2025

Kenechukwu Aneke successfully defended his thesis, Housing Rights Implications of Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto and Vancouver: Towards a Legal Framework that Effectively Protects the Right to Adequate Housing in Canada on February 13, 2025. Supervisor: Prof. Dwight Newman

Ifeanyi Oguegbu sucessfully defended his thesis, Opening the Flood Gates or the Access Gates? Licensing and Regulation of Paralegals for Access to Justice in Nigeria and Canada on January 13, 2025. Supervisor: Sarah Buhler.

2024

Mehrnoush Emamiamin successfully defended her thesis, Legal Analysis of State Responsibility in Civilian Aircraft Accidents: Downing of Ukrainian International Airline Flight PS752 on December 11, 2024. Supervisor: Robin Hansen.

Oladele Adeniji successfully defended his thesis, Rights-Based Appraisal of Some Aspects of Nigerian Mental Health Laws: Perspectives from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on June 17, 2024. Supervisor: Professor Doug Surtees.

Theresa Olagunju successfully defended her thesis, Recalibrating the Legal Approach to Oil Spill Regulation in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region: Insights from Alberta on Sustainable Development in the Oil and Gas Industry on May 9, 2024. Supervisor: Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu.

2023 

Ginikachi Okewulonu successfully defended her thesis, The Regulation of Social Media in Nigeria and its Effect on Free Speech: Perspectives from constitutional law and international norms on December 14, 2023. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

Victory Okondu successfully defended her thesis, HUMAN RIGHTS, CULTURE AND LAW: STRATEGIES TO INDIGENIZE RESPONSES TO GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN IGBO COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA on December 6, 2023. Supervisor: Dr. Lucinda Vandervort.

Thomas Enns successfully defended his thesis, CULTIVATING TREATY RELATIONSHIPS:  THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COWS AND PLOUGHS CLAUSES FOR THE NUMBERED TREATIES on October 16, 2023. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

Michael Dunn successfully defended his thesis, On His Majesty’s Honour: The Nature of the Crown in Indigenous Relations on May 23rd, 2023. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

Lola Ayotunde successfully defended her PhD dissertation titled “INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ PROCEDURAL ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS AND TRANSNATIONAL INDIGENOUS ADVOCACY NETWORKS” on April 14th, 2023. Co-supervisors: Dwight Newman & Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu.

Eseosa Omoruyi successfully defended her thesis, "REGULATING THE USE OF CRYPTO-ASSETS AS COLLATERAL IN SECURED TRANSACTIONS: U.S AND CANADIAN PERSPECTIVES" on April 13th, 2023. Supervisor: Clayton Bangsund.

Brenda Yuen successfully defended her thesis, Trauma Informed Lawyering: Practicing Emotional Acknowledgement on January 23, 2023. Supervisor: Sarah Buhler. 

2022

Ademola Adeyoju successfully defended his thesis, State Surveillance, the Right to Privacy, and Why We May Need a New International Law on November 14, 2022. Supervisor: Dr. Barbara von Tigerstrom.

Feyisola Akintoye successfully defended her thesis, Multilateralism and the Integration of the Sustainable Development Goals into International Investment Law on October 26, 2022. Supervisor: Professor Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu.

Amy Zarzeczny successfully defended her PhD dissertation, Regulation and Governance of Access to Unproven Medical Interventions in Canada: A Case Study Analysis on October 3, 2022. At Spring 2023 graduation, Amy will earn the first ever USask PhD in Law degree!  Supervisor: Dr. Barbara von Tigerstrom.

Mason Stott successfully defended his thesis, Legislative Reform to Foster a Sustainable Orbital Launch Industry in Canada in April 2022.  Supervisor: Robin Hansen.

Michelle Delorme successfully defended her thesis Supporting Property Interests on Lands Reserved for First Nations in February 2022. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

2021

Alan Rankine successfully defended his thesis Judicial Interpretation, Formal Amendment or the Ballot Box: Recognizing Civic Democracy in the Constitution of Canada on Aug. 4, 2021. Supervisors: Felix Hoehn and Mark Carter.

Meredith Maloof successfully defended her LLM thesis Post-Mortem Organs and Tissue Through a Property Law Lens: How Principles of Property Law Can Guide Lawmakers to a Better Organ Donation Framework on Jan. 19, 2021. Supervisor: Felix Hoehn.

