2022 UCalgary Law Mooting Round-Up

It was another great year for our mooting program in 2022, despite many competitions taking place online for the second year in a row. Thank you to all the faculty advisors and coaches for your continued support of our program, and to our amazing staff for making the program possible!

2022 BLG Trial Competition | February 1 & 3, 2022

SLA and BLG are pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 BLG Trial Competition. This year there was an unprecedented four-way tie! Congratulations to the following teams: 

• Nik Battrum, 1L & Kate Perala, 2L 
• Jordan Pau, 1L & Imoreshi Dania, 1L 
• Danika Szucs, 1L & Chad Erisman, 1L 
• Paige Thomas, 1L & Bailey Collins, 1L 

The criminal law scenario was set in the land of Farfaraway, and involved a charge of fleeing from police (by way of magic carriage). This problem opened the door for arguments as to witness credibility, hearsay evidence, and more. The civil law scenario involved a car crash between Joan Jet and Chrissie "Blondie" Hynde that occurred in an intersection and resulted in Chrissie suffering some serious injuries. In this problem, causation and liability were in issue. Each student participant gave an opening statement, conducted direct and cross examination, and gave closing argument in this two-day, two-trial competition. 

The BLG Trial Competition is held annually by SLA and graciously sponsored by BLG. After a hiatus last year due to Covid, the BLG Trial Moot proceeded remotely this year. The trial moot took place over two evenings and participants presented their case in a criminal law scenario the first evening and a civil law problem the second evening. 

Julius Alexander Isaac Moot | Feb 4 – 5, 2022 

The Julius Alexander Isaac Moot for the 2021/2022 school year generally concerns race and education. It centres on the extant judicial review of the decision (the “Decision”) of the Canadian Judicial Council (“CJC”) to not sanction Justice David Spiro for his intervention in the hiring process of Dr. Valentina Azarova at the University of Toronto’s International Human Rights Program, due to her prior scholarship examining the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories. 

The Moot emulated the ongoing judicial review of the Decision in National Council of Canadian Muslims, Craig Scott, Leslie Green, Arab Canadian Lawyers Association, Independent Jewish Voices, and Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association v The Attorney General of Canada. 

• A.J. Brown, 3L
• Mirabelle Harris-Eze, 2L
• Stephen Hodgson, 3L
• Austin Nguyen, 3L 
• Coach: Arman Chak 

The Jessup | Feb 10 - 13, 2022

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition was the brainchild of Professor Richard R. Baxter at Harvard Law School, who worked with Professor Stephen M. Schwebel (later President of the International Court of Justice) to create a courtroom simulation experience grounded in international law.

Benjamin Sasges was the 10th top oralist in the Canadian division competition.

• Sabrina Chehade, 3L
• Saliha Haq, 2L
• Benjamin Sasges, 3L
• Xue Zhang
• Thea Hays-Alberstat, 3L
• Coaches: Olivia Salkeld, JD'20 (Blakes), Will Tran, JD'15 

Laskin Moot | Feb 24 - 26, 2022

The 2022 Laskin Moot Team finished fifth overall and tied for third for factums. Aimee Huntington was one of the top eight oralists. 

• Scott MacKenzie, 3L
• Tristan James, 3L
• Aimee Huntington, 3L
• Selwynne Hawkins, 3L
• Coach: Melissa Burkett 

McGillivray Moot | March 1 - 10, 2022

Our internal moot was another exciting competition in 2022. Congrats to the winners Kendall Pearce, 1L and Pavneet Grewal, 1L.

The top oralists were:

#1. Erwin De Guzman, 1L

#2. Saliha Haq, 2L and Conor Kopczynski, 1L

#4. Divya Chawla, 1L

#5. Isaiah Martin, 1L and Emily Jakus, 1L

Alberta Court of Appeal Moot | March 11 - 12, 2022

The Battle of Alberta returned in this annual competition between UCalgary and the University of Alberta across three areas, civil, constitutional and criminal law. UCalgary took home the trophy for the Civil moot this year!

