University of Calgary SSHRC Preparation Grants

Professors Allan Ingelson and Jennifer Koshan were both successful in their applications for SSHRC Preparation Grants -- a 100% success rate for the Faculty of Law. University of Calgary SSHRC Preparation Grants are available, on a competitive basis, for researchers applying to the October 2012 SSHRC Insight Grant competition. 

Campaign Cabinet

The Faculty of Law’s 2010-2015 Strategic Plan Campaign, Energy. Skills. Excellence is proud to announce the founding members of its Campaign Cabinet. This is the largest fundraising campaign in the history of the law school and we are very pleased to have assembled such an esteemed group of volunteer community leaders. Download the announcement here.

New Convocation 2012 Photographs

Ten photographs by the University Relations photographer, Riley Brandt, are available here, including some of Gold Medal winner, Megan Stoker (left). Photographers from The Artona Group Inc. took photographs behind-the-scenes and at the May 10th ceremony of the graduates and have kindly shared 126 of those photos in the slideshow available here.

Under Western Skies 2

Registration is now open for Under Western Skies 2: Environment, Community, and Culture in North America, a conference to be held at Mount Royal University October 10 – 13. Professor Shaun Fluker will chair a panel on Environmental Law and Responsibility on October 11 and present a paper on “The Castle Wilderness versus Alberta (Attorney General), 2012 ABQB 1”. He will also be a member of the Plenary Panel on Ecological Integrity in Canada’s National Parks, presenting on “Ecological Integrity and the Law in Canada’s National Parks.” The Program is available here.

Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea Workshop

Professor Nigel Bankes will be visiting the Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea (NILOS) at the School of Law, Utrecht University on May 14-15. He will be presenting his draft chapter on “Regional and sub-regional conservation and utilization of marine mammals in the Arctic region” at a two-day workshop for invited contributors to a book on The Law of the Sea and Polar Regions: Interactions between Global and Regional Regimes. While in Europe he will also give presentations on the oil sands and on resource development in the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples at the University of Aberdeen Law School in Scotland.

New Courses Approved

On May 8 the Faculty of Law Council approved the possible addition of six new courses to the curriculum on a pilot basis in 2012/2013. The courses include Mining Law, Oil Sands Law, and Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Natural Resources and Energy Sectors — all in in the Faculty’s area of specialization — as well as The Rule of Law, Judges and Judging, and a Constitutional Clinical course. Further details will soon be available as part of students’ registration packages. 

Convocation 2012

The Class of 2012 held their convocation on Thursday May 10. A slideshow is available here. Congratulations to all of our graduates, including the winners of the following awards:

• Megan Stoker: William A. McGillivray Gold Medal in Law, awarded to the graduating student ranking first overall over his/her three years.
• Amanda Winters (left): Campbell McLaurin Achievement Award presented to the graduating student who has achieved high academic standing and who has made a significant contribution to the life of the Law School during his/her three years.
• Hannah Roskey, Dean Mike Wylie Social Responsibility Award, honouring a graduating student who has made a significant contribution to the understanding or resolution of social or human rights issues while acquiring his/her legal education at the Faculty of Law.
• Jon Ng, Grant McKibben Prize, named in honour and memory of a member of our first graduating class and presented to a graduating student who epitomizes the energy and spirit of the Calgary Law School community.

"Leadership, Ethics and Energy"

Panel participants at the Canadian Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN) 5th Annual Conference on "Leadership, Ethics and Energy" at the University of Calgary May 9 - May 12  included Professor Alastair Lucas, for his work as a Policy Adviser at Environment Canada and a Special Legal Advisor to the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation, and his work with the Alberta Environmental Appeals and Energy Resources Conservation Boards. Chilenye Nwapi (LLM 2008), whose PhD research focuses on cross-border litigation, took part in the PhD Incubator.

Foundation for Legal Research Grant

Professor Catherine Brown has been awarded a Foundation for Legal Research Grant in 2012 to help prepare “Taxation of Trusts” and “Post Mortem Planning,” two chapters in her loose-leaf text on Taxation and Estate Planning (Carswell).  She had received a grant from the Foundation in 2011 for two different chapters — “Taxation on Death” and “Will Planning” — in the same text.

Foundation for Legal Research Grant

Professors Arlene Kwasniak and Al Lucas were awarded a Foundation for Legal Research grant to assist with development of their book on Natural Resource and Public Land Law in Canada. The text is being written with Professor Elaine Hughes from the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta and is scheduled for publication by Irwin Law Inc. in 2013.

