Interview with Matthew Griener, Faculty of Law 2012 Gold Medalist, on securing a clerkship from Mr. Justice LeBel of the Supreme Court of Canada

Katherine Thompson - 14 June 2012

  1. You recently were offered a clerkship from Mr. Justice LeBel of the Supreme Court of Canada - what does it mean to you?

    It's an honour to be chosen. I always thought it was unlikely I'd actually get a clerkship. My big hope in applying was to be chosen for an interview and have the chance to see the building and meet the judges. So, obviously, I'm thrilled with the way things turned out.

  2. What led you to decide to apply to clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada?

    I've known a few people who clerked after law school, and they all loved the experience. It's an opportunity to think deeply about really significant legal and social problems, in a way that often doesn't arise in practice. Professor Adams and Vice-Dean Law, in particular, encouraged me to consider applying at the SCC.

  3. What led you to decide to apply to clerk with Mr. Justice LeBel in particular?

    I'm excited to clerk with Mr. Justice LeBel. He's a very experienced judge and has been especially influential in administrative law and labour law - two areas I'm very interested in. But the judges choose the clerks, not the other way around. I applied to the Court, and the judges decide who they would like to interview and, ultimately, hire.

  4. What skills, knowledge, and experiences are you hoping to take away with you from your clerkship?

    It's invaluable to see advocacy from the decision-maker's perspective. There's no better way to learn how you can help or harm your client's case. I think the work that clerks do - helping judges prepare for appeals, summarizing the arguments and authorities to get right at the key issues - will carry over into my subsequent practice. And of course I'm looking forward to building relationships with the other clerks - a number of former clerks, including Dean Bryden, have told me that was a highlight of the experience.

  5. Which justices did you interview with?

    Aside from Justice LeBel, I interviewed with Justices Deschamps, Rothstein, Cromwell and Karakatsanis.

  6. How did you feel during the interview experience?

    I had a brief moment of "I can't believe I'm here" walking up to the Supreme Court building, and when I was first shown in to Justice LeBel's office for my first interview of the day. After that, I went from one office to the next

  7. When will you start clerking for the SCC?

    The Court hires over a year in advance, so I won't start until August or September of 2013.

  8. What firm will you article with after clerking?

    I will article at the Edmonton office of MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP - but I'll finish my articles before going to the Court.

  9. In moving to Ottawa, what are you most excited to do or see in the city?

    I hardly know anything about the city. When I went out for my interviews in March, I had the afternoon to myself before my flight home and took the tour of Parliament. I have three young children, so I guess I'm looking forward to taking the boys skating on the Rideau Canal. I just hope it freezes that winter!

  10. What was your undergrad degree in?

    I have my BA and MA in English literature - from U of A.

  11. Why did you apply to law school? Why the U of A law school?

    In my undergrad and graduate studies, I really enjoyed reading a literary text, building an analysis, and piecing together the evidence to support my argument. I thought a career in the law would allow me to apply those skills to real-world problems. I grew up in Edmonton, and the U of A has an excellent law school - so it was a natural choice.

  12. Any favourite memories that you can share of your time as a student at the U of A Faculty of Law?

    In second year, I represented the U of A at the Alberta Court of Appeal moot against a team from the University of Calgary. We lost, but it was still a great experience to argue before real judges and hear their critiques of our performance.

  13. Have any faculty members left lasting impressions on you with their words of wisdom? Did you receive faculty support, if so from whom?

    I had the chance to work as a research assistant for Professor Adams during my 1L summer. He's been very supportive since then - he encouraged me to apply to clerk at the SCC, wrote one of my references, and looked over my cover letter to make sure I put my best foot forward.