Mooting

2016 Smith Shield Moot winners announced!

Congratulations to Nina Butz and Vinayak Mishra, this year’s winners of the Smith Shield Moot, and to Lisa Delaney and Nick Hooper, who were awarded the Leonard A. Kitz Prize in Advocacy. Superb mooting, team!

2016 Smith Shield Mooters (l to r): Nick Hooper, Nina Butz, Vinayak Mishra, and Lisa Delaney

One of the highlights of the academic year, the Smith Shield Moot sees four of the law school's best mooters make their arguments before a distinguished panel of judges.

It's a great opportunity for first-year students to learn about mooting in advance of first- and second-year moots, for second-year students to see how it is done as you prepare for second-year moot competitions, and for the entire community to cheer on our great future advocates!

Established in 1927, previous winners of this prestigious event include distinguished alumni such as Mr Justice Louis Dubinsky, Madame Justice Bertha Wilson, Frank Covert, George Piercey, Bill Cox, Ronald St John Mcdonald, David Chipman, and professors and deans such as Bill Charles, Bruce Archibald, Wayne MacKay, Phil Saunders, Steve Coughlan, and Elizabeth Hughes.

The 2016 Smith Shield Moot Competition:

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LAWS 2245 - An annual appellate level moot competition that focuses on tax law. This national moot was first held in 2011. The first team of students from the Schulich School of Law will compete in 2014. The Bowman National Tax Moot is named after the Honourable Donald G Bowman, former Chief Justice of the Tax Court of Canada. The Moot offers law students an opportunity to take part in a simulated tax court proceeding. It is held annually at the Tax Court in Toronto.

LAWS 2177 - A Canadian Labour Arbitration moot. The Canadian Labour Arbitration Moot is organized and hosted by the Toronto law firm Mathews Dinsdale & Clark. Eight Canadian law schools participate in this annual moot competition. Team members must be in their second year of law school. This competition will be of particular interest to students who wish to pursue a career in labour law, as it provides an opportunity to develop research and advocacy skills in labour law and also to meet labour law practitioners, arbitrators, and law students from across Canada who are also interested in labour law.

LAWS 2144 - An annual Canadian corporate and securities law moot competition. At this competition, each team member participates in two preliminary rounds; and in each round, is required to argue a different side of the case. The Canadian Corporate/Securities Moot is sponsored by the Toronto law firm of Davies, Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, and is open to second and third year students.

LAWS 2107 - A national appellate level mooting competition.The Gale Cup awarded in this national competition is named for the Honourable George Gale, former Chief Justice of Ontario. The Dickson Medal, honouring the former Chief Justice Brian Dickson, is awarded to the student who demonstrates excellence in oral advocacy at the competition.

LAWS 2103 - An international law mooting competition in which national finalists compete in international finals. The Jessup Moot is sponsored by the International Law Students Association, based in Washington DC.  Phillip Jessup, for whom the competition is named, was one of America's most respected jurists on the International Court of Justice.

LAWS 2206 - A two-day national moot competition based on a high-profile case where Aboriginal rights are at issue. Kawaskimhon means "speaking with knowledge". This moot is a combination of oral argument based on a written factum and negotiation, and is structured on the traditional Aboriginal talking circle model for consensus-building.

LAWS 2171 - A regional and national criminal trial advocacy competion. The two-person winning team from the McKelvey Cup Competition represents the region at the National Sopinka Trial Advocacy Competition. Every 4th year, a second team will participate at the national level. No extra credit is given for participation in the Sopinka Cup Competition.

LAWS 2039 -  Canada's national bilingual constitutional and administrative law moot court competition. This moot is named for Bora Laskin, former Chief Justice of Canada. At least 16 Canadian law schools usually participate in this competition.

LAWS 2250 - Canada's first and only national moot court competition devoted to environmental law. This moot is held biennially. Note: The first year a team from the Schulich School of Law will be eligible to compete for credit is 2015. The competition takes the form of an appeal before a Canadian court of last resort. Each team files a factum for one party. At the oral hearing, teams argue one side of the appeal in their first match and the other side in their second. This moot is open to 2nd and 3rd year students in recognition of the fact that this moot is offered biennially.