The Gowling WLG – Joel Taller Prize for Emerging Voices in Food Law is awarded to a JD student or recent law school graduate at the Canadian Food Law and Policy Conference’s annual conference. The Gowling WLG – Joel Taller Prize for Emerging Voices in Food Law is in memory of Joel Taller. 

Who is Joel Taller? Joel Taller was a pioneer and a well-known expert in the area food law in Canada.  Joel practiced for 34 years in the Ottawa office of Gowling WLG, working with companies of all sizes. Joel was well respected by both industry and government for his legal expertise and sound judgment. He was instrumental in developing the Food & Beverage group at Gowling WLG, a significant team of lawyers and scientists who support companies doing business in Canada, Europe and other jurisdictions around the world.  Joel Taller passed away on May 13, 2017.

How is the Gowling WLG - Joel Taller Prize for Emerging Voices in Food Law recipient selected? As a valued part of each annual conference, emerging voices in food law and policy are invited to present projects and/or papers on a dedicated panel. JD students and recent law graduates are invited to apply through the regular call for abstracts. The top students will be selected to present their work and provide written papers. A committee of lawyers from private practice and legal academics will review the papers, and provide comments, and sit as judges during the conference panel. The Gowling WLG - Joel Taller Prize for Emerging Voices in Food Law will be presented to the student with the best paper and presentation in the area of food law and policy.

Jacob van Boekel

JD Candidate

Western Law

Presentation: Putting Down Roots: Assessing New Entrant Programs for Dairy and Broiler Farmers in Ontario

Bio: Jacob is a third year law student at the University of Western Ontario and completed his undergraduate degree at Queen’s University. During his time at Western, Jacob has been a founding member of Western’s food law and policy student association and volunteered to conduct legal research for temporary foreign workers in the London-Middlesex region. Jacob grew up north of Woodstock, Ontario on a broiler farm and milked a neighbour’s jersey herd for five years. After graduation, Jacob plans to continue working in Woodstock at a full-service firm, especially focusing on advising farmers and agribusinesses.

Chloe Rourke
JD Candidate
McGill Faculty of Law

Presentation: Reigning in Canada’s Food Oligopoly: Is Competition Law the Solution?

Bio: Chloe is a third year law student at McGill and the Clinical Director of the Food and Agriculture Law Clinic at McGill. During her studies, she has also coordinated a legal information clinic for restaurant workers. Chloe is interested in how food and agricultural policy intersects health, workers' rights, animal welfare and climate policy. Prior to law school Chloe worked in disability management and mental health education.

Julia Witmer
JD Candidate
Dalhousie University, Schulich School of Law

Presentation: How Law Shapes Food Sovereignty in Urban Canada

Bio: Julia Witmer is entering her third year at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University and completed her undergraduate in Life Sciences at Queen’s University. She is interested in the intersection between health, food, law and policy – especially as it relates to food access. Julia completed a food policy internship with the I Halifax Regional Municipality and conducted research for Associate Professor Jamie Baxter. This summer, she is working for the legal division of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). In her free time, Julia enjoys practicing yoga, exploring Nova Scotia, crafting, cooking, and baking.

Jenna Khoury-Hanna
JD (2018)
Dalhousie University, Schulich School of Law

Presentation: A Preliminary Exploration on the Use of Grocery Store Covenants in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Bio: Jenna Khoury-Hanna is a recent graduate from Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Prior to law school, she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Politics at Acadia University. She is passionate about food security issues, as well as municipal and planning law.

Vanita Sachdeva
JD Candidate
McGill University, Faculty of Law

Presentation: Creating an Enabling Policy Environment for Agricultural Innovation: Exploring Legal Barriers in the Adoption of Waste-Derived Fertilizers

About Vanita: Vanita has a master’s degree in Soil Science and worked as an agronomist in Canada and Kenya. She specialized in converting waste into different fertilizers. She helped lobby to change regulations to allow innovative soil amendments on edible crops. She is currently a 3rd year law student at McGill University, where she worked with the Quebec Environmental Law Centre and the Just Solutions Immigration Legal Clinic. She is a founding member of the Law Needs Feminism movement and organizes mentorship opportunities for women in law.