“It`s 1L of a life”: Surviving law school the University of Calgary Law

All the news that’s legal to read.
Moot Times
“It’s 1L of a life”: Surviving law school
Steve Carey/ Moot Times
Your law textbooks may be heavy, but don’t let worry weigh you down, too.
Steve Carey
When Melissa Oakley started at
UCalgary law, she was intimidated by
her classmates and the 1L workload.
“Everyone else seemed to have
everything figured out, or there were
people with more education than me, or
more experience, whatever,” says Oakley,
who coined the ‘1L of a life’ phrase. “That
was the biggest worry for me. I tried to
work extra-hard to compensate for that.”
Oakley isn’t alone in feeling the
pressures of first year law school. There’s
a lot to cause anxiety and stress —
reading cases, writing briefs, memos,
papers and juggling extra-curricular
activities can seem overwhelming.
Oakley says she was worried about the
grading scheme, but no longer. She says
being anxious about your grades or how
much you’re studying isn’t productive.
“You have to remember you’re graded
on a curve, and your classmates are
just as smart as you are. Whether you
get an A or a B, it doesn’t speak to your
intelligence,” Oakley says. “And don’t be
intimidated because it sounds like your
September 2011 Edition
The University of Calgary
Law Student Newspaper
classmates have it figured out when you
haven’t; that’s not necessarily the case.
They may just like to talk.”
Oakley recommends sticking to your
study habits from your undergrad. She
also recommends using an agenda, to
keep track of your many commitments.
Society of Law Students President and
3L Megan Stoker changed her study
habits when she came to law school.
She says she’s studied harder for law
than for anything else. To manage all her
activities, Stoker uses to-do lists, so she
can check off each task and feel like she’s
accomplishing something.
Her advice to incoming students is not
to worry, and to try everything you can.
“You can always do less if you’ve got too
much on your plate, so don’t be afraid to
sign up for stuff,” she says. “People think
that school will be so much work, and
they won’t have time to sign up for other
stuff. But that other stuff — intramural
teams, SLA, SLS, whatever — is what
makes law school so great.”
The UCalgary Wellness Centre
offers free workshops on how to avoid
procrastination; how to write tests
without worry; how to understand your
learning style and how to manage your
time better.
(continued on page 3)
In this issue:
• 4 Q&A with Dean Holloway
• 8 Baseball & Rugby Roundup
• 15 Eat on Campus: Best Spots
STUDENT LAW CLINIC RECRUITMENT WEEK!
Enhance Your Legal Education
Gain necessary hands on lawyering experience
while helping members in our community with
much needed legal assistance.
Stop by our office to register ● 3390 Murray Fraser Hall
Serving our community since 1979.
Moot Times
News briefs
The law student newspaper at the
University of Calgary. Gettin’ legal
since 2008.
Editors
Heather Beyko
Steve Carey
Waqas Iqbal
Kathryn Marshall
Contributors
Sean Marchant, Alex BoissonneauLehner, Gunnar Benediktsson,
Anna Greczmiel, Megan Stoker,
Josh Dial, Melissa Oakley, Cole
Lefebvre, Lily Rabinovitch, and
Gareth Williams.
Contact
For news submissions, story ideas,
or just to say hi, write to news@
moottimes.ca.
For ad sales, announcements or
anything related to management,
write ads@moottimes.ca.
Disclaimer
The
opinions
and
articles
expressed within are not those of
the University of Calgary Faculty
of Law. The Moot Times is an
independent publication, run by
students for students. Don’t even
think about suing us, either. We all
work for free, did SLA, and owned
in Torts class.
Anna Greczmiel
Walk for Wellness gets lawyers moving
Assist is a charity that provides
professional counselling and peer
support to lawyers, law students, and
their families. Their Walk for Wellness
event was held on August 24. It was a
lunch hour walk from the Courts Centre
down to the river, to celebrate wellness in
the lives of the Calgary legal community
and to raise awareness of Assist’s
services. Participants pledged to spend
more time enjoying one of the following:
quiet time, active time, reflective time,
family time, or fun time.
It was a beautiful day, and a group of
approximately 35 participants came to
the Walk. There was a fitness instructor
leading warm-up stretches, prizes, and a
whole lot of fun had by all.
- Anna Greczmiel
Awards, Awards, Awards
Jocelyn Stacey (LLB 2009) was awarded
a Joseph-Arman Bombardier Canada
Doctoral Scholarship of $35,000 per year
for three years. Stacey is researching
at McGill University, and previously
clerked with Justice Rothstein of the
Supreme Court of Canada in 2009/2010.
Astrid Kalkbrenner, a PhD candidate,
was awarded a Scholarship for Energy
Law Studies from the International Bar
Association.
U of C Law Not Dead Last; in Top 40
QS World University Rankings lists the
top 200 universities in the world for law.
U of C ranked 39, behind only McGill,
Toronto and UBC. Rankings were based
on academic repultation, employer
reputation, and citations. We rule.
- Moot Times Staff
Editorial: Nice to meet you; will you lend me a hand?
Hearty welcome to students, both new
and old. The Moot Times is our very
own monthly student run law faculty
newspaper. It’s the go-to for things like
helpful exam and career advice, tips on
where to eat and play in Calgary and
humourous pieces on student life.
The Moot Times has new look for a
new year, and our pages are filled with
exciting new sections and features, while
keeping some of your old favourites.
Hard copies are distributed each month
throughout the law school, and digital
2 Moot Times September 2011
copies are posted online at www.
moottimes.ca and on the faculty website.
Our editorial team for this year is:
2L Heather Beyko, who has a passion
for animal rights and prior to law school
was a technical writer; Steve Carey, a 2L
who likes delis, oversees production, and
sells advertising for the paper; Waqas
Iqbal, a 2L who is also our Students
Union Rep, a photographer and a very
snappy dresser; and last but not least,
the dedicated Kathryn Marshall, a 3L
and part-time political commentator,
currently abroad at the National
University of Singapore.
