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March 5 2008
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (FMC), one of Canada’s leading business and litigation law firms, announced today that a team of law students from University of Ottawa Law School has won top honours at the 2008 FMC Gale Cup Moot, Canada’s premier bilingual mooting competition held this past weekend at historic Osgoode Hall, the seat of Court of Appeal for Ontario.

In this year's competition, law school teams debated the Supreme Court of Canada's 2007 decision in R. v. Clayton, a significant decision on police detention and search powers. The University of Ottawa team won the moot – or hypothetical case – by successfully arguing their case before of a panel of judges from across Canada.

"This year's moot highlighted the exceptional talent in oral advocacy across the country," says Chris Pinnington, Managing Partner of FMC's Toronto office. "FMC has been involved in the moot for several years, and we continue to be impressed by the superior creativity, skill and dedication of the contestants." This year the winning team swept the competition, taking home the Peter Cory Factum Prize in addition to the Gale Cup. The Dickson Medal for outstanding oralist in the final round also went to University of Ottawa team member James Tausendfreund.

Following preliminary rounds on Friday, February 29 and Saturday, March 1, the four top-scoring law schools presented their cases before the panel of judges. Second place went to Osgoode Hall Law School, followed by Université de Moncton in third place and University of New Brunswick in fourth place. The prize winners were recognized at an awards ceremony held Saturday night, hosted by Senator David P. Smith, P.C., Q.C., Chairman Emeritus of FMC.

Frank Bowman, Partner at FMC, has been involved in the moot for 28 years. "The Gale Cup Moot provides some of Canada's best law students with an invaluable opportunity to argue important issues in front of real judges from across the country," says Bowman. "FMC is proud to be part of the professional development of the next generation of Canadian lawyers."

FMC has been the major law firm sponsor of the Gale Cup Moot since 2004. The competition is named in honour of former Chief Justice George Gale, and is open to every law faculty in Canada. The moot aims to encourage excellence in oral advocacy by providing Canadian law students with a forum simulating a real appellate court experience. In recent years, almost all of Canada’s 21 law faculties have sent teams to the FMC-sponsored competition. Winners of the Gale Cup go on to participate on behalf of Canada in the Commonwealth Moot Competition, held every two to three years and sponsored by national bar associations from throughout the commonwealth, including the Canadian Bar Association.

For more information, contact:

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

Matthew Kanas
Maverick Public Relations Inc.
416 640 5525, ext. 237
matthewk@maverickpr.com