IASL holds first Alumni Cocktail of 2023

The Institute of Air and Space Law Association (IASLA), the very active alumni network of the Institute of Air and Space Law (IASL), welcomed over 60 guests to its annual Holiday Party at the McGill Faculty Club on 25 January 2023, the first since COVID hit. The Holiday Party is one of the Institute’s great traditions and is also a wonderful opportunity for current LLMs, DCLs, Certificate students and post-docs to mingle with their predecessors at the IASL.

Short speeches were given this year by IASL Interim Director, Prof. Donal Hanley, Acting IASLA President, George Petsikas, and IASLA Chairman of the Board, Prof. John Saba. During his speech, Interim Director Hanley brought attention to the rich history and close relationship between the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the IASL, which was founded in 1951 at McGill at the request of ICAO and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Its first director was Dr John Cobb Cooper, later legal counsel to IATA.

The IASL was pleased and honoured to welcome the Secretary-General of ICAO, Juan Carlos Salazar, Director of the Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau, Michael Gill as well as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Robert Leckey and Associate Dean, Prof. Tina Piper.

The reception was followed by a private dinner in honour of Prof. Randal Marlin who generously donated a painting to the Institute of the first Secretary-General of ICAO, Albert Ropert, painted by his mother, Hilda van Stockum, wife of the first Director of the External Relations Bureau, Ervin Ross “Spike” Marlin.