Moot season is right around the corner for students at UAlberta Law. Coming off an incredible 2017 season, which saw the Faculty hosting the MacIntyre Western Canada Trial Cup Moot and the Canadian National Round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2018 is promising to be another exciting year.
Mooting allows participants to argue a case in a courtroom, with expert coaching from peers, professors, lawyers and members of the bench. Mooting also provides students the opportunity to focus on specific areas of the law of interest to them, as each competition is divided according to the type of law involved. Competition aside, mooting fosters connections and is a source of pride for both the Faculty and the students themselves.
Patricia Paradis, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Studies, is a long-time coach of the Laskin Moot.
"Coaching the Laskin moot is a tremendous privilege. One works with enthusiastic, highly competent students on a constitutional and administrative law problem, in French and English. These students are keen to 'dig into' the complexity of the problem they are given to litigate. Helping them develop their individual litigation styles and grow in confidence as they proceed through numerous, often gruelling practice rounds is sometimes challenging but always rewarding," she said.
Practice rounds require a significant time commitment since many hours are dedicated to preparing for competitions. Preparation has been ongoing for some time now - since the Brimacombe Selection Round in September, in which third-year student Dylan Gibbs placed first.
Third-year student James Konopka, who will compete in the Clinton J Ford Moot, spoke about his approach to preparation.
"Establishing a good working relationship with your partner is critical to mooting," he said.
"There is a lot of work and it is impossible to succeed without effective teamwork. I like to meet with my partner on a regular basis to discuss everything from the process to the intricacies of my argument."
After participating in the Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot last year, Konopka said he is looking forward to new challenges.
"This year I will be mooting on the constitutionality of the Criminal Code provisions which prohibit luring minors over the Internet. These topics fall within totally different areas of the law and the nature of the problems require completely different legal approaches," he said.
For more information on the competitive moot program, please click here.
2018 MOOT SCHEDULE:
January 26-28, Toronto
Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark LLP National Labour Arbitration Competition
February 5-8, Vancouver
Ian Fletcher International Insolvency Law Moot
February 16-17, Toronto
Gale Cup
February 16-18, Winnipeg
MacIntyre Western Canada Trial Cup Moot
February 22-24, Fredericton
Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (Canadian Qualifying Round)
February 23-24, Toronto
Harold G. Fox Intellectual Property Moot
February 23-24, Toronto
Wilson Moot
February 24-25, Edmonton
Canadian Client Consultation Competition
March 2-3, Toronto
Donald G. H. Bowman National Tax Moot
March 2-3, Saskatoon
Canadian National Negotiation Competition
March 2-4, Montreal
Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot
March 8, Edmonton
Clinton J. Ford Moot
March 9-10, Edmonton
Alberta Court of Appeal Moot
March 9-10, Toronto
Davies Corporate/Securities Law Moot
March 15-17, England
Oxford International Intellectual Property Moot
March 16-17, Toronto
Laskin Moot
March 17, Toronto
Bennett Jones Health Law Moot