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 [email protected]. Photographs of the top placing teams and individuals are available upon request.
