KOCHI: Carissima Mathen, a distinguished legal scholar with roots in Kerala, has been appointed to the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. She is renowned for her expertise in Canadian constitutional law.
Reflecting on her appointment earlier this month, Carissima said, “I felt a tremendous sense of honour, of course, but also responsibility. I thought about my parents, who passed away a few years ago. It was tough not to be able to share the moment with them.”
Carissima has been a pivotal figure at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law since 2011. During her tenure, she also served as the Vice Dean (Academic) of the English programme (from 2017 to 2019).
Carissima grew up in Montreal and attended McGill University, earning an honours BA in philosophy and political science in 1989.
She obtained her LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1992 and was admitted to the Law Society of Ontario in 1994. In 2002, she received an LLM from Columbia University, graduating as a Stone Scholar.
She holds several legal and academic honours, including the David W Mundell Medal and the Law Society Medal. In her personal life, Carissima enjoys travel, cooking, dancing, and spending time with her husband, Jason, and their dog, Bolo.