PRACTICAL PROGRAMS

FACULTY OF LAW

PRACTICAL PROGRAMS

Appellate Advocacy

Appellate advocacy is the process of arguing a case before an appellate court, in which the facts are not in dispute and the focus is on the law. The Faculty's extensive appellate advoacy program provides students with valuable experience in legal analysis, the drafting of appellate documents and the preparation and presentation of oral argument.

The first year program includes a compulsory appellate advocacy assignment. For upper year students, the Faculty, assisted by student volunteers with advocacy experience, runs a voluntary competition open to all second and third year students, which gives them the opportunity to argue a hypothetical case before an appellate court. Judges and practicing lawyers generously volunteer their time to act as judges for the competition. The top students advance to the final rounds to compete for the Carson-Killeen Trophy.

The Faculty also enters teams in several external appellate advocacy competitions held across the country. These include the Jessup (sponsored by McCarthy,Tétrault), Gale, Laskin, Wilson, Niagara and Canadian Corporate Securities competitions. Members of these teams enroll in Law 442 as their January term course. In addition, the Faculty enters a team in the Mathews Dinsdale Clark National Labour Law Moot. Members of this team enroll in Law 317 as their January term course. Students are selected for all of these teams based on their performance in the voluntary appellate advocacy competition.

Trial Advocacy

The Faculty's trial advocacy competition is known as the Cherniak Cup, named in honour of Earl A. Cherniak, QC, and sponsored by Lerner and Associates LLP. This voluntary competition is open to all students and gives them the opportunity to conduct a trial based on a hypothetical fact situation. Students make opening and closing statements and examine witnesses. Judges and practicing lawyers generously volunteer their time to act as judges for the competition. The top students advance to the final rounds to compete for the Cherniak Cup and the opportunity to represent the Faculty in external trial advocacy competitions, such as the Arnup Cup. Members of the Arnup Cup team enroll in Law 318 as their January term course.

Client Counselling Program

This voluntary program, is open to students in all years. The purpose of the competition is to develop students' skills in interviewing and counselling clients. The competition is held within the Faculty of Law and is sponsored by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, with citizens of London acting as clients and members of the bar acting as judges. The winners of the intramural competition compete in the regional final, which includes students from law schools in the north-eastern United States and central Canada. This is followed by the national final competition held in the United States. The Competitions are sponsored by the American Bar Association.

Community Legal Services

Director:

Professor M. Cormier

Since its inception in 1969, Community Legal Services (CLS) has provided legal services to the London community. Students handle cases involving summary conviction offences and civil matters. The students are advised and assisted by senior students and two full-time review lawyers. First year students can gain experience in dealing with landlord-tenant problems through the Landlord-Tenant Hotline, while upper year students may participate as caseworkers. Participation in CLS is voluntary. CLS now has several clinical courses which allow students to gain experience while obtaining academic credit. These courses are advocacy-oriented and familiarize students with most aspects of litigation.

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FACULTY OF LAW