Law and Arts graduate honoured for generosity to ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ
The Hon. James Grant, BAβ58, BCLβ61, has been selected by the Faculty of Law for one of its most prestigious alumni awards β the James A. Robb Award. Named after the great ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ volunteer James Robb, BAβ51, BCLβ54, this award is intended to recognize law graduates who have shown exceptional generosity to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ community.
βJim Grant is above all a community person,β said ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Law Professor and departing Dean, Nicholas Kasirer. Speaking to dozens of Grantβs close friends, family members, and colleagues at the University Club on June 15, 2009, Kasirer called the event βtruly a family affairβ due to the many ties linking attendees. Grantβs good friend and fellow law alumnus, Senator David Angus, BCLβ62, presented the award. Also presentΒ was Jim Robb β for whom the award is named, and with whom Grant shares double ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ degrees, as well as a long and successful career at Stikeman Elliott. In addition, numerous lawyers from Stikeman Elliottβs Montreal office came to show their support for their firmβs retired partner and Chair emeritus.
Grant is recognized as a leading practitioner in corporate commercial law, finance and securities, and mergers and acquisitions. He was summoned to the Queenβs Privy Council for Canada in 1996, and is a member of the Montreal, Quebec and Canadian Bar Associations, as well as the American and International Bar Associations.
Yet despite the inherent pressures of a successful legal career, Grant has continued to support ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ, the arts community, the legal community, and the charitable sector. He has served as director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal General Hospital, as a member of the MUHC Foundationβs Executive Committee, and as co-chair of the MUHC Campaign Preparatory Task Force.
At ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ, Grant is a member of the Scarlet Key Society to promote student leadership, the Red Birds Ski Club, and is a friend to both ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ hockey and football. In particular, Grant has demonstrated great loyalty to the Faculty of Law. Β As an original member of the Faculty Advisory Board, he has served five successive deans. βWe have all learned how to take advice from Jim Grant β a man of carefully chosen words. Β He has truly been a model volunteer,β said Kasirer.
βI couldnβt be happier to complete my deanship in celebration of Jim Grant β one of ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔβs favourite sons, and one of her most loyal servants. As his dearest friend David Angus has reminded us, Jim Grant always encourages people to bring out the best in others, as he has been doing himself for members of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ community for fifty years.β
Top photo: James Grant, BAβ58, BCLβ61, with James
A. Robb, BA'51, BCL'54, for whom the award was named. Photo
credits: Claudio Calligaris