The Government of Ontario has awarded Windsor Law professor David Tanovich the 2019 David Walter Mundell Medal for excellence in legal writing. The medal is awarded by the province’s attorney general on the recommendation of a selection committee chaired by the Chief Justice of Ontario, George Strathy.

“Professor Tanovich’s critical race scholarship challenges us to examine systemic bias and urges us to work towards more equitable solutions,” Strathy wrote in a citation.

Prof. Tanovich has appeared as an appellate lawyer in more than 90 criminal and constitutional cases before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2017. He has written extensively on criminal law, legal ethics, and systemic bias in the criminal justice system. His 2006 book, The Colour of Justice: Policing Race in Canada, explores the Canadian experience, and has been frequently cited by courts, commissions, and academics.

“I am extremely honoured to win this prestigious award that Ian Scott once referred to as the ‘Pulitzer Prize for legal writing’,” says Tanovich. “Success in writing requires a team effort and I wish to thank all my colleagues at Windsor Law who have supported and encouraged me over the years. And a special thanks to all my students who have inspired me and assisted me with my work.”

Laverne Jacobs, associate dean for research and graduate studies, says of her colleague: “I can honestly think of no one more well deserving of this award than professor David Tanovich for his path-breaking research and writing.”

—Rachelle Prince