• Sonia Kalburgi, 2L and Ahmed Selim, 2L – civil 
• Sterling Hillman, 2L and Sophie Qin, 2L – constitutional 
• Sabrina Sandhu, 2L and Robert Bilak, 2L – criminal 
• Coaches: Michael Bates, LLB'02 (criminal), Robert Moyse, LLB'10 (constitutional, Code Hunter LLP), Chadwick Newcombe, LLB'00 (civil, Kahane Law Offices) 

Bastarache Moot | March 18 - 20, 2022 

The 4th edition of the Michel-Bastarache Moot on language rights was held from March 18-20 virtually. Assembling participants from the universities of Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Calgary, the moot allows students throughout Canada to practice pleading in French and deepen their knowledge of language rights in Canada. Brenna Haggarty, third-year student, also in the CCLF program, was part of a combined team with the universities of Calgary, Saskatchewan and Moncton. Their team won second place for the Pierre Foucher Prize for best factum and made it to the finals before the honorable Michel Bastarache, honorable Constance Hunt (retired justice of the Alberta Court of Appeal) and Justice Lise Favreau of the Ontario Court of Appeal. Brenna also won second place for best oralist! 

Bennett Jones Cup in Health Law Advocacy | March 19, 2022

Another Battle of Alberta, with UCalgary takin home the top prize in this annual moot focusing on health law. Shridhar Patel was named the top oralist of the competition. 

• Shridhar Patel, 2L
• Heather Cattell, 2L
• Saranjit Dhindsa, 3L
• Sydney Murphy, 3L 
• Coaches: Andrea Stempien (Bennett Jones) and Celeste Feick, JD'15 (Bennett Jones) 

Other 2022 competitions

Western Canada Trial MacIntyre Cup | Feb 11 - 12, 2022

• Lubaina Baloch, 3L
• Connor Sprague, 3L
• Randann Sargent, 2L
• MacKenzie Cook, 2L 
• Coaches: Ben Leung, JD’14 (Foster Iovinelli Beyak Kothari Law), Curtis Mennie (Foster Iovinelli Beyak Kothari Law) 

Gale Cup | March 3 - 4, 2022

• Matt Szostakiwskyj, 2L
• Megan Pryor, 2L
• Darryl Carmichael, 3L
• Sylvana Crosby, 2L 
• Coaches: Inayat Jetha, JD'05 (Legal Aid, criminal trials division) and Elisa Frank, JD’12 (Alberta Justice, appeals division)

Western Family Negotiation | March 3 - 5, 2022

• Lane Aman, 3L and Ava Danyluk, 3L (Team 1)
• Kate Perala, 3L and Sharan Sandal, 2L (Team 2)
• Coach: Jonathan Griffith (Law Society of Alberta) 

Willms Shier Environmental Law Moot | March 4 - 5, 2022

• Jake Farrow, 2L
• Andre Matheusik, 2L
• Coaches: Gavin Fitch, QC and Professor Martin Olszynski 

Bowman National Tax Moot | March 4 - 5, 2022

• Jon Peters, 3L
• Dantae Gagnier, 3L
• Joseph Woolley, 3L
• Rebecca Skinner, 3L
• Jesse Stilwell, 3L 
• Coach: Trent Blanchette, JD’17 (Felesky Flynn) 

Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Circle | March 25 - 26, 2022

• Molly Bannister, 3L
• Laura Glover, 3L
• Alexander Bodgan, 3L
• Peirce Dickson, 2L 
• Coach: David Laidlaw (CIRL)

Willem C. Vis East International Commercial Arbitration Moot | March 27 - April 3, 2022

• Brook Mantei, 2L
• Michelle Nguyen, 2L
• Andrew Schnell, 3L
• Matthew Wong, 3L
• Sarah Hanks, 2L 
• Coaches: Julie G. Hopkins (WCCAS Arbitrator), Professor Elizabeth Whitsitt 

Corporate Securities Moot | April 1 - 2, 2022

• Carolee Changfoot, 3L
• Mitchell Folk, 3L
• Arba Radaj, 2L
• Candace Rissley, 3L
• Justin Lentz, 2L