Faculty of Law

Dr. Mary Shariff

Biography

Education and experience

  • Ph.D. Trinity College Dublin, LL.M. Trinity College Dublin; LL.B. University of Manitoba; B.Sc. University of Winnipeg
  • Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba 2012-present
  • Associate Dean (Academic, J.D. Program), Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba 2020- 2021 
  • Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies), Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba, 2016-2017 
  • Associate Dean (Academic, J.D. Program), Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba  2015- 2016 
  • Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba  2007-2012
  • Associate, Aikins MacAulay Thorvaldson LLP 2005-2007 (construction law, litigation)
  • Associate, Aikins MacAulay Thorvaldson LLP 2003-2004 (taxation, business law)

Links

News and stories

Research Areas

    • Law and Aging
    • Death
    • Dying and Palliative Care
    • Human rights of Older Persons
    • Natural Resources and Animal Law
    • Legal Strategies; Legal Pedagogy
    • Law and Religion
    • Law of Contract

Selected publications

Bioethics, Assisted Death, Elder Law, Palliative Care, Health and Technology

  • “Endgame: Philosophical, Clinical and Legal Distinctions Between Palliative Care and Termination of Life” in Assisted Death: Legal, Social and Ethical Issues after Carter, Derek B.M. Ross, ed. (LexisNexis Canada, June 2018), Chpt 8
  • “Canadians are coming to a fork in road to assisted death” (April 2014), Winnipeg Free Press link
  • Canadian Medical Law, PH Osborne, JC Irvine and MJ Shariff (eds) (Carswell, 2014)
  • “Issues in Reproductive Choice Part 1” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, Philip Osborne, John Irvine, Mary J Shariff eds) (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 14
  • “Issues in Reproductive Choice, Part 2” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 15
  • “Defining Death in Law and Medicine “in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 16
  • “Organ and Tissue Donation” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 17
  • “The Refusal or Termination of Life-Prolonging Treatment, Euthanasia and Assisting Suicide: Definitional Considerations” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 18
  • “The Mentally Competent Adult Patient and the Refusal of Treatment” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 19
  • “The Mature Minor Patient and the Refusal of Treatment” in Canadian Medical Law 4thed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 20
  • “The Mentally Incompetent Adult Patient and the Foregoing of Life-Prolonging Treatment: The American Perspective” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 21
  • “The Mentally Incompetent Adult Patient and the Foregoing of Life-Prolonging Treatment” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 22
  • “Foregoing of Treatment for Neonates and Pre-Adolescents” in Canadian Medical Law4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 23
  • “Advance Directives” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 24 (with V Hilder)
  • “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 25
  • “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Developments in the United States and Europe” in Canadian Medical Law 4th ed, (Carswell, December 2013), Chpt 26
  • “Assisted Suicide — What’s Next?” (October 2013) Winnipeg Free Press
  • Assisted Death and the Slippery Slope – finding clarity amid advocacy, convergence and complexity 2012 19(3) Current Oncology 143-154
  • ” ‘A Perfection of Means, and Confusion of Aims’: Finding the Essence of Autonomy in Assisted Death Laws” (2011) Health Law in Canada
  • “Palliative Care. An Enforceable Canadian Human Right?” with Yude M. Henteleff and Darcy L. MacPherson (2011) 5:1 McGill Journal of Law and Health 107-160.
  • “Navigating assisted death and end-of-life care” (2011) Canadian Medical Association Journal
  • “The dying need proper care before we settle assisted suicide” (2010) Lawyers Weekly
  • “Immortal Beloved and Beleaguered: Towards the Integration of the Law on Assisted Death and the Scientific Pursuit of Life Extension” (2010) Health Law in Canada
  • “Slow down on assisted suicide” (2010) Lawyers Weekly
  • “The Health Bill Fiasco: Thirty Years of Double Think?” with Niamh Howlin and Alan del Rio in Eoin O’Dell ed., Older People in Modern Ireland: Essays on Law and Policy(Ireland: FirstLaw Ltd., 2006).