Writing for the Moot Times is a great
way to improve your critical thinking,
concise writing and time management
skills, so consider volunteering as a writer
or reporter. We encourage volunteers
to pitch us news, comics, recipes, and
anything else they think their peers will
find engaging and timely. Interested in
lending a hand? Contact us at news@
moottimes.ca. for more information.
SLA offers hands-on experience and the chance to help others
Moot Times Staff
SLA is an organization that offers legal
services to those who are unable to
afford representation. The association
is run by University of Calgary Law
students, who provide legal information
and representation in a variety of areas,
including criminal, civil and family law.
Summer Clinic
This summer, eight first year students
and two second year students were
employed as caseworkers full-time in
the clinic. Maureen Mallett, Executive
Director, said it has been one of the
busiest summers in the clinic’s history.
SLA opened more than 320 new files
during the summer clinic this year and
caseworkers conducted more than 560
intake interviews.
The caseworkers also participated
in a comprehensive professional
development program. This program
included tours of the Remand Centre
and the Drumheller Penitentiary; judge
shadowing; and a guest lecture series.
“I had an incredible summer at
SLA. The clinic was challenging and lots
of fun,” said Lily Rabinovitch, a member
of the SLA executive and a summer clinic
caseworker. “I feel lucky to have had this
practical experience at this point in my
legal education.”
SLA continued to operate its outreach
clinics during the summer, where SLA
volunteers and employees attend the
Calgary Dream Centre and the Calgary
Drop-In and Rehabilitation Centre to
increase awareness and access to the
SLA service.
There were seven clinics in total. Wilson
Chan, SLA Legal Needs Coordinator
and summer caseworker, is looking to
build on the success of this initiative
by expanding to other central urban
projects in the fall. “We learned a lot,” said Chan. “I have
grown professionally from managing
my full file load and interacting with our
clients.”
Golf Tournament
The Seventh Annual SLA Charity Golf
Tournament was held on August 11 at
Sirocco Golf Club. There were more
than 90 participants, made up of mostly
lawyers but also other members of the
community. Fifteen law students were
also sponsored to golf, and except for a
little of rain in the morning, the weather
cooperated for another successful event.
Prizes offered included $10,000; $15,000
and a Lexus — sadly, nobody won!
The golf tournament continues to be
an important fundraiser for SLA. As
the final amount raised is being tallied,
organizers have already started to think
about next year`s event. They tell us to
mark August 9, 2012 in our calendars.
Finally, an SLA Credit Course
This year will be the first for the
SLA Clinical Program. The program
runs the full-year from September to
April. Clinical students will be exposed
to advanced experiential learning,
including working with real clients
in a clinical setting. Along with the
academic requirements, students will
work on their interviewing, counselling,
negotiating and advocacy skills.
Join Student Legal Assistance
Recruitment for SLA begins in
September, and the clinic opens
September 26. 1L students will receive
an overview of the organization and its
volunteer opportunities during their
orientation.
SLA hopes to see many new and
returning volunteers for the upcoming
clinic. Those interested are encouraged
to stop by the office on the third floor to
meet the team, ask questions and fill out
a volunteer registration form.
Strategies for surviving 1L and beyond at UCalgary Law, ctd.
(Continued from page 1) The Faculty
of Law offers a Surviving Law School
lecture near the start of the Fall semester,
and several professors and members
of the Society of Law Students offer
exam writing prep sessions and case
briefing tutorials. The SLS also offers
a tutor matching service, and donates
$1,000 per year to the Academic Success
Centre’s tutoring program, which helps
the bottom 10% of each year improve
their grades.
2L Josh Dial is a pretty low stress
individual. Like Oakley, Dial was
impressed with the calibre of his fellow
students when he began at UCalgary
Law last September.
“You hear rumours that everyone used
to be the top in their class. And it’s true,
everyone is brilliant,” he says. For some,
it can be intimidating.
Dial ended the year on the Dean’s
List, among the top ten students in his
year. He wrote deferred exams due to
a family emergency, and missed out on
study groups. Forming a group in second
semester and building his own CANs
really helped him improve, he says.
Having a study group, whether it’s for
the whole semester or just the last month
before exams, is the best thing to do to
reduce stress and achieve the best grades
you can, both Oakley and Dial agree.
Dial says the most important thing for
1Ls to do is to befriend everyone you
can.
“It’s important to have a good circle of
friends, people you can stand in line with
at Tim Horton’s and discuss the case you
just read, or people you can lock yourself
in a room with for two days, 10 hours
each day, to study Property,” says Dial. “If
somone missed a class, give them your
notes; if someone needs last minute
CANs the night before an exam because
they lost theirs, give them yours. They’re
not just your classmates, they’re also
going to be your colleages.”
The UCalgary Academic Success
Centre is available online at www.
ucalgary.ca/counselling.
For more tips on getting the most out of
law school and specific tips for UCalgary
Law, see Kathryn Marshall’s “Law School
Must Do’s” on Page 7.
September 2011 Moot Times 3
New year, new Dean: Q&A with Dean Ian Holloway
Earlier this year, Ian Holloway, Q.C.
was chosen to serve as the new Dean of
the Faculty of Law, leaving the University
of Western Ontario for a real western
university. Waqas Iqbal and Kathryn
Marshall of Moot Times interviewed
Dean Holloway, after two months on the
job.
WI: Welcome to your first school
year at the Faculty of Law! Now that
you’ve had a chance to settle in to your
new position, how are you finding
everything?
Dean Holloway: It’s been wonderful.
I really could not have had a warmer
welcome – from everyone I’ve met.
KM: What’s your hometown?
“Home” for me is Sackville, New
Brunswick. So like so many good
Albertans, I’m from Atlantic Canada!
KM: What are some of your goals for
the upcoming school year?
