Constitutional Challengers: The Heroes, Villains, and Crusaders Behind Canada's Biggest Cases

by Adam Dodek

288 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2026

About the author

I’m a proud Canadian, teacher, scholar, husband and father.

At the University of Ottawa’s Common Law Faculty, I teach courses in Public Law, Constitutional Law, Legal Ethics and a seminar on the Supreme Court of Canada. I love teaching and have been fortunate to teach so many great students at the University of Ottawa and before that at Osgoode Hall Law School and at the University of Toronto where I began my teacher career before moving to Ottawa. One of the highlights of my career was receiving the Capital Educators Award as one of the top teachers in Ottawa in 2012.

I have been fortunate to have had many great opportunities in my career. I grew up in Vancouver and will always be a lifelong Canucks fan. I then went off to McGill University and then Harvard Law School. I received a Fulbright Scholarship to research Israeli constitutional law while clerking for the Supreme Court of Israel. After being called to the bar in California, I practiced law in San Francisco and then clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pasadena. I returned to Canada and clerked for Justice Claire L’Heureux-Dubé at the Supreme Court of Canada. After being called to the bar in Ontario, I joined the Public Law Working Group in Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s Toronto office where I practiced until the fall of 2003. At that time, I joined the staff of Ontario’s Attorney General, first as Senior Policy Adviser and then as Director of Policy and from 2005-06 as Chief of Staff.

I also love researching and writing. My areas of research include Canadian constitutional law, the Supreme Court of Canada, the legal profession, the judiciary and legal ethics.

Some other research projects involve Conflicts of Interest, the regulation of the legal profession, judicial ethics, the ethics of the expert witness, the enactment of the Canadian Charter Rights and Freedoms and the Supreme Court of Canada.

I spend a lot of time watching baseball and have enjoyed going on baseball road trips with my son. We cheer for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Vancouver Canucks and the Ottawa Senators.

Reviews

[Susan Lightstone]

An extremely important book in the current political and social environment. "Constitutional Challengers" brings Canadian constitutional law to life -- for both the lay reader and the legal professional. The chapters -- each focusing on an individual or group who challenged the law in their efforts to assert their rights under the law -- are compelling reminders of the power of the individual to stand up to their government and make their voices heard. At a time when many feel powerless, this book offers the stories of those who could have been considered "powerless" but stood up and made their voices heard. And -- in so doing -- changed the law. It's an important message and critical reminder when many are feeling defeated by the current state of affairs in the world. Constitutional Challengers is also a good reminder of how Canada became and continues to be a beacon to the world in terms of our respect for the rule of law.