Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (FMC), one of Canada’s leading business and litigation law firms, is pleased to announce that University of Toronto Law School has won top honours at the 2011 FMC Gale Cup Moot, Canada’s premier bilingual appellate mooting competition. The Gale Cup, named after former Ontario Chief Justice George A. Gale, was held on February 25 and 26 at historic Osgoode Hall, the seat of Court of Appeal for Ontario. 

The four students from the University of Toronto competed against 17 other Canadian law school teams, arguing their “moot” – or hypothetical case – before a panel of judges, which included the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada, the Honourable Justice Nicole Duval Hesler of the Québec Court of Appeal and the Honourable Justice Kathryn N. Feldman of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

“At FMC, our focus is on people, and we are committed to the development of young talent and the new generation of Canada’s legal stars,” says Frank Bowman, Partner, FMC Toronto and Chair of the competition. “The Gale Cup brings together and showcases the best of Canada’s up-and-coming lawyers. Year after year, the intelligence and creativity of these talented high-achievers surpasses expectations.”

In addition to Toronto’s win, Safia Lakhani of the McGill team took home the inaugural McLachlin Award, presented to the best female mooter. The award was sponsored by the International Association of Women Judges Canadian Chapter and presented to Ms. Lakhani personally by the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada.

“FMC is proud to have hosted the Gale Cup for many years and to have this opportunity to identify and celebrate exceptional legal talent,” says Chris Pinnington, FMC’s CEO. “Our firm is dedicated to supporting its clients and its communities with excellent legal service. We encourage the development of top legal minds in the country, which will in turn raise the bar of legal service excellence.”

Following preliminary rounds on Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26, the four top-scoring law schools presented their cases before the finalist panel of judges. Second place went to the Université de Montréal, followed by the University of British Columbia in third place and Osgoode Hall Law School in fourth place. The Dickson Medals for exceptional oralist performance, sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers, were awarded to Jérôme Laflamme of the Université du Québec à Montréal, Jeffrey Hamel of the University of Western Ontario, and Chloé de la Durantaye of the Université de Montréal.

FMC has been a significant sponsor of the FMC Gale Cup Moot for many years and in 2004 became its major law firm sponsor. The Gale Cup winning team represents Canada against international legal teams at the Commonwealth Mooting Competition. Compared to other similar competitions, the Gale Cup Moot takes place in a court of law, instead of a mock venue, and current sitting judges generously volunteer their time to preside over the moots and score the participants.

For further information, please contact:

Alison Janzen
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
+1 416 863 4455
alison.janzen@fmc-law.com

Kelly Olive
Maverick Public Relations
+1 416 640 5525, ext. 230
kellyo@maverickpr.com