Oluwadamilola (Dammy) Asuni successfully defended his LLM thesis A Comparison of the Legal and Institutional Framework for Regulating Human Rights in the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria and Canada on Jan. 6, 2021. Supervisor: Robin Hansen.

2020

Florence Ifediba successfully defended her LLM thesis Rethinking Canada’s Duty to Consult Doctrine: Accommodating Aboriginal Rights in the Deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on Dec. 6, 2020. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

Tamara Pearl successfully defended her LLM thesis titled Māmawī Wīchihitowin: Colonization is not about sharing space. The Treaties are. on Sept. 4, 2020. Supervisor: Larry Chartrand.

Scott Hitchings successfully defended his LLM thesis titled Personal Property Security Interests on Lands Reserved for First Nations on June 19, 2020. Supervisor: Ronald C.C. Cuming.

Chukwunonso Ekolisa successfully defended their LLM thesis titled Framework for Obligations Regarding Environmental Protection and Human Rights in Nigeria's Bilateral Investment Treaties on Jan. 15, 2020. Supervisor: Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu.

2019

Andrew Dusevic successfully defended his LLM thesis titled Risk-Informed Decision Making and the Regulation of Small Modular Reactors on April 29, 2019. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

Hilary Peterson successfully defended her thesis titled Applying Gladue Principles Requires Meaningful Incorporation of Indigenous Legal Systems and Values, including Consideration of Community-Based Alternatives to Incarceration on March 29, 2019. Supervisor: Glen Luther.

2018

Gideon Odionu successfully defended his LLM thesis Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Gas Flaring in Nigeria: Perspectives on Law and Regulation on September 10, 2018. Supervisor: Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu.

Nnaemeka Ezeani successfully defended his LLM thesis titled Appropriate Legal Principles for Determination of Compensation for Infringements of Aboriginal Title in Canada on Aug. 30, 2018. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

Frankie Young successfully defended her LLM thesis A Comprehensive Assessment of the Tax Issues Related to Indigenous Settlement Trusts on August 28, 2018. Supervisor: Tamara Larre.

Sheethal Veettil successfully defended her thesis Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Over Forest Resource Governance in India and Canada:  Debating the Role of Decentralization on June 13, 2018. Supervisor: Dwight Newman.

• View complete list of defended theses

Enns wins University of Saskatchewan Graduate Thesis Award

Thomas Enns was selected as the 2024 winner in the Social Sciences A category of the University of Saskatchewan Master’s Thesis Awards for his dissertation, Cultivating Treaty Relationships: The Significance of the Cows and Ploughs Clauses for the Numbered Treaties. Thomas was supervised by Professor Dwight Newman with committee members, Professors Hoehn and Patricia Farnese. The award is presented annually by USask's College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Canadian Bar Association Essay Contest

LLM Candidate, Ademola Adeyoju was the 2022 recipient of the Canadian Bar Association’s Privacy and Access Law Section Student Essay Contest

CELF Graduate Scholarship

PhD candidate Ben Ralston received the Canadian Energy Law Foundation (CELF) Graduate Scholarship for 2022-2023. 

Ron and Linda Fritz Graduate Scholarship in Law established

• For USask JD graduates with an average 80% or better who have been admitted to a graduate program in Scotland or England
• To recognize academic achievement of students who have completed undergraduate studies in law at the University of Saskatchewan and to support their pursuit of graduate studies in law at a university in England or Scotland
• Apply by forwarding proof of admission/enrolment by June 30 annually to law.gradstudies@usask.ca

EM Culliton Scholarship

• Established by the Law Society of Saskatchewan to provide a special scholarship for the pursuit of post-graduate studies in criminal law.
• Awarded to a graduating student of the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan or to a resident practising member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan for the pursuit of graduate studies in criminal law at a recognized institution.
• The recipient will be selected on the basis of academic record and research potential, service to the practice of law in Saskatchewan, and such other guidelines as from time to time may be determined appropriate by the committee.
• Learn more by visiting Awards, Bursaries and Scholarships on the Law Society of Saskatchewan website.

Questions? Need additional information? Please contact:

College of Law
15 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A6

Graduate Chair
Email: law_graddirector@usask.ca

Graduate Program Contact
Email: law.gradstudies@usask.ca

For more information on applying to the LLM program:
U of S Future Graduate Students website