MOOT

OOT TIMES
The Law
The Law

IMES
Student’s
Student’s
Newspaper
Newspaper

VOL
No. II1
VOL APRIL
APRIL 2009
SEPTEMPER
2009 2009
Yes you CANS!
A guide to benefiting from the hard work of oth-
ers
BY MEGHAN WATERS (2L)
Most first-year law students have recently picked up some
CANS from their learned friend and for many students
new to CANS, the sheer volume of information can be
overwhelming.
CANS, short for Condensed Annotated Notes, are class
and study aids made by students. They contain informa-
tion from a variety of sources, such as cases, textbooks and
lectures,and they take a variety of forms. Some are class
notes and case summaries and run 80 pages or more. Oth-
ers are designed for exams and are usually much shorter,
often under 15 pages. CANS to look for include Chantel’s,
Danielle’s, Kat’s and Kane’s.
Of course, CANS vary dramatically in quality and content,
professors change from year to year, and some are just flat-
out wrong, so it would be extremely foolish to rely exclu-
sively on CANS. It’s widely recognized that the ideal way
to use these guides is to incorporate and reference other
people’s CANS as you summarize your own class notes
and case summaries. For classes with open-book exams,
you’ll want to focus on making CANS that you can bring
into the exam. For closed-book exams, CANS can be a great
study guide. If you’re in a pinch, however, (and with seven
classes, you will be at some point) CANS can be a real
lifesaver.
Students take a variety of approaches to CANS. In time,
you’ll find one that works for you. Here, some of 2L’s
brightest students discuss how they used CANS:
Adam Zelmer is one proponent of CANS, so long as they’re
used smartly.
“Cans aren’t a substitute. I found the best way to use them
is read them, and then go read the assigned reading. It can
highlight what is of importance before you do the reading
and save you a lot of time. It can help tell you what you are
supposed to be taking away from cases, which can be really
helpful, especially in class like Constitutional Law, because
some of the cases are so long. I found using CANS helped
me sift through some of those epically long Supreme Court
cases when I otherwise might have just abandoned the
readings,” he said.
VOLNo.
II 88
No.
Zelmer started 1L with 47 sets of CANS and spent a few
days reading them all and highlighting about 10 that
seemed promising. It took another month of regular use in
lecture to narrow the list down to a few reliable CANS.
“CANS can be an invaluable tool, but don’t get married
to a set of CANS, and don’t be afraid to abandon it,” he
advised.
Zelmer, a fan of the gargantuan Silverberg CANS, read
every single page in addition to the required reading.
“By the time I was done, I knew the material,” he said.
While the Silverberg CANS are some of the most complete
CANS available, they are also some of the oldest around,
and more likely to be out of date.
“Make sure, for the love of God, none of the cases have
been overridden by newer cases,” said Zelmer.
He suggested double-checking your CANS against other
sources to ensure they’re both accurate and covering the
same material as your prof. The syllabus is your starting
point, but other sets of CANS and friends can help you
discover if you’ve been led astray.
Zelmer also recommended sharing your best CANS with
your friends and classmates.
“Give them to everyone you know. They’ll tell you things
that are wrong, and CANS are a great way to foster cama-
raderie,” he said.
Although a regular CANS user, Zelmer agreed that nothing
beats doing all the readings and making your own CANS,
with other people’s CANS as a guide.
“Just remember there are no CANS out in the real world,
and realize that while they can tell you the important facts
of a case, they can’t substitute for a lack of learning the
critical-thinking skills to be able to discern those facts,” he
added.
Other students avoid CANS almost entirely.
“CANS can be poison,” said Shawn Kraft.
While he agreed that they can be useful to fill in holes in
your own notes at the end of the year, he said he thinks
they have the potential to hurt more than they help.

“It’s a dangerous temptation not to read the cases,” Kraft said.

Chad Conrad said he used other people’s CANS primarily at the end of the term as he assembled his own, even more con-
densed, CANS for exams.

“I would look at several good CANS, take pieces of each and mix them with my class notes,” he said. While he did rely on
them occasionally in-class, he said he never found a set that was so good he didn’t need to read the course material.

In those occasional classes where he hadn’t done the reading — more common in some courses than others, he admitted
— he said he would open two or three different sets on his screen and refer to each. Using multiple CANS helped fill in
gaps that are inevitable in even the best notes, he advised. To make things easier, he indexed all the notes on his computer
(Windows Vista and 7 will do this by default) for quick keyword searching.

