Asper Centre Announces 2026 Constitutional Litigator in Residence: Justin Safayeni

The David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights is pleased to announce that Justin Safayeni (JD 2009) has been selected as the 2026 Constitutional Litigator in Residence by Executive Director Cheryl Milne.

In this role, Justin will co-teach the Asper Centre’s Constitutional Litigation Clinic course in Fall 2026 alongside Cheryl Milne. The Litigator in Residence program offers Jackman Faculty of Law students a unique opportunity to engage directly with leading practitioners in the field. Through this collaboration, students gain practical, first-hand insight into constitutional advocacy and appellate litigation.

Justin is serving as counsel to the Asper Centre in its application for leave to intervene at the Supreme Court of Canada in Vabuolous, a case raising a Charter challenge to the constitutional limits on state action affecting fundamental rights; he will work with students on this and other files, including the Asper Centre’s ongoing challenge to the federal voting age. 

The Asper Centre looks forward to welcoming Justin Safayeni, and to another year of impactful, experiential learning in constitutional litigation.

About Justin Safayeni

Justin Safayeni is a partner at Stockwoods LLP where he practices administrative law, constitutional law, media/defamation law, and commercial litigation. He is an experienced appellate advocate who has appeared before all levels of court in Canada, including on several occasions as lead counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Justin frequently acts for litigants, including public interest organizations, in constitutional matters. He has litigated cases involving a broad range of Charter rights, including freedom of religion, freedom of expression, voting rights, s. 7 rights, the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and equality rights, as well as matters involving aboriginal rights. He has a particular interest in cases raising free expression issues, particularly as they relate to the media and the practice of journalism.

Justin is active in the legal community. He writes frequently about legal issues in mainstream, industry and academic publications. He has taught Canadian Administrative Law as part of Osgoode Law School’s Common Law LLM program and regularly presents on topics relating to administrative and constitutional law. Justin serves as the Vice-Chair of the Advocates’ Society’s Appellate Practice Group and previously served as Chair of the Regulatory and Administrative Law Practice Group. He also serves as Director and Treasurer of the Canadian Media Lawyers’ Association.

After completing law school at the University of Toronto, Justin served as a law clerk to the Hon. Justices Laskin, Goudge and MacFarland of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Justin is past winner of the Precedent Setter Award (2017), which recognizes lawyers for excellence and leadership in the legal community, and the Lexpert Rising Star award (2023), which recognizes leading lawyers under 40 years old. Justin is consistently listed by Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of Administrative and Public Law and Appellate Practice.