CBA Presentation

Professor Nigel Bankes spoke at a meeting of the Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta  on May 8 on the topic of "Litigating property and contractual issues before energy regulatory tribunals: some observations on recent decisions." The list of cases that were discussed is available here and the presentation slides are available here.

LESA 45th Annual Refresher

LESA will hold its 45th Annual Refresher – Residential Real Estate in at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise from May 6 to 8.  Professor Arlene Kwasniak is speaking the morning of May 7 on "Accretion and the Torrens System," reviewing the evolution of the common law of accretion where it intersects with or confronts Alberta's land titles system.

Twitter Moot Nominated

The Twitter Moot has been nominated for West Coast Social Media Awards (“Coasties”) in the categories of “Best Use of Twitter” and “Koolest Social Media”. The Twitter Moot was presided over by a panel of three judges, including Professor Kathleen Mahoney.

Foundation for Legal Research Grant

Professor Jassmine Girgis has received a research grant from the Foundation for Legal Research. The grant will fund her work on the project, "Assessment of ‘Going Concern Value’ in a Corporate Restructuring." The goal of the Foundation is to encourage legal writing that will be valuable to Canadian lawyers and judges in their day-to-day practice of law and in the administration of justice.

Presentations in Santiago, Chile

Professor Al Lucas was co-organizer and chaired a session on "Energy Networks - Innovative Solutions in Changing Markets" at the Biennial Conference of the International Bar Association's Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL) held in Santiago, Chile April 22-25. He completed a two year term as Chair of the the Section's Academic Advisory Group and Member of the Section Council. Professor Lucas also made a presentation on "Regulation of Interjurisdictional Pipelines in North America" at a seminar on Sustainable Energy and Natural Resource Regulation held in Santiago April 25 and 26, sponsored by the Law Faculties at the Catholic University of Chile and the University of Chile.

Energy Regulatory Forum

The third annual  Energy Regulatory Forum took place May 4 in Calgary. The Forum is an opportunity for justices, administrative tribunals, academics and lawyers in private practice to discuss energy regulatory law in Alberta. Organizing Committee members include Dean Ian Holloway and Professor Al Lucas. Invited speaker, Professor Nigel Bankes (left), participated in the final session of the day on "The land legislation."

Student Publication News

A paper originally written by Sarah Nykolaishen (JD 2012) for Law 549: International Law has now been published: see "Customary International Law and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" (2012) 17 Appeal: Review of Current Law and Law Reform 111-128.  Ms. Nykolaishen will soon begin her articles with the Alberta Court of Appeal.

Alumni in Provincial Election

Nine of our alumni ran in the April 23 Alberta election, representing the entire political spectrum from Wildrose to PC to Liberal to NDP to Evergreen: Nazarali Alya (JD, 2011), Neil Brown (LLB, 1982), John Carpay (LLB, 1998), Kent Hehr (LLB, 2001), Richard Jones (LLB, 1991), Janet Keeping (LLB, 1981), Cecilia Low (LLM 2011), Daniel MacAuley (JD 2012), and Anne Wilson (LLB 2005).

Human Rights Initiative

Professor Jennifer Koshan is participating in a legal strategy workshop in Nanyuki, Kenya from April 23-27 with the equality effect, a human rights NGO, on its 160 Girls project. Further information about the 160 Girls project is available here.

House of Commons Standing Committee Appearance

Professor Kathleen Mahoney is testifying April 24 before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights about Bill C-304, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting freedom). Bill C-304 is a Private Members bill introduced in the House of Commons to repeal the Internet censorship provisions of the Canadian Human Rights Act. 

Publication News

Professor Jennifer Koshan's article on "State Responsibility for Protection Against Domestic Violence: The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Decision in Lenahan (Gonzales) and its Application in Canada", which is forthcoming in the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice (Spring 2012) is now available on SSRN:

Publication news

"Truth and Privilege: Libel Treatises and the Transmission of Legal Norms in the Early Nineteenth-Century Anglo-American World," an essay by Professor Lyndsay Campbell, has just been published in a new book edited by Angela Fernandez and Markus D. Dubber: Law Books in Action: Essays on the Anglo-American Legal Treatise (Hart, 2012).

On CBC Radio West

On April 17, Professor Arlene Kwasniak was interviewed on Radio West on proposed changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Radio West broadcasts in the B.C. Interior, including the regions where the Gateway pipeline and the Prosperity Mine would be built. Professor Kwasniak commented on the federal government’s plan to streamline the review process for major economic projects.