Institutionally, I want us to start
fleshing out the goals and objectives that
the school set for itself in the Strategic
Plan. Personally, I want to continue to
get to know the community: students,
faculty, staff, alumni and friends. And I
want to set about telling the world about
some of the great things that are going
on here on our law school.
KM: What did you study in your
undergrad?
My first degree was in Biology, from
University of Dalhousie. Unlike many
science majors who come to law, I
never did IP or anything like that, but
I happen to believe that science was a
wonderful preparation for law school.
That’s because much of what lawyers do
is apply a form of the scientific method
to the chaos that is the human condition.
KM: What did you want to be when
you were a kid?
I wanted to be a sailor. So I joined the
Naval Reserve when I was 16 years old. I
spent 21 years in the Canadian Navy, and
another six in the Australian Navy.
WI: Thinking back to your days in
law school, what are your favourite
memories?
I’ve got two sorts of favourite
memories. The first are of how wonderful
it was to make friends with a group of
interesting and accomplished people
4 Moot Times September 2011
Submitted Photo
Dean Holloway dons the traditional White Hat at this year’s Calgary Stampede.
like I’d never encountered before. The
second are of the exhilaration of finally
“getting” a difficult legal concept. That,
and discovering the gastronomic joys
of donairs. If you’ve never eaten one —
preferably standing outside at two in the
morning — then you really haven’t lived.
WI: Least favourite memories?
I had come to law school from a
Science background, and law school
seemed extremely scary to me for the
first few months. But once I had gotten
half-way up the learning curve, it was all
pretty good.
WI: What do you know now that you
wish you had known when you started
law school?
I wish that I had appreciated just
how important a sense of history is to
understanding the law as it exists today.
Almost everything in our legal system —
whether it’s the laws themselves or how
we “do” legal disputes — is a consequence
of things that took place generations
ago. As I often say to students, in a
precedent-based legal system like the
common law, the yardstick against
which we measure the present is the
past. In that respect, the common law
is an inherently conservative system
of social ordering. Once I began to
appreciate that, it became much easier
to understand things.
WI: What advice would you give the
incoming 1Ls?
Live a balanced life, but work hard.
That doesn’t sound very sexy, I know,
but going to law school is an investment
in oneself. The more we put in at the
beginning, the greater the dividends at
the end. I honestly believe that.
KM: Who are your heroes?
I believe that the most heroic people
are those who overcome adversity in
order to make the world a better place.
To me, that represents the penultimate
vindication of the human spirit. So I’ve
got lots of heroes. In more professional
terms, Lord Denning remains one of my
greatest heroes. I know that he’s fallen
quite out of fashion these days, but I
think that better than any other jurist we
have ever seen, at least in modern times,
he was able to connect in his judgments
with ordinary people. In that way, he was
implicitly celebrating the essence of the
common law as the property of common
folk.
KM: What is your motto?
I’ve got two. One is from Edmund
Burke: “The surest way for evil to triumph
is for good people to do nothing”. The
second is one that I heard from an
insurance agent when I was a very young
lawyer. I didn’t buy a policy from him,
but something he said has stuck with me
always: “The best way to prepare for the
future is to create your own.”
WI: Despite being a (former)
Canadiens fan, can we hope to see you
leading a field trip to the Saddledome
this winter?
That would be lots of fun. But there is
plenty of football to go before hockey
season begins!
WI: So, about Law Games …
This is not as simple an issue as it may
seem. That’s because of our Block Week
system. And there can be no doubt that
our Block Weeks are among the most
successful innovations in Canadian legal
education in modern times. I’ve long
been a believer in the intensive model of
program delivery, but just how special
the U of C Block Weeks themselves are
is something I have come to appreciate
in talking to alumni, and to law firms
that employ our graduates. In my view,
it would be a giant step backwards to do
away with the Block Weeks. At the same
time, it’s well known that I’ve been an
active supporter of Law Games in the
past (I believe that somewhere on the
Internet, there is photographic evidence
to prove it!). So it would be hypocritical
of me to take a public stand against
them. I guess what I’m saying is that
what I’d like for us to do is to have a real
debate about them in Faculty Council,
and let the appropriate constitutional
processes lead us to the right decision
for the school as a whole.
WI: What are some of your goals for
the school year?
Institutionally, I want us to start
fleshing out the goals and objectives that
the school set for itself in the Strategic
Plan. Personally, I want to continue to
get to know the community: students,
faculty, staff and alumni and friends.
And I want to set about telling the world
about some of the great things that are
going on here on our law school.
There’s more To being a greaT
lawyer Than your gPa.
We’re not just looking for exceptional lawyers, we’re looking for exceptional people.
Visit blg.com/student, read our latest lawyer profiles, and see if BLG is right for you.
Calgary | Montréal | Ottawa | Toronto | Vancouver | Waterloo Region
Lawyers | Patent & Trade-mark Agents | Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is an Ontario Limited Liability Partnership.
blg.com
September 2011 Moot Times 5
When you need to choose a law firm
that's plugged in to your future,
that will help you navigate
your legal career, the obstacles
and challenges you may face...
from the wild west all the
way to the far east.
Plug into Your future in law.
Your lawyer. Your law firm. Your business advisor.
calgary
|
toronto
|
edmonton
Scan this code on
your smartphone to follow
us on Twitter for the most
recent news and updates.
6 Moot Times September 2011
|
ot tawa
|
beijing
|
dubai
|
abu dhabi
Visit bennettjones.com/students to connect with us
on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Clubs, clubs, clubs: Your guide to law school’s extra-curriculars
Kathryn Marshall
There is more to Calgary Law than
lectures and readings. Getting involved
with student clubs is a great way to
meet people, develop new skills and
experience all that law school has to
offer. Here is a brief overview of some of
the clubs you can get involved with.
Law Show
This is an event you don’t want to miss.
