Ottawa – The Foundation for Legal Research’s (FLR) 2015 Walter Owen Book Prize has been awarded to Adam Dodek, Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, for his book Solicitor-Client Privilege, published by Lexis-Nexis.
Solicitor-Client Privilege explains key aspects of lawyer-client confidentiality, analyzes the exceptions to privilege, conditions where privilege is unclear, and situations of competing interests that might bring into question the application of privilege.
Timothy C. Matthews, Q.C., of the FLR selection committee, describes the book as comprehensive, well-written and a fascinating overview of the subject. “I learned a great deal in reading it and it is directly relevant to my day-to-day practice, not only in civil litigation but also in analyzing the interplay of client rights and solicitor duty in the day-to-day practice of law,” he says.
“I believe it would also be a great resource for every judge whenever an issue of solicitor-client privilege arises,” adds Timothy Matthews.
The prize alternates annually between English and French-language books. This year’s prize goes to an English book. Sixteen books were nominated and five were shortlisted.
Professor Dodek teaches public law and legislation, constitutional law, legal ethics and professional responsibility, and a seminar on the Supreme Court of Canada at University of Ottawa. He is a founding member of the faculty’s Public Law Group, the director of the Professionalism Initiative, and co-founder of the Legal Writing Academy.
He graduated from McGill University and Harvard Law School, before receiving a Fulbright Scholarship to research Israeli constitutional law while clerking for the Supreme Court of Israel. After being called to the bar in Ontario, he joined the public law working group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s Toronto office where he practised until the fall of 2003.
His areas of research include public law, the legal profession, the judiciary and legal ethics. In 2012 he received the Capital Educators Award as one of the top teachers in Ottawa. In 2015, the Law Society of Upper Canada awarded him the Law Society Medal for outstanding service to the legal profession.
The Walter Owen Book Prize, awarded by the Foundation for Legal Research, is designed to recognize excellent legal writing and to reward outstanding new Canadian projects that enhance the quality of legal research in this country. The $10,000 cash prize is funded by the Foundation.
The prize will be presented in February 2016 at the CBA’s Mid-Winter Meeting of Council.
The CBA is dedicated to support for the rule of law, and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 36,000 lawyers, notaries in Quebec, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.