Advocacy Competitions

First Year Appellate Competition

Since 2003 the Faculty has organized an internal appellate advocacy competition called the First Year Appellate Competition (FYAC). This voluntary event gives first-year students the opportunity to argue a hypothetical case before an appellate court, in which the facts are not in dispute and the focus is on the law. The competition allows students to further practice their oral advocacy skills between the end of the LRWA course in January and the Lerners LLP Cup in September. The competition does not involve research and factums are provided. The preliminary rounds, held in March, are judged by third-year students who have had some previous involvement in the Faculty’s advocacy competitions. The final round is judged by members of the Faculty. A smaller group of third-year students serve as the organizing committee for the competition. In recent years the competition has concluded with a reception and dinner for all competitors after the final round. Since 2004 the FYAC has been generously sponsored by Lerners LLP.

2012 First Year Appellate Competition

Rules
Entry Form

Appellant Factum AC Case
Respondent Factum AC Case
Problem
Competitors' Schedule

2011 First Year Appellate Competition Results

The four finalists in the competition last year were Holly Cunliffe, Nina Plotnik, Ryan Baulke, and Sebastian Schmoranz. Holly Cunliff emerged the winner after the final round.

2010 First Year Appellate Competition Results

After a challenging final round judged by Professors Andrew Botterell, Stephen Pitel and Chris Sherrin, Jeffrey Warnock was named the winner of the 2010 First Year Appellate Competition. The other three finalists were John Mather, Steven Pulver and Gillian Fournier. (read more)

2009 First Year Appellate Competition Results

The final round of the First Year Appellate Competition was held on March 19, 2009. The four finalists, Holly Gomes, Julie Menten, Julia Smith and Tim Duncan, argued an appeal of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R. v. Morris before a Moot Court Room crowd and judges Associate Dean Michael Lynk, Professor Chi Carmody and Professor Randal Graham. Julie Menten was the winner. (read more)

2008 First Year Appellate Competition Results

The final round of the First Year Appellate Competition was held on March 20, 2008. The four finalists were B.J. Henderson, Fraser McCracken, Lindsay Offner and Kit Scotchmer. They argued an appeal of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision inMarche v. Halifax Insurance Co. before a Moot Court Room crowd and a panel of Professors Jason Neyers and Christopher Nicholls and Adjunct Professor Kelly Clark Tranquilli. The judges declared Fraser McCracken the winner of the final round.

This year 87 students entered the competition, tying the record high first reached in 2006. The competition allows first-year students to further practice their oral advocacy skills between the end of the LRWA course in January and the Lerners LLP Cup in September. This year’s organizing Committee was Maureen Armstrong, Grant Bodnaryk, Sonia Cappe, Matt Hawkins and James Mangan. The preliminary rounds, held on March 18 and 19, were entirely judged by third-year students who had some previous involvement in the Faculty’s advocacy competitions.

The first and second runners-up were Brian Whitwham and James Melnick. Honourable mentions went to Ryan Campbell, Christopher Crighton, Chris Cummins, Madison Jeffrey, Neil Lacroix, Todd Speck, Trevor Tynan and Jason Woolmer.

For the fifth consecutive year, the competition was sponsored by Lerners LLP. The firm generously hosted a reception and dinner for all competitors at One Restaurant after the final round. At the dinner, competition director Professor Stephen Pitel thanked Lerners LLP for its steadfast support of Western Law’s advocacy programs.

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