Faculty members and students display
their talents in a humorous show, which
typically includes everything from live
music performances to hilarious spoofs
on law student life. Get involved with
the organizing committee as a producer,
techie or marketer. Contact the Society
of Law Students for more information.
Moot Times
A monthly newspaper published by law
students for law students (you’re reading
it right now!). We’re always looking for
writers, photographers and illustrators,
and are open to publishing pieces on
anything from student life to legal issues.
As future lawyers, it’s great to get some
experience writing on a tight deadline,
and having your work published can be
a bonus for your CV. E-mail us at news@
moottimes.ca to find out more.
Environmental Law Society
For students interested in exploring
environmental issues and the law. The
ELS is involved in projects through
external contacts, the interests of
its members, and Faculty sponsors.
They have participated in reviews of
federal and provincial environmental
legislation. Members have also assisted
in the preparation and drafting of
court applications for non-government
environmental organizations.
Pro Bono Students Calgary
Matches law students interested in
doing pro bono work with public interest
and non-governmental organizations,
government agencies, tribunals and legal
clinics during the academic year and the
summer. Contact Alex via probonos@
ucalgary.ca for more info.
Student Legal Assistance (SLA)
SLA provides year-round legal
assistance and representation to
University of Calgary students and
members of the public who cannot
afford legal services. Volunteering with
SLA is a great way to get some pfactical
courtroom
and
client-counselling
experience. Drop by their office on the
third floor of Murray Fraser Hall.
Society of Law Students (SLS)
The SLS represents law students. They
organize social events like the rugby
tournament, orientation week, law
formal, career events and put together
the year book. Elections are held in the
fall for 1L reps, and in the Spring for the
following year’s council.
You and the SU: For the fridge: law school “Must-Do’s”
Meet your Law Rep Kathryn Marshall
•DO network. Get out there, meet
Waqas K. Iqbal
In May, I was honoured to begin a
one-year term as the Faculty of Law
Representative to the Students’ Union
(SU). The SU is a university-wide
organization that serves the interests
of all undergraduate students. Why you
should care, dear readers, is because
they give us free money and provide
countless services.
This is not a glorious position, however.
I will not thank guest speakers on
behalf of the faculty nor will I organize
any pub nights. I won’t jet off to lavish
conferences, nor do I have a fancy title.
But, I take this on because community
is important to me, and I believe that
law students have a special place within
the community of undergraduates at the
University of Calgary.
Please contact me at anytime at
wiqbal@ucalgary.ca, and let’s see how
the SU can do better for you.
•DO invest in a good suit, warm
overcoat and waterproof boots,
good at -30. This is Calgary.
•DO pay attention in Legal Research.
It’s boring, but incredibly useful.
Especially when you write your
research paper. Angry Birds is not.
•DO get to know at least one
professor well.
•DO a competitive moot. Love it or
hate it, you’ll learn tons.
•DO the Blackstone debate. It is fun
and more casual than a moot and
it’ll be good training for your moot.
•DO attend the Nexen Fall
recruitment mixer. They have a
chocolate fountain.
•DO law rugby. Even if you have
never done a sport before (you won’t
be the only one).
•DO buy a mouth guard. Safety first.
•DO get a haircut before interviews.
You don’t want to look like your
parents in the 70s.
people, and establish contacts. It
could lead to a job down the road.
•DO write your own exam CAN’s.
•DO attend the Halloween party.
Law students are big kids at heart.
•DO pack a lunch. It’s healthier,
cheaper and way tastier than
anything campus has to offer.
•DO study in the best way that
works for you personally.
•DO get Advanced Legal Research
over with in 2L.
•DO volunteer with Student Legal
Assistance. Getting courtroom
experience while in law school will
give you an edge.
•DO an exchange to somewhere
exciting you’ve never been before.
•DO find a mindless pastime you
can do during your much needed
study breaks. Like video games or
watching Jersey Shore.
•DO enjoy law school. It’s fun if you
let it be fun.
September 2011 Moot Times 7
Ol’ Dirty Barristers:
A perfect season?
Cole “Shockwave” Lefebvre
This article is an attempt by ODB team
captain Cole Lefebvre to explain the fact
that our team lost almost every game. We
rule.
Perfection is difficult in sports.
Ask the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Not
even the Patriots’ Tom Brady with
his golden locks, rugged good looks,
uncompromising charm, super-model
girlfriend and illegitimate love-child
could pull off perfection. And Tom
Brady is awesome.
It takes a team with a special kind of
‘quan (beer on me for the first person to
tell me the movie reference) to achieve
perfection, and the 2011 Ol’ Dirty
Barristers had that “quan.”
ODB had the talent of a dynasty, and
the nicknames to match: Myself, Cole
“Shockwave” Lefebvre patrolling centre
field and leading off the batting order
with a style of small ball I describe as
“slap and tickle”; the Lebanese Lovers,
Andrea Gray and Laura Tacchi, showing
better glove work in the infield than O.J.
Simpson’s lawyer; Gaby “Hightower”
Maunier and her “plus one” Ryan were
able to put aside their marital bliss for
a few innings a game and command
the infield from the catcher spot and
hot corner; Brent “Sharpie” Sharpless
was both sharp in the field and at bat,
showcasing his master stroke worthy
of his own line of felt marker products.
Hands off ladies, he’s married.
