Samantha Misner awarded Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize by Royal Society of Canada
Samantha Misner, an alum of the juris doctor (JD) program at the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law and the master of global affairs program at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, has been awarded the Royal Society of Canada's Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize for 2025.
The annual award, valued at $1,000, is given to a graduating law student from each of Canada's law schools who is poised to positively influence equity and social justice in Canada or globally. It is named in honour of University College and Faculty of Law alum Rosalie Abella, a retired Supreme Court of Canada justice who is celebrated for her visionary intellectual contributions and commitment to equality and equity.
Misner has worked in refugee rights, disability advocacy, and women’s legal empowerment. At Jackman Law, she contributed to disability rights advocacy before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, supported Indigenous-led advocacy at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and led human rights research in India and Brazil. She also authored a report for Humanity & Inclusion Canada which focused on how climate induced migration impacts persons with disabilities.
She has spent her summers focused on enhancing access to justice, working at the pro bono legal clinic in Johannesburg’s Labour Court, with the International Development Law Organization in The Hague and with the Canada-U.S. Border Rights Clinic supporting refugee claimants.
Misner is currently articling as a Public Interest Fellow at Luke’s Place, supporting women who have been subjected to intimate partner violence as they navigate family law challenges.
