The University of Alberta Faculty of Law would like to congratulate its esteemed colleague, Professor Shannon O'Byrne, on being the recipient of the Law Society of Alberta's Distinguished Service Award for Legal Scholarship.
Deemed by Uof A Faculty of Law's Dean Philip Bryden as "one of Canada's very best legal scholars," Professor O'Byrne is described as "remarkably well rounded and prolific." A small library could be built around her scholarly publications and that library would certainly be well frequented. Her articles have received over 40 judicial citations at different levels of the court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Professor O'Byrne's analysis of both private and public law issues speak to her breadth of knowledge. A few subjects cited as particularly influential include: her advocacy for the development of the doctrine of good faith performance in Canadian contract law, her approach to recovery for mental distress damages and her path-breaking work on discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
"I was absolutely delighted to receive recognition from the Law Society of Alberta for my legal scholarship," said Professor Shannon O'Byrne. "I very much appreciate the encouragement that this recognition provides."
Professor O'Byrne's first-rate reputation has earned invitations to present at numerous academic and continuing legal education conferences, most notably the National Judicial Institute Conference. Professor O'Byrne has also co-authored four editions of Canada's leading business law textbook, Canadian Business & the Law. Professor O'Byrne was the 1995 recipient of the Southwestern Publishing Distinguished Proceedings Paper Award through the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. As noted by her colleagues, Professor O'Byrne has always emphasized that teaching and research directly support each other. Professor O'Byrne has published and delivered papers in the areas of good faith in contractual performance; recovery of mental distress damages in a breach of contract action; human rights; employment law; disclosure duties; economic justice; public law theory as well as the relationship between law and literature.
In a similar regard, she has been commended as "one of the faculty members from whom the University of Alberta Faculty of Law derives much of its strength." In 2002 she was awarded the University of Alberta's highest teaching honour, the Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. In 2002, Professor Shannon O'Byrne was the Faculty of Law's Tevie H. Miller Teaching Excellence Award recipient, that same year she also received the University's highest teaching award The AC Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Professor O'Byrne teaches contracts law, corporations law, and judicial remedies.
Professor Shannon O'Byrne will receive the award at the Alberta Law Conference 2014, at The Westin Calgary, from January 30 -31, 2014.