Renee “Raptor” Gilead displayed the
cunning and ferocity of her prehistoric
moniker by intimidating the opponents
and contributing to our dismal “spirit
rating.” Ben “Wheels” Seward expressed
adulation towards Willie Mays Hayes
(the Omar Epps version a lá Major
League II) by displaying both speed and
an intractable appetite to hit the ball
in the air; recently-acquired free agent
Leanne Quigley proved that it is never
too late to attract talent, entering the
lineup in early August and igniting the
Barristers with her bat, glove, and psychoanalytical abilities (it turns out my fear of
heights stems from my hatred of being
8 Moot Times September 2011
Steve Carey/ Moot Times
Members of the Ol’ Dirty Barristers pose before their penultimate game.
up high); one-thirds of the outfield but
three-thirds the man, Scott “Dibbers”
Dybwad used his undergraduate degree
to engineer luscious liners at the heart
of the ODB order; Marco “The Natural”
Baldasaro mastered the art of the editing
by crushing dingers as cleanup while also
keeping several positions on the field
error-free; with a howitzer of an arm,
Maggie “Legs” Rabinovitz utilized all
her appendages and a little ‘chutzpah’ to
strike fear in any base runner attempting
to go home on a hit to right field; Josh
“Guilty” Sealy-Harrington was proof to
our opponents that not only did ODB
have a bevy of talent, but that we were
also conscious of our team diversity
(plus we had a black guy on our team,
there was no way teams could beat us);
Completing our United Nations tour,
The ODB were even able to outsource
the talented Shiv Ganesh who showed
tremendous bravery by batting 5 feet
in front of the plate and playing the
field without a glove (seriously…);
Anna “Sunshine” Greczmiel and the
thunderous crack of the bat made it
rain baseballs in the bleachers while her
lightning quick reflexes in the field cast
dark clouds over the opponents’ hope
of victory; the fire-baller Sarah “Evans”
Davis brought forth her inner Rafferty
and made contracts with batters they
could never fulfill; last, but not least,
Theresa “T-Rex” Yurkewich utilized her
immense hatred of baseball… to watch
baseball… and keep score, and maybe
play a little… but just catcher… and
not hitting; her intense dedication and
meticulous “book cooking” proved the
difference in many tight games.
With a team this dangerous, a perfect
season was in sight. The biggest test of all
came on August 10, a cloudy Wednesday
evening. Down by a run with two out
in the bottom of the 7th, our season
hinged on the at-bat of our ace-hitter
Sarah Evans. With one swing of the bat,
Evans drove the ball past a diving second
baseman. Two runs came around to
score, giving us a hearty 6-5 victory. Our
perfect season was over.
Okay, so maybe we had more of a 2008
Detroit Lions “perfect season” going for
us, but that still takes a lot of something
to pull off right? We came close, we
are like the Patriots, and I’m like Tom
Brady! Deep down… if you take away all
his talent… all his money… all his sex
appeal… take away all the women, cars,
houses, and fame and I’m just like Tom
Brady… right? Right?
Liti-Gators RUGBY!
Megan Stoker
Whether new to the game or a seasoned
veteran, the University of Calgary Law
Rugby team, the Liti-Gators, welcomes
all! Each year, the men from UofC, UBC,
and UofA and women from UofC and
UofA battle it out. This year, the UofC
is hosting the tournament and it’s up to
us to show the other schools what we’re
made of, on and off the field. For more
information, contact the captains at the
contact info below or join the Facebook
group to get in on the updates.
To all those hesitant to come out to
play, I tell you now, the rugby team
was where I met my closest law school
friends, got my best CANs, and had
some of the best partially-remembered
nights! If that doesn’t convince you, ask
any other player and they will have their
own reasons to share. Practices will be
three times a week in September, to
Submitted Photo
Trust me, these guys are all smiles until you get between them and the ball.
accommodate schedules, so let any of
the captains know if you are interested in
playing. We look forward to seeing you
on the field!
For more information or to register,
contact the men’s team captains, Mike
Readshaw and Steve Spackman, at
mikereadshaw@gmail.com and steven.
spackman@gmail.com; or the women’s
captains Elisa Frank and Megan
Stoker at elisajfrank@gmail.com and
mvstoker@gmail.com. Find us on
Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/
groups/200334546672695/
Measured by the company we keep...
When you choose to launch your professional career at Macleod Dixon, you become part of
a great family—a global team that cares about and connects with each other, both on the job
and off. You become part of a dynamic group of talented individuals that are committed to
excellence and dedicated to helping you carve out a solid and rewarding career.
Come see
for yourself.
Calgary Toronto Moscow Almaty Caracas Bogotá Rio de Janeiro
MD_UofC_MootTimesAd_2011.indd 1
9:23:12 AM
September 2011 7/15/11
Moot Times 9
Pro Bono: Serve the public, the profession, and yourself
Alex Boissonneau-Lehner
“Do we have adequate access to justice?
I think the answer is no. Among those
hardest hit are the middle class and
the poor. We have wonderful justice for
corporations, and for the wealthy….
Public confidence in the system of justice
is essential. How can there be confidence
in a system that shuts people out, that
does not give them access.... We can draft
the best rules in the world, we can render
the most enlightened decisions, but if
people can’t take advantage of that body
of law, if they cannot have access to it to
resolve their own legal difficulties, then it
is for nought.”
Supreme Court of Canada Chief
Justice McLachlin — Speech at the
Middle Income Access to Civil Justice
Colloquium, February 10, 2011,
University of Toronto, Faculty of Law
Think back to your personal statement
that you submitted as part of your
admission application. Did you disclose
a penchant for social justice issues?
Did you express a desire to fight for the
environment, human rights, or access
to justice for all? Although I am not on
the admissions committee, my guess
is that the majority of applicants claim
that they hope their legal education will
empower them to champion some social
cause. This enthusiasm is exactly what
is needed to meet the ever-increasing
demand for pro bono services and to
fix public trust in the legal system in
the province and across the country.
Although many students maintain these
ideals throughout law school, and a
legal career in the public interest sector
generally seems to be the most suitable
avenue for engaging in social justice
issues, for a variety of reasons, most
graduates ultimately opt for a job with a
private firm instead. However, there is a
good case to be made for fostering one’s
passion for social justice, regardless of
which career path is pursued.