Quoted in Lexpert Magazine

Professor Alice Woolley is quoted extensively in an article, "The Rules of Behaviour", in the April 2012 edition of Lexpert Magazine. The disciplinary proceedings by Ontario's law society against Joe Groia have brought  the issue of whether law societies should be enforcing civility to the forefront and that issue was addressed by Professor Woolley in her article, "Does Civility Matter?" (2008) 46 Osgoode Hall Law Journal 175.

Appearing in Canadian Lawyer Magazine

Professor Jennifer Koshan's post critiquing the Wildrose party’s platform on Justice, Policing and Human Rights is published in the April 16 edition of Canadian Lawyer Magazine online: see "Wildrose’s human rights platform should get vigorous debate." The post originally appeared as "The Alberta Election and Human Rights" on April 9 in ABlawg.

Law Society of Alberta Recognition

Professor Alastair Lucas, QC, received a Certificate of Merit from Law Society of Alberta President Steve Raby at the Bencher meeting in Calgary on April 12. The Certificate states that it is given “in recognition of meritorious service and dedication to the goals and objectives of the Law Society of Alberta".

Clerkships

The following students have secured clerkships following their graduation. Congratulations to them all!

• Steve Carey (JD 2014), Federal Court
• Monica Cheng (JD 2013), Tax Court of Canada
• Alastair MacKinnon (JD 2014), Court of Appeal of Alberta
• Veronica B. Pinero (JD 2013), Tax Court of Canada
• Joshua Sealy-Harrington (left) (JD 2014), Federal Court
• Joshua Snuka (JD 2014)l, Provincial Court of Alberta

Milk River Watershed Council Canada Presentation

Professor Nigel Bankes was invited to speak about his experiences with the management of international boundary waters at the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Milk River Watershed Council Canada on April 4 in Milk River. His presentation was entitled “Do You Know How Special You Are? The Treatment of Trans-boundary Rivers in the Boundary Waters Treaty 1909” The Milk River is the only watershed in Alberta that drains south to the Gulf of Mexico.  

Interim President of the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership

Professor Alastair Lucas, Q.C., was appointed Interim President of the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership on April 1 and will continue in that half-time position until June 30, 2013. Professor Lucas takes over from alumni Janet Keeping (LLB 1981), who served as President for six years and will now be working on a Rule of Law research project funded by a Foundation Fellowship. See the story “University of Calgary law professor heads up Chumir Foundation for Ethics” in the April 3 Calgary Herald and the announcement on the Foundations’ web site.

Publication News

Professor Alice Woolley’s paper on the independence of the bar has just been published.  See "Rhetoric and Realities: What Independence of the Bar Requires of Lawyer Regulation" in (2012) 45(1) UBC Law Review 145.

Toronto Alumni and Friends Reception

Dean Ian Holloway, Director of Development Karen Hill-Chow, and Career Advisor Maryanne Forrayi have just returned from a two-day trip to Toronto. They met with fourteen different law firms and, on March 28, thanks to the generosity of Carol Pennycook (LLB 1980) and her partners at Davies, Ward, Phillips & Vineberg LLP, hosted a Toronto Alumni and Friends Reception at the One King West Hotel in downtown Toronto, with current students, alumni, and prospective students in attendance.

2011-2012 Merv Leitch QC Memorial Lecture and Scholarships

Renowned advocate Joseph J. Arvay, QC, presented the 2011-2012 Merv Leitch QC Memorial Lecture on the issue, "Is There a Constitutional Right to Die?”, to a large crowd on March 22. Two Merv Leitch QC Scholarships were awarded at the beginning of the event to students for superior academic standing and demonstrated participation in extra-curricular activities. The scholarship in Constitutional Law was awarded to second year student, Alastair MacKinnon, and the scholarship in Natural Resources Law was presented to third year student, Alison Koper. More photographs of the event can be seen here.

Environmental Education for Judges and Court Practitioners

A conference on “Environmental Education for Judges and Court Practitioners”, organized by our affiliated institute, the Canadian Institute of Resources Law (CIRL), and sponsored by Environment Canada, took place on March 23 and 24 at the law school. Participants included Professor Nickie Vlavianos (right) on "The Intersection of Human Rights and Environmental Law"; Professor Alastair Lucas on "Public Nuisance and the Continuing Relevance of the Common Law", Professor Shaun Fluker on "Ecological Integrity", and LLM student Giorilyn Bruno on "Valuation of Environmental Harm”.