Animal Law, the Environment and Natural Resources Law

  • “A Monkey in the Middle: Reflections on Darwin the Macaque and the (R)evolution of Wild Animals in Canadian Common Law” in Peter Sankoff, Vaughan Black and Katie Sykes, eds., Canadian Perspectives on Animals and the Law (2015).
  • “Policy and Regulatory Framework: Manitoba” (with John D. Stefaniuk) In D. Mahoney (Ed.) The Law of Climate Change in Canada, (Canada Law Book, 2010, looseleaf) pp.8-1–8-33

Legal Strategy and Contract Law

  • “The Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune, Can you Lose the Lottery but still Win?” with Darcy L. MacPherson (2011) Alberta Law Review
  • “Through the Legal Looking Glass: Exploring the Concept of Corporate Legal Strategy” with Antoine Masson (2011) European Business Law Review 
  • “Les strategies juridiques des enterprises” with Antoine Masson, (November 2010) Revue Lamy Droit des Affaires
  • Legal Strategies: How Firms use Law to Improve Corporate Competitiveness Antoine Masson and Mary J. Shariff, eds.,(Berlin: Springer, 2010)
  • “Perspectives on Legal Strategy through Alternative Dispute Resolution” with Vivian Hilder and Marlene Pomrenke in Legal Strategies: How Firms use Law to Improve Corporate Competitiveness (Berlin: Springer, 2010)
  • “Revisiting the Battle of the Forms:  A Case Study Approach to Legal Strategy Development” with Kevin Marechal de Carteret, (2009) Asper Journal of International Business and Trade Law 

Legal Pedagogy

  • Hey DJ What You Waiting For? Top Ten DJ Tricks for Law Profs” (December 2012) Canadian Legal Education Annual Review
  • “Start as You Mean to Go On: A little Scottish Generational Intelligence to help you get the most out of the first hour of your first-year law course”, (October 2010) Canadian Legal Education Annual Review

Selected Industry Publications

  • “Increasing Construction Industry Wages to Restore Manitoba’s Competitive Edge” with P. J. Reimer, (2007) 1 Building Connections
  • “ ‘Green’ Building Blues: LEED Certification and Liability” (2006) 3 Building Connections
  • “Public-Private Partnerships: Growing Opportunities for the Construction Industry” with Krista L. Boryskavich, (2006) 2 Building Connections 36
  • “Tenders Gone Bad – Fair Post Tender Negotiations” with Betty A. Johnstone (2006) November Upword 10
  • “What are an Employer’s Responsibilities Regarding Worker Safety under the Criminal Code?” (2006) 1 Building Connections 2
  • “Construction on Federally Owned Land: How Does the Building Code Apply?” (2005) December Upword 22

Community involvement

  • Canadian Association of Law Teachers
  • Research Affiliate, Centre on Aging
  • Research Associate, Desautels Centre for Private Enterprise and the Law

Academic achievements

  • 2022 URGP Research Grant, “Vaccination decision-making for residents in the personal care home setting” with Dr. Michelle Porter (Centre on Aging) 
  • 2018 Terry G. Falconer Memorial Rh institute Foundation Emerging Research Award, University of Manitoba
  • 2016 Students’ Teacher Recognition Award, University of Manitoba 
  • 2013 Merit Award, Combination Category (Teaching, Service and Research), University of Manitoba
  • 2011 Walter Owen Book Prize, Foundation for Legal Research for The Law of Climate Change in Canada (ed. Dennis Mahoney)
  • 2011 Merit Award (Teaching),  University of Manitoba
  • Research Fellowship,  Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, “Autonomy, Dignity and End-of-Life Decision-making”
  • URGP Research Grant: “Advances in Biomedical gerontology and the developing law of human mortality”
  • LL.M. First Class Honours, Trinity College
  • B.B. Dubienski Memorial Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies
  • LL.B: Deans Honour List 3rd year law; Second Highest Standing 3rd Year Law, Law Society Prize for Second Highest Standing in 3rd Year Law; Deans Honour List 2nd Year Law; Second Highest Standing 2nd Year Law; Pauline & Samuel Zinman Prize; George Thomas Chapman Q.C. Family Prize for Municipal and Planning Law; Archie Micay Q.C. Prize for Second Highest Standing in 2nd Year Law; Oscar Wilder Memorial Prize for Highest Standing in Environmental Law.