Zack Goldford graduated not just at the top of the Law & Society (LASO) program in 2019, but with the highest academic standing at York University across all Faculties. For that, he won the prestigious Governor General’s Academic Medal – now he surpasses another milestone: Supreme Court clerkship.
LASO’s teachers remember him well for his commitment and enthusiasm not only to his studies, but also for the support he gave other students in the classroom. According to Professor Jacqueline Krikorian, “Zack always stood out in the classroom for his advanced knowledge on the course material but also, as importantly, for always encouraging other students presenting their ideas and work.”
York Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps is “incredibly proud of Zack’s accomplishments at York and the path that he is now on. His appointment to the judicial law clerk program at the Supreme Court of Canada is a tremendous achievement and presents a unique opportunity to effect positive change across the country.”
After graduating from York, Goldford headed off to McGill University where, in three years, he completed both his common law (JD) and his civil law (BCL) degrees. As part of his degree program, Goldford worked as a judicial law clerk at the Court of Appeal of Quebec, where he worked in both French and English.
During his time at McGill, Goldford became interested in contract law and has several articles either published or coming out in leading journals including the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal, the European Journal of Comparative Law & Governance, and the Canadian Journal of Law & Jurisprudence.
The Judicial Law Clerk program at the Supreme Court of Canada is highly competitive. Only a handful of Canadians are successful. Goldford is one of just 27 people that will receive such an appointment for the 2023-24 year. During his clerkship at the Supreme Court of Canada, Goldford will work for Justice Nicholas Kasirer, until then, Goldford will continue articling at a large law firm in Toronto.