Presentations at the Schulich School of Law

Professor Jennifer Koshan visited the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in March. On the 22nd she made a presentation on the Calgary Curriculum and discussed our curriculum renewal process. On March 23 she presented a research paper on "Access to Justice in Domestic Violence Cases following Lenahan." 

Articles Secured for the 2011 U of C Graduating JD class

Articling statistics for our 2011 graduating JD class have just been reported by the Law Career Services Office.  As of  February 22, 2012, 88 of 89 of our 2011 graduates who reported seeking articles have secured articles. Only 1 graduate out of the class of 90 did not respond. This high placement rate follows similar success for our 2010 and 2009 graduates -- both of those groups had a 99% articling placement rate (as of November following the graduation year). 

Canada Water Week

March 19-25 was Canada Water Week. The Hope 2 Opportunity (H20) club, along with the Office of Sustainability and the Rotaract Club, hosted water sustainability events all week.  Professor Arlene Kwasniak, along with professors from Economics, Geoscience, and Geography, contributed to these events by presenting at Water Awareness Week Speaker Night on water sustainability and water law and policy.  That event took place on Tuesday, March 20, in EEEL 161 from 5-7 p.m.  For more information see the website of Hope 2 Opportunity here.

Provincial Court Appointments

On March 15, three new judges were appointed by the Government of Alberta to the Provincial Court of Alberta, two with ties to the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law: see the News Release. Alumni, Ken R. McLeod (LL.B. 1985) (left), was appointed to the Provincial Court (Criminal) in Calgary, effective April 10. Faculty of Law sessional instructor, Robin Camp, was appointed to the Provincial Court (Criminal) in Calgary, effective March 22. He taught Law 505: Civil Procedure in the fall term 2011.

Congratulations to the UofC Health Law Team

The Bennett Jones Health Law Moot is a competition between the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. The inaugural moot, held in Edmonton in 2011, was won by the U of C team and so was the second competition, held March 17, 2012 in Calgary. Congratulations to Lauren Ghent, Andrea Gray (also the U of C Top Oralist), Sean Marchant and Jessica Wong on their win!  The U of C coach was Sheena Owens of Bennett Jones LLP., the Health Law Moot's sponsor. Judging the moot were The Honourable John C. (Jack) Major, C.C., Q.C., retired Supreme Court of Canada judge, Rose M. Carter Q.C. of Bennett Jones LLP in Edmonton, and John Martland, Q.C. 

"Property rights not at risk"

Professor Arlene Kwasniak is referenced in a column written by Jack Hayden, the MLA for Drumheller-Stettler. The column, entitled "Property rights not at risk says MLA", and appearing in The Hanna Herald, relies upon Professor Kwasniak as an expert who has spoken favourably about the Alberta Land Stewardship Act.

World Summit: Sustainability + Energy Mix + Fragile Environments

Professor Allan Ingelson has been awarded a travel grant to attend a conference planning meeting in Quito, Ecuador. University of Calgary faculty members from Engineering, EVDS, Haskayne and Law will be meeting with their counterparts from the University of San Francisco Quito to plan for the July 20-24, 2014 World Summit on Sustainability + Energy Mix + Fragile Environments. The World Summit is limited to 150 invited international experts who will address the growing social ecological and economic challenges associated with energy mix and sustainable development in fragile environments worldwide. The Summit will be held in the Galapagos Islands, through the auspices of USFQ’s GAIAS Institute.

Newsmaker: The International Energy Lawyers Program

On March 2, the University of Houston Law Center and University of Calgary Faculty of Law launched a joint program in International Energy Law.  Starting in the fall of 2012, students can spend two years at each law school and take courses that will earn both Canadian and American law degrees and enable them to apply for admission to bars in the United States and Canada. The new program has received quite a bit of media attention: 

• "University of Calgary announces new joint program in International Energy Law" (March 2 National Post)
• "Cross-border energy law program way of the future" (March 5 Web News)
• "U.S.-Canadian joint degree program will focus on energy law" (March 5 The National Law Journal)
• "UH forms new international energy law program" (March 5, Houston Business Journal) 
• "University of Houston Law Center, University of Calgary law school offer dual degree" (March 5, Texas Lawyer blog)
• "Houston, Calgary offer joint degree program in energy law" (March 7, The National Jurist)
• "U.S.-Canadian Joint Degree Program Will Focus on Energy Law" (March 7, Law.com)
• "Universities Partner on Energy Law Degrees" (March 9, smartmeters)
• "Calgary, Houston law schools brand new energy program" (March 12, Canadian Lawyer 4Students)
• "U of C oilpatch law program linked to Texas" (March 16, Calgary Herald)

Essay in Pro Natura

An essay by Professor Nigel Bankes on "Legal Issues associated with Exploiting Alberta’s Oil Sands Resource" forms part of a massive festschrift in homage to Professor Hans Christian Bugge of the University of Oslo which was presented to him on the occasion of his 70th birthday on March 2nd. The volume, entitled Pro Natura and published by Universitetsforlaget, contains 40 contributions — 16 in English — and runs to some 900 pages. Hans Christian Bugge has played a key role in developing environmental law as a legal discipline in Norway.