Working in a private law firm does not
necessarily preclude one from engaging
in social justice issues. In fact, private
firms are increasingly stepping up to fill
the gaps that overburdened legal aid and
legal public interest programs cannot
fill. Firms not only have a growing
appreciation for the idea that pro bono
work is an ethical duty of the legal
profession, they are also recognizing that
the pro bono ethic holds many benefits
for the firm and its members. For
instance, pro bono work provides new
associates with additional opportunities
for professional development and
Thursday, September 8 - 12:00 pm - MFH2370
10 Moot Times September 2011
training and often rekindles veteran
lawyers’ passion for the law, which in
turn enhances firm cohesion and morale.
Pro bono work also has a positive impact
on a firm’s reputations and the public
image of the legal profession as a whole.
While it goes without saying that
students can enhance their marketability
to public interest law employers through
a demonstrable interest for social justice
issues, it is also important to recognize
that many private firms also have pro
bono component to their recruitment
strategy.
This is why involvement
in programs like Pro Bono Students
Canada and Student Legal Assistance
serve as excellent compliments to one’s
classroom experience. These programs
provide an outlet for students to indulge
their passions for social justice, serve the
community, develop practical legal skills
and leave students well positioned for
the recruitment process.
Alex Boissonneau-Lehner is the 20112012 Program Coordinator for the
University of Calgary Chapter of Pro
Bono Students Canada (PBSC).
To learn more about this year’s PBSC
Calgary program, visit www.pbsccalgary.
ca and attend the PBSC Launch Event in
MFH2370 at 12 p.m. on September 8.
Legal film review:
The Paper Chase
Gunnar Benediktsson
The Paper Chase, James W. Bridges’
coming-of-age chronicle about a firstyear Harvard Law School student, has
become the quintessential law school
movie. The film gets many things right:
stress, abject terror, all-nighters, even
familiar-looking blue exam booklets. But
The Paper Chase isn’t about law school:
it’s about contracts.
A very young-looking Timothy
Bottoms (That’s my Bush!) plays James
T. Hart, a Harvard law student passing
through the crucible of 1L. Lindsay
Wagner (The Bionic Woman) is Susan,
his fetching but unfathomable love
interest. John Houseman gives an
Oscar-winning performance as Hart’s
terrifying, iconic contracts professor.
This film is about how life itself is a paper
chase; we race around to get diplomas,
grades, jobs and, yes, marriage contracts
and wills. Contracts is the perfect vehicle
for Hart, who is continually alarmed
at the messiness of human affairs and
craves the ability to classify them into
the hermetic, impregnable categories of
the law of contract.
Hart has a more formal contract in
Booklet Photo
Kingsfield, terrifying Contracts prof.
mind with Susan. He wants to “get
organized,” and she says she can’t see
herself in the married students’ dorm.
And if marriage isn’t the elephant in
the room, it’s the formality of a promise
binding in law that Hart craves—the one
thing that Susan won’t give him. Hart
wants to talk, to rationalize, classify
and understand. Susan represents the
irrational. She wants Hart around, but
she won’t comply with the contract’s
formalities.
Susan and Kingsfield pull Hart in
opposite directions. Kingsfield wants to
extinguish the dewey-eyed romantic and
replace him with an analytical thinker
capable of abstracting rules from fact
patterns. “Personal anecdotes are not
necessary,” he admonishes the class, as if
to confirm that the law is not interested
in people except as abstractions; the
law is above all a positivistic, rational
enterprise. Kingsfield craves this world of
pure abstraction, and trains his students
to think as he does. He tells them: “you
come in here with a skull full of mush
and you leave thinking like a lawyer.”
Susan wants Hart to stop thinking and
just do, to forget about chasing pieces of
paper. In the final scene, Hart receives
his grades from the law school but flings
them unopened into the ocean, signaling
his intention to end this empty paper
chase once and for all.
For all its hidden complexity, The Paper
Chase is difficult to love. Hart never
seems to decide if he is a positivist like
Kingsfield or a romantic like Susan. As
a result, he sometimes seems feckless
and callow, as when he informs Susan
“you don’t give me much sustenance”
before passing out drunk on the banks
of the Charles River. This is a film worth
seeing, if only to remind us, as Hart tells
a friend, that grades are “just grades,” and
diplomas, jobs, dollar bills and wills are
“just pieces of paper,” kept in a file as tidy
abstractions of the messy grotesquerie
that is everyday human life.
“All you need is...” — Calgary advice from an Ontario transplant
Waqas K. Iqbal
You have a life, an interesting
personality, real-world experience, and
you look good. There is no reason why
any of that should disappear now that
you’re in (or continuing) law school. So
let’s explore the scene outside of Murray
Fraser Hall.
Necessities
There are several stores near campus
where you can stock up on supplies.
Safeway (3636 Brentwood Rd NW; 3625
Shaganappi Trail NW), Zellers (3625
Shaganappi Trail NW), and Wal-Mart
(5005 Northland Dr NW) are all one bus
ride away. For just about everything else,
check out Market Mall (3625 Shaganappi
Trail NW). For up-market choices,
TD Square downtown (3rd St C-Train
station) is a great spot. If you want to
splurge on ‘BigLaw’ attire, Holt Renfrew
(510 8th Ave SW) and Harry Rosen (317
7th Ave SW) offer great options.
Luxuries
Kensington
(Sunnyside
C-Train
station) is a very youth-centric part of
town. Great spots, all in the 1100 block of
Kensington Rd NW area, include Higher
Ground, Crave cupcakes, and pubs such
as Molly Malone’s, Yardhouse and the
Kensington Pub. Tandoori Hut and Vero
Bistro are in the 200 block of 10th Street
NW. A nice café closer to campus is the
Lazy Loaf & Kettle (8 Parkdale Cr NW).
A good place for a stroll is Stephen Ave,
in the heart of downtown. There you’ll
find galleries, restaurants, buskers,
boutiques, and some great brunch spots.
