‘I just don’t trust them’: UWindsor donor takes University and Faculty of Law to civil court

A University of Windsor donor is taking the university for court for financial accountability. CTV Windsor’s Michelle Maluske reports.

A University of Windsor donor is taking the university and Faculty of Law to civil court.

James Johnson is alleging the university is mismanaging a $500,000 endowment.

In a statement of claim, obtained by CTV News, Johnson is asking for a court-ordered audit, removal of Dean Reem Bahdi from dealing with the Advance Business Law Program (ABLP), and enforcement of the Endownment Agreement created in 1999.

The ABLP

After graduating from Windsor’s law school in 1987, Johnson moved to Toronto and co-founded a successful business, Signal Hill Equity Partners.

In 1999, he established the ABLP with a $500,000 endowment.

“I wanted to develop a program of advanced corporate law,” Johnson told CTV News from Toronto Friday.

“It was really bridging the academics and the practical realities of what they (law students) should know.”

For 20 years, Johnson said the program was a success because of the involvement of some of the top law firms in Toronto.

Students could go to Toronto, all expenses paid, to learn hands-on in the firms. Or, the best in the corporate legal world would teach the course in Windsor or travel here for guest lectures.

“We would do all kinds of great things or experiences that students at other (law) schools weren’t receiving,” Johnson said.

Former Dean of Law Bruce Elman agreed.

“It was such a highly sought-after program. It was very competitive to get into the program, at least when I was Dean,” Elman said.

“It really provided the students with this kind of elite, educational experience, which you could not really get in most other settings.”

“This was going to give them (law students) a leg up and that’s all died away,” Johnson said.

New Dean

Johnson said after Reem Bahdi took over as Dean at the Faculty of Law in 2021, the program changed.

He believes the faculty has shifted its priorities to a different field of the law away from corporate.

As a result, he feels the ABLP has been neglected with no committee meetings and no upkeep on financial records.

“Under the Endowment Agreement, they’re (the University) supposed to provide me with a budget annually. And also, what the expenses are. The dean has refused to do that,” Johnson said.

He told CTV News Bahdi asked if the money could be spent on bursaries, but Johnson declined saying that was not what the spirit of the endowment was about.

“It’s easy to give money away. It’s hard to build something, to build something that’s lasting, and it adds value to the students lives. That’s what I was trying to do,” Johnson said.

The only thing the university has told him is that there was an “accounting issue” with the endowment report with no further explanation.

“I’m bringing this action (civil lawsuit) to get some transparency on what the money’s been used for,” Johnson said.

The suit

On Oct. 14, Johnson filed a civil lawsuit against the University of Windsor.

He is asking for a court-ordered financial audit of the ABLP, that Dean Bahdi be removed from involvement in the program, and that the university follow the agreement’s governance structure.

“I’m not doing this for personal gain. I’m doing this to try and help the students,” he said.

Johnson is clear; there is no allegation of misappropriation of funds, and he doesn’t want his money back.

Rather, he believes the university has simply lost interest in the program in its entirety.

“The money is supposed to be used for the students. So, let’s see what it’s being used for. And I’m asking the court to appoint a monitor to inspect the books and records and to oversee the distribution of the funds,” Johnson said.

University reaction

The university would only provide a written response.

“The University has recently received it (the statement of claim) and are reviewing, but we do not comment on matters before the courts,” Dylan Kristy wrote.

The future

Johnson said a hearing has yet to be scheduled and he has no way of knowing when the court might consider his lawsuit, let alone rule on it.

Regardless, his four-year battle (thus far) with the university has changed his philanthropic plans for the future.

“The University of Windsor was near the top of my list (for donations), but they’re not anymore. I just don’t trust them,” Johnson said.

“I don’t understand the lack of transparency when it comes to donors.”