Canadian Red Cross Board of Governors Appointment

Professor Kathleen Mahoney has been selected to be a member of the national Board of Governors of the Canadian Red Cross. The Board of Governors is composed entirely of volunteers. They establish national policy, monitor performance and recommend strategic directions to the General Assembly.

Book News: Energy Networks and the Law

Oxford University Press has just published Energy Networks and the Law: Innovative Solutions in Changing Markets, which includes a chapter by Professor Alastair Lucas (left) on "Canadian Energy Infrastructure and the Federalist Dilemma";  a chapter by Professor Nigel Bankes and LLM graduate Rick Nilson:on  "Economic Regulation and the Design of a Carbon Infrastructure for Alberta", and a chapter by Adjunct Professor, Lila Barrera-Hernández, on "South America Energy Network Integration: Mission Impossible?" The book is a project of the the Academic Advisory Group (AAG) of the International Bar Association Section on Energy, Environment, Resources and Infrastructure Law. Professor Lucas is the current Chair of that AAG.

The satirical video, 'Dear me, don't go to law school', has garnered quite a bit of media attention, not to mention hundreds of thousands of views. See, for example, the March 1 CBC News item, "U of C student's satirical video warns against law school", the March 3 Toronto Star article, "University of Calgary law students poke fun at themselves in YouTube video", and the March 6 Financial Post article, "Calgary law students create touching Public Service Announcement," as well as posts in blogs such as Law is Cool, Legal Cheek, Above the Law, and Huff Post.  The parody of the "Dear 16-year-old Me" video produced by the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund  was prepared for this year's Law Show by third year student, Jon Ng. 

Teaching in Norway

Professor Nigel Bankes will be in Norway for most of the month of March 2012, teaching at the University of Tromsø, the world’s northernmost university, where he holds an appointment as an adjunct professor of law. Professor Bankes will be teaching a course on Comparative Energy Law, focusing on the position of Arctic states. He will also travel to Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago for a few days where he will teach in a course on Arctic Law of the Sea issues. He will lead a class on the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and another class on Beaufort Sea Continental Shelf Delimitation issues between Canada and the United States.

International Energy Lawyers Program

On March 2, Dean Ian Holloway, QC, attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to launch an exciting and unique new program — the International Energy Lawyers Program. This new program will allow law students at the University of Calgary and the University of Houston Law Center to earn both Canadian and American law degrees in four years. The official signing ceremony for the program was done western-style, complete with branding irons to stamp the agreement and an exchange of football jerseys. See "Alumni energizing cities" in U Today and the  Press Release by the University of Houston.

Assembly of First Nations National Justice Forum

Professor Kathleen Mahoney presented a paper at the Assembly of First Nations National Justice Forum held February 21-23 in Vancouver on “The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement: Progress and Challenges.” While attending the Forum, Professor Mahoney was quoted in her capacity as an AFN lawyer in a Vancouver Sun article about “Complaints about residential school lawyers reach court today,” on the topic of recommendations made to B.C. Supreme Court after an investigation into a law firm’s alleged mishandling of residential school abuse compensation awards.

Featured in Canadian Lawyer 4Students

Third year JD student, Kathryn Marshall, is featured in an article entitled "The muscle behind EthicalOil.org" in the Spring 2012 digital issue of Canadian Lawyer 4Students. 

Conference Presentation

Professor Jennifer Koshan is participating in the conference Women, The Charter, and CEDAW in the 21st Century: Taking Stock and Moving Forward, taking place at Queen's University on March 2 and 3. Professor Koshan will be co-presenting "Spousal Sexual Assault in Canada and Ghana: An Equality Analysis of Criminal Law Reforms" with Elizabeth Archampong and Melanie Randall. With the support of funding from Dean Ian Holloway, law students Anna Greczmiel (class of 2013) and Kay Turner (class of 2014) will be attending the conference as student delegates.