TRUDEAU FOUNDATION BOLSTERS LEGAL RANKS
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation announced the addition of three prestigious Canadians to its roster of mentors, including important figures from the legal community.
Each year, the foundation grants up to 15 scholarships to some of the country’s brightest doctoral students in the humanities or social sciences.
Over the course of their studies, Trudeau scholars receive financial assistance as well as mentoring from accomplished Canadians, who now include Don Campbell, Roberta Jamieson, and Edward Roberts.
Campbell is a senior strategy adviser with Davis LLP and was formerly the Canadian ambassador to Japan.
He also served as the deputy minister of foreign affairs from 1997 to 2000.
After becoming the first woman from a First Nation to graduate from law school in Canada, Jamieson served as Ontario’s provincial ombudsman as well as the commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario.
She is currently president and CEO of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.
Roberts, in addition to practising law, was lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador from 2002 to 2008 and served in the Newfoundland house of assembly for 23 years.
WEIRFOULDS PARTNER GETS CONSTRUCTION GIG
The Toronto Construction Association has elected Glenn Ackerley, a partner at WeirFoulds LLP, as its chairman.
Ackerley exclusively practises construction law in all aspects of projects and related disputes.
He represents a variety of clients from across the industry, including public and private owners, contractors, subtrades, suppliers, and consultants.
Ackerley also sits on the executive of the construction section of the Ontario Bar Association.
BLAKES WELCOMES NEW PARTNERS
Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP has announced the addition of nine new partners to its ranks.
The Montreal office has one new partner, Philippe Bourassa, who focuses on corporate and commercial law.
Five new partners were added in the Toronto office, including: Jake Gilbert, mergers and acquisitions; Robin Linley, commercial litigation; Stacy McLean, securities; Mario Nigro, business law; and Sheldon Vanderkooy, a corporate and securities lawyer.
In Calgary, Blakes added two new partners: Duff Harper in the areas of environmental law, commercial litigation, and regulatory law; and Gavin Matthews in litigation.
In Vancouver, Sean Boyle is a new partner with a practice focusing on securities litigation and regulatory matters.
OJEN ISSUES CHARTER CHALLENGE TO STUDENTS
The Ontario Justice Education Network has put out a challenge to the province’s students to argue a Charter of Rights and Freedoms issue before a mock hearing.
The Charter Challenge event solicits facta written by students in favour of or opposed to a specific Charter argument.
Students can communicate online with other participants and pose questions to lawyer mentors.
The facta are then reviewed, and finalist teams can argue their cases before a Court of Appeal mock proceeding.
OJEN provides teachers with details on the decision being appealed, factum templates, and guidance on the research.
The deadline for teachers to register classes is March 26. For more information, visit ojen.ca.