Nature
If you’re looking for some fresh air,
check out Bowness Park. It offers ice
skating in the winter, paddle boating in
the spring and summer, and beautiful
scenery year-round. Prince’s Island is
also a great place, and Edworthy Park has
great jogging, biking and hiking trails. Be
sure to grab a cappuccino and a pastry at
Angel’s, a cafe in the park.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Beneath the medium-rare sirloin and
line-dancing exterior, there are endless
good times to be had in Calgary.
September 2011 Moot Times 11
Suiting: where to
go; what to look for
Josh Dial
Every gentleman looks better in a
tailored suit. There are no exceptions.
In this issue, I’ll discuss the basic
components of a well-made, tailored
suit.
Retailers
Avoid the big-box stores. Prices at suit
warehouses aren’t that great when you
consider they use low-quality fabrics
and their cuts are generally outdated
or were never in style to begin with.
Start your search at classic retailers
such as Brooks Brothers, Holt Renfrew
and Harry Rosen. If you’re on a tighter
budget, Banana Republic is also a good
choice.
Brooks Brothers has fine fabrics,
modern cuts and great selection as well
as amazing service. A lot of people in
the fashion world look down on Brooks
Brothers because their prices aren’t that
much lower than some fashion houses,
and the cuts, while certainly modern,
don’t tend to push any boundaries
fashion-wise. However, this can be good
when you’re looking for a simple suit for
work, SLA court appearances or school
events.
Holt Renfrew and Harry Rosen carry
top designers, but are best left for
when you are feeling more comfortable
with suit shopping and willing to
splurge. Banana Republic has basic
suits, with a few decent cuts that work
on most frames and stick to a classic,
conservative silhouette. Their fabrics
aren’t particularly sturdy, but they won’t
wear out as quickly like something from
a suit warehouse. Assuming you take
good care of it, expect to get three to five
years out of one of these.
Style
In general, a two-button, singlebreasted suit tends to look great on
every size and shape. If you are shorter,
stay away from three-button — you will
be swimming in the material, even in a
shorter cut. Unless you are on the tall
and/or slim side, avoid double-breasted.
The vents on the jacket back come in
single and double variety. Only tuxedos
12 Moot Times September 2011
Photo courtesy of Banana Republic
Banana Republic has a wide selection of basic suits for the budget-conscious.
don’t have vents. The vents may be
connected with a thin piece of string.
Remove this before wearing, unless you
want to look like you just went shopping.
Fit
The shoulders of the jacket should end
exactly where your shoulders end. The
padding of the suit shoulders should
not extend past your arms as they rest
at your sides. If you stand with your side
against a wall, the padding shouldn’t hit
the wall before your arm.
The chest should have anywhere from
an inch to three inches of room between
the buttons and your skin. You don’t
want the chest to be tight, but you also
don’t want to have a bunch of fabric
blousing around. It will likely fit a tad big
before tailoring.
The placement of the buttons on the
vertical line is called the button stance.
You don’t want a high button stance on
a 2-button jacket, so look for the top
button to start at least an inch below the
bottom of your rib cage. Some designers
place their button stance higher than
normal, so when in doubt, ask the
salesperson if it’s normal for that suit.
The arm holes dictate how the suit
drapes, how much movement you have,
and how tapered your silhouette is. Go
for a higher arm hole, where the suit’s
“armpit” is rather close to your own. Any
lower and the suit will look baggy. You
aren’t playing tennis in it, so you don’t
need to be able to wildly flail your arms
for it to fit well. The suit should rise a bit
when you raise your arms, but not so
much that it’s halfway off your body.
The waist should taper in from the
arms, and from the shoulder blades on
the back. The overall effect should be
a slimming, masculine version of the
hourglass. If you don’t look like you’ve
been hitting the gym, chances are the
suit isn’t tailored properly.
Tailoring
The bottom of the jacket should end
somewhere between your wrists (as your
arms hang naturally at your sides) and
the middle joints on your fingers. Ideally,
your baseline should be right at the top
of your palm, where your fingers begin.
You should be able to cup your hand
around the bottom of the jacket.
The jacket’s cuffs should end at your
wrist bone, so as to allow for about half
an inch of visible cuff. This will almost
certainly have to be tailored, and most
men have one arm longer than the other.
You want the break of the pant to be
such that the bottom hem of the back
of your pant leg just hits somewhere
between the top of your shoe’s heel,
and the top of the sole. From behind
your pants should end about one to
two inches above the ground, give or
take. The front of the pants should end
in the middle of the laces of your shoes.
Ultimately, your pants should not be
dragging on the ground, nor should they
appear all bunched up on your shoe like
you are wearing your dad’s old suit.
Colour
Your first suit should be dark navy or
charcoal. The two options are classic
conservative colours, and will work
equally well in the courtroom, job
interviews, and for evening events.
Once you have the basics, you can
move on to dark brown, light gray, rust,
and tan. Subtle striping is perfectly fine
on almost any colour, but avoid true pin
striping until you are comfortable with
what looks good and what doesn’t. A bad
pinstripe makes you look like an extra
from The Sopranos.
Why not Black?
A few years ago, nobody would have
suggested a black suit. Black was for
funerals, formal occasions, and waiters.
Lately, black has been strong-armed in
by Hollywood, and many designers have
given in. You may see Bradley Cooper or
George Clooney wearing a black suit.
The problem with black suits is that
they don’t look black under most
artificial light. Instead, they have a slight
greenish tinge to them. Oddly, dark navy
or dark charcoal ends up looking more
black than black. Some may insist the
black suit is perfectly acceptable daily
office attire. Feel free to try it out, but
I strongly suggest you don’t buy a black
suit as your first “lawyer” suit, and don’t
even consider a black suit with white
pinstripes. You’re better than Beetlejuice.
Neighbourhood profile: Kensington & Sunnyside
Steve Carey
Why Go Here
Great breakfasts at Wake Bistro (20710th St NW) if you don’t want to wait
in line, or walk a little to Dairy Lane
(319-19th St NW) if you do; Grab a
bottle of fine wine or cider for a date
night at the Kensington Wine Market
(1257 Kensington Rd NW), or walk a
block and get your shoes fixed at Alpine
Shoe Service (1225 Kensington Rd NW).
