate studies. After several years on faculty at Acadia University, including a term as Head of its Philosophy Department, he decided to return to Queen’s in 1992 to undertake a law degree.

Many of his greatest contributions to Queen’s Law were made as Associate Dean (Academic). First appointed in 2008, he held this post for an unprecedented three terms, and undertook all his duties with his characteristic skill, good judgment, sense of humour, and deep dedication to the school.

Stan routinely carried a heavier-than-usual teaching load and at the same time was an accomplished author. His 2007 book, Human Rights Law and Commentary (LexisNexis Canada), now in its second edition, can be found in more than 100 law libraries across North America. He published another two dozen articles, reviews and other materials over his career.

Under his guidance, the law school added a new introduction to legal skills course to the first-year program; and updated its curriculum to meet the evolving needs of today’s law students and the legal profession.

His other main legacy is as a beloved teacher, winning the Law Students’ Society Teaching Excellence Award three times. Among his fondest tasks, he served as the Academic Director of the Global Law Programs at the Bader International Study Centre at Herstmonceux Castle for six years, where he would always be found at the castle pub engaged in great conversations with students and faculty.

Eligibility

1. An Instructor is eligible to be nominated for this award if she or he held a tenured, tenure-track, continuing adjunct, term adjunct or sessional lecturer appointment with the Faculty of Law in the academic year of the nomination.
2. The candidate must teach at least one course worth a minimum of three units of credit in the J.D. program for the Faculty of Law.

Nomination Criteria

1. Awarded to recognize an instructor’s outstanding achievements as a teacher, during a single academic year or over the course of a number of years.   
2. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
   • enthusiasm and innovation in teaching
   • an ability to motivate students to learn
   • skill at facilitating student-faculty interaction in class
   • sensitivity to the needs and interests of students from diverse groups
   • an ability to convey information in a clear and organized fashion
   • depth of knowledge in his or her field
   • ability to adapt course delivery and course materials to ensure accessibility for students with disabilities
   • receptivity to students’ questions, new ideas and diverse viewpoints
   • a commitment to students over and above the norm
   • ready willingness to consult with and mentor students outside the classroom
   • a broader commitment to improving the learning environment  

Nomination Procedure

1. Nominators: The following may make a nomination:
   • any registered J.D. student
   • a faculty member
2. Nominations
   • Nominations will be submitted online at a site set up by the Faculty administration for this purpose.
   • The call for nominations will go out on February 1 of each year, with the deadline for submission on the last day of February.
   • A nomination should be supported by at least two letters which explain how the nominee meets the criteria. (2 page limit, double-spaced, font no smaller than 11 pt).

Selection Procedure

1. A joint committee comprised of the L.S.S. VP Academic, the Associate Dean (Academic), and three students-at-large nominated by the L.S.S. and affirmed by Faculty Board.
2. The selection committee may ask for further information from the nominee, such as a copy of her or his curriculum vitae, posted USAT results or comments from students in relation to the course(s) taught by the nominee.
3. Any member of the selection committee who nominates an instructor for this award must recuse themselves from the deliberations and any voting surrounding their nominee.
4. If the selection committee cannot reach an agreement, the Dean and L.S.S. President may be asked to participate in the decision-making process and may exercise a vote on the result.

Presentation and Publication of the Award

1. This award will be presented at the celebration ceremony for the Law Students’ Society Recognition Awards at the end of March each year.
2. An engraved individual wooden plaque will be presented to the recipient.
3. A master plaque of Teaching Award Recipients will be displayed in the Law School.
4. Pictures will be taken of the recipient at the celebration and news of the award will be published on the Faculty website, on the website of the Queen’s Centre for Teaching & Learning and in other electronic and print publications of the Faculty and Queen’s University.

Adopted by the Law Students’ Society Council on the 26 day of November, 2015.

Adopted at Faculty Board of the Faculty of Law on the 15th day of January, 2016.

Past Winners

2023 - 2024 Robert Yalden (Full-time Faculty)
2023 - 2024 Debra Haak (Sessional Instructor)
2022 - 2023 Jacob Weinrib (Full-time Faculty)
2022 - 2023 Not Awarded (Sessional Instructor)
2021 - 2022 Art Cockfield (Full-time Faculty)
2020 - 2021 Samuel Dahan (Full-time Faculty)
2019 - 2020 Mohamed Khimji (Full-time Faculty)
2019 - 2020 Not Awarded (Sessional Instructor)
2018 - 2019 Jacob Weinrib (Full-time Faculty)
2018 - 2019 Hugh Adsett (Sessional Instructor)
2017 - 2018 Lisa Kelly (Full-time Faculty)
2017 - 2018 Dahman Kissoon (Sessional Instructor)
2016 - 2017 Donald Stuart (Full-time Faculty)
2016 - 2017 Ian Smith (Term Adjunct)
2016 - 2017 Amy Ohler (Term Adjunct)
2015 - 2016 Nicolas Lamp (Full-time Faculty)
2015 - 2016 Dhaman Kissoon, Law’89 (Sessional Instructor)

Past Winners

2014 Winter Owen Widgerson
2014 Winter Joe Wilkinson
2014 Fall Mark Ellis
2013 Fall Bernard Adell
2013 Winter James Vigmond
2012 Fall  Justin Connidis
2012 Winter David Stratas
2011 Fall Paul Kissik
2011 Winter Paul Burstein
2010 Fall Blair McKenize
2010 Winter Bernie Adell
2009 Fall Dhaman Kissoon
2009 Winter James Vigmond
2008 Fall David Stratas
2008 Winter Mary-Jo Maur
2006 Fall Cynthia Tape
2006 Winter David Stratas
2005 Fall Linda Crush
2005 Winter Mary-Jo Maur
2004 Fall David Stratas
2004 Winter Jillian Boyd
2003 Fall Kimberly Whaley
2003 Winter Jillian Boyd
2002 Fall Dhaman Kissoon
2002 Winter David Stratas
2001 Fall Sharryn Aiken
2001 Winter Edmund Kwaw

Past Winners

2014 Winter Christopher Essert
2014 Winter Patricia Peppin
2014 Fall Erik Knutsen
2013 Fall Beverley Baines
2013 Winter Stanley Corbett
2012 Fall  Joshua Karton
2012 Winter Tsvi Kahana
2011 Fall Lisa Dufraimont
2011 Winter Nicholas Bala
2010 Fall Erik Knutsen
2010 Winter Darryl Robinson
2009 Fall Donald Stuart
2009 Winter Martha Bailey
2008 Fall Tanya Monestier
2008 Winter Hoi Kong
2006 Fall Stanley Corbett
2006 Winter Sharryn Aiken
2005 Fall Donald Stuart
2005 Winter Allan Manson
2004 Fall Anita Anand
2004 Winter Susan Miklas
2003 Fall Michael Pratt
2003 Winter Gary Trotter
2002 Fall Allan Manson
2002 Winter Kim Brooks
2002 Winter Donald Carter
2001 Fall Sheila McIntyre
2001 Winter Gary Trotter
2000 Fall Bruce Pardy
2000 Winter David J. Mullan
1999 Fall Alex Easson
1999 Winter Ronald J. Delisle
1999 Winter Kathy Lahey
1998 Fall Nick Bala
1998 Winter Kathy Lahey
1997 Fall Ronald J. Delisle
1995 - 1996 Donald Galloway
1995 - 1996 Sheila McIntyre
1995 - 1996 Donald Stuart
1994 - 1995 Charlene Mandell
1993 - 1994 Bill Flanagan
1992 - 1993 Nick Bala