TORONTO (March 1, 2017)
– Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes) is pleased to announce that the
University of Toronto is this year’s overall winner of the Wilson Moot
competition organized by the Firm. Team members included Katrina Longo, Jacob
Gehlen, Maryam Shahid and Wesley Dutcher-Walls, who successfully competed against
11 other participating law schools.
This year’s competition, which was the moot’s 25th
anniversary, posed a fictional
problem concerning the balancing of gender equality rights and religious
freedom in a public-school setting. The preliminary rounds took
place in Toronto on February 24 and 25, 2017, while the final round between the
top two teams from the University of Toronto and McGill University was held on
Saturday afternoon. The University of
Victoria placed third in the competition.
The prizes for best written argument were awarded
to McGill University followed by the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law
School.
The top oralist was Katrina Longo of the University
of Toronto. Tova Morgenstern of Bond University placed second, and Shelby Morrison
from the University of Windsor placed third.
“I am particularly
honoured to have welcomed our distinguished final panel led by the Chief
Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin, who graciously shared memories of her
former colleague Justice Wilson in her remarks at the awards dinner,” said
Erin Hoult, Director of the Wilson Moot and Partner at Blakes. “We were all very impressed by the strength
and depth of the arguments advanced by the students.”
Blakes would like to acknowledge the Honourable Justice Marie-Josée Hogue of
the Court of Appeal of Quebec and the Honourable Justice Julie A. Thorburn of
the Ontario Superior Court of Justice who also presided over the final
round. Blakes also wishes to thank all of the judges, lawyers and law students
who judged and assisted with the preliminary rounds, as well as the moot’s
sponsors, all of whom generously contributed their time and resources to make
this year’s Wilson Moot a success.
About the Wilson Moot
The Wilson Moot explores legal issues concerning
equity-seeking groups, and thereby promotes the education of law students and
the legal profession in these areas of pressing concern. It was founded in 1992
to honour the outstanding contribution to Canadian law made by the late
Honourable Justice Bertha Wilson, the first woman appointed to the Supreme
Court of Canada.
For further information about the Wilson Moot,
visit www.thewilsonmoot.com
or contact the Director of the Wilson Moot: Erin Hoult at erin.hoult@blakes.com.
Photographs of the top placing teams and individuals are available upon
request.