Check out Hillhurst Hardware (134-10th
St NW), a full service hardware store;
or if you’re looking for art supplies, try
Kensington Art Supply (130-10 St NW).
And on the way back to the train, stop
off at Sunnyside Natural Market (33810th St NW) and pick up groceries. If
it’s a Wednesday, stop by the farmers’
market in the parking lot of the Hillhurst
Sunnyside Community Association
(1320-5th Ave NW) from 3:30 p.m. to
7:30 p.m. until October 5 and get some
farm fresh fruit and veggies.
Secret Spots
Go to the other side of the tracks, and
grab an espresso at Vendome (940-2nd
Ave NW), an old brick building with
great European style. In the summer,
check out the outdoor pool at the
community centre. And keep your eyes
peeled for yarn bombings.
Steve Carey/Moot Times
Hearken back to your wanton days as an English undergrad student at Vendome.
Market Collective
The Market Collective (148-10th St
NW) is best described as a big indoor
arts and crafts market, but it’s so much
more than that. Admission is $3, and the
next market weekend is Sept. 18 and 19.
It’s a good place to go to pick up local
arts, crafts and meet some interesting
people, and maybe hear a bit of live
music.
Christmas
Around Christmas, roving gangs
of carolling elves stalk the streets.
More information is available at
visitkensington.com.
How to Get Here
From U of C, take the C-Train to the
Sunnyside station. Get out. It’s that easy.
September 2011 Moot Times 13
14 Moot Times September 2011
Chow down: Places
to eat on campus
Sean Marchant & Steve Carey
Coffee
Sean Says: Coffee Company (Mac
Hall) — Far and away the best place to
get a cup of coffee on campus (unless
Tim Horton’s has a contest), the Coffee
Company boasts over 15 different
flavours of coffee and cider brewing at
any one time. Every pot is fresh, and
the staff will even mix flavours for you
if you ask nicely. I recommend a large
hazelnut/Irish crème with almond
biscotti. It’s about $5.
Steve Says: Forget Tim Horton’s, unless
you want to spend most of your time
between classes waiting in line. Get your
running shoes on and head to the Brew
& Blendz at Scurfield Hall (the Business
building), and get coffee made from
an actual barista at an actual espresso
machine. It’s amazing, and somewhat
rare, at the U of C. Otherwise, briskly
walk over to the Education building and
head to Roasters, where you can get
drip coffee for a decent price. Or, bring
a french press and make coffee with a
kettle in the student lounge or outside
the SLS office.
Healthy Choices
Sean says: Jugo Juice. Most law
students abandon nutrition in favour of
anything with a steady supply of caffeine,
but one of the best ways to stay alert is
by making sure your body is getting
everything it needs. For just over $5 you
can purchase almost any fruit smoothie
on the menu at Jugo Juice, with different
nutritional elements (energy, protein,
etc.) added at your request. You can also
buy snack wraps for an additional $2. I
recommend Jugo Classico or Big Blue
Protein if you’re trying to get huge and
veiny.
Steve says: Are you kidding? Nothing
is healthy on campus.
Burgers
Sean says: The Den is a great place to go
for entertaining and usually regrettable
‘Thursden’ evenings, but they also offer
pretty delicious grilled burgers for just
about $10. Be warned though, you will
probably end up spending well over $10
Steve Carey/ Moot Times
Few can resist the siren call of the Banh Mi, also known as the Vietnamese sub.
if you succumb to the temptation of an
ice cold draft beer (or four). If you do
end up having a pint, this Vancouver
boy can recommend Granville Island
Brewery’s maple cream ale with just
about any meal.
Steve says: Last Defence Lounge has
a skipping class special — $10.99 for a
burger and a beer between 2 p.m. and
4 p.m. You didn’t need to learn, anyway.
I also like their Reuben (fatty meat on
marbled rye) and the Bison burger.
Cheap Lunch
Sean says: The Bake Chef in Mac Hall
sells Vietnamese subs. It’s a delicious
alternative to the tired footlong Subway
sandwich. I recommend Bake Chef ’s
beef sandwich.
Steve says: Are you a vegetarian?
Bake Chef has veggie sandwiches that
are awesome and around $5. Not a
vegetarian? For way more food and a
little more money, try the Korean Grill
and have some potatoes, noodles and
beef or chicken fried in delicious sauce.
Beer
Steve and Sean say: Fridays, at the Last
Defence Lounge (third floor, Mac Hall),
pitchers of Wild Rose Beer (a local beer)
are just $9. You’ll likely see us there.
They have other great drink specials
throughout the week, too.
Dinner
Sean Says: Uni Sushi Express offers
fresh, delicious sushi for about $7 per
serving, with two-for-1 deals during
certain hours. You can also get some
pretty spectacular and bubble tea
(tapioca pearls in a sugary suspension)
for only a few dollars more. I recommend
two-for-one spicy tuna rolls with mango
bubble tea for dessert.
Steve says: Here’s what you do. Go
online. Put money on your OneCard. Go
to the Dining Centre and “fill yer boots”
with pizza, sushi and brownies. Then
use your OneCard to pay! This magical
card lets you buy stuff at Starbucks,
Tim Horton’s and other campus dining
establishments without the hassle of
cash or the cost of debit fees; and you
can also use the remaining balance at
the Bookstore or for photocopying.
Want higher-end dining? Check out
Bistro Alma at Hotel Alma, the modern
on-campus hotel. Sit in a hipsterdarling Panton chair and snack on beef
bourguigon, or, if you’ve been studying
all night, stop in in the morning for a $4
breakfast sandwich or a proper espresso
coffee.
Do you have a favourite place we
haven’t mentioned? Send it to news@
moottimes.ca.
September 2011 Moot Times 15
16 Moot Times September 2011