“With several open you could get reasonably good coverage, but it came at a price. When I was reading several versions
of a case brief during a lecture it was much harder to participate as meaningfully in the class discussion, let alone take
good notes of that discussion, than when I had read the case before class. And if I was expected to answer any more than
superficial questions in a class where I was relying on CANS, it really made me sweat,” said Conrad.

Dear Readers,
Welcome back to another school year! As we bid our adieus to the summer of 2009 and settle into our respective roles as diligent
students, ready to take on the challenges of upper year writing requirements, moots and advanced legal research, we can’t help but
reminisce about the summer that was. Or admittedly, compare summering notes with our fellow classmates.
Moot Times is back for another year and we are excited to bring you 8 more issues of articles written by students, for students. The
September issue takes it one step further and we are pleased to offer more profiles on your fellow classmates. “What did you do this
summer” provides a side-by-side comparison of the different kinds of work experienced by fellow law students. We are also pleased
to announce the 1L, 2L and 3L profiles, which can be found in every edition. Be sure to look out for your fellow classmates, or better
yet, be on your toes because you may be our next profile!
Our SLS President, Wilma Shim, has also agreed to write an article for us on a monthly update; an initiative to ensure constant com-
munications between the SLS and the students.
We will also feature articles from our 3L’s who are studying abroad. This issue, we are featuring our very own Moot Times editor,
Orlagh O’Kelly. Want to find out what life is like in Copenhagen? Make sure you read her article!
We are also pleased to announce the ever-popular and back-by-popular demand “Dear K and A” columns, so if you have any ques-
tions you need answered, be sure you drop these guys a line. No one will give it to you as honest as these guys will, plus, it might
even make you laugh every once in a while. In fact, I was promised a prime rib dinner if this edition didn’t bring a smile to my face.
Unfortunately, I smiled.
Also back by popular demand? The Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer hockey pool. Make sure you read about details on how you can
join the free hockey pool with the big payouts!
The 2009/2010 year promises great things for Moot Times and we welcome any comments and suggestions. Furthermore, we wel-
come ideas for regular columns and we hope to put it out there that there is an open door policy for anyone who would like to join our
team. We are always looking for articles and soliciting for positions. If you are interested please send an email out to moottimes@
gmail.com.
A wise editor, who just happens to be in Copenhagen right now, once said, “Ask not what your student newspaper can do for you,
but what you can do for your student newspaper”.
Welcome back everybody! We hope you enjoy the first issue of the 2009/2010 Moot Times publication!

Yours truly,
Esther Kim, Vhari Storwick, Orlagh O’Kelly and Meghan Waters

Editorial Policy
We are irreverent but not rude. We reserve the right to edit for content and length.

Submissions Deadline
We accept articles between 300 and 700 words, depending on the content. Articles submitted by law students are given priority but we
accept any submissions.

Disclaimer
The views in this publication do not reflect those of the University, the Faculty, of the publishers. In fact, they may not reflect any
honestly held views.

2
Society of Law Students: President’s Message
On behalf of the Society of Law Students (SLS), I would like to welcome you all (and many of you back) to the Faculty
of Law at the University of Calgary. The SLS Executive has been busy preparing for your arrival as we plan for another
great year. We have an exciting year planned and want to ensure that you get the most of your time at the Faculty of Law.
The Society of Law Students is recognized by the Faculty of Law as the of-
ficial student association and we represent the interests of all students in the
undergraduate law program. We are responsible for providing law students
with social, sporting, volunteering and administrative services and acting as
a liaison to the Faculty, the University and the legal community as a whole.
I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce to you to the Execu-
tive of the Society of Law Students:

President: Wilma Shim

VP Events: Aghi Balachandran
VP Finance: Dilraj Sandhu
VP Marketing: Esther Kim
2nd Year Rep: Emily McGivern
3rd Year Rep: Caitlin Hanly

Elections for three SLS positions will be held the third week of September.
The positions are : VP Administration (upper-year students only), 1st Year
Representative and 1st Year Events Representative.

I am looking forward to representing you all this year!

Sincerely,

Wilma Shim
President, Society of Law Students
(whlshim@ucalgary.ca)

Hockey Pool updates presented by BD&P

Hockey Pool updates presented by BD&P
Moot Times is proud to present the Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP NHL Hockey Pool! The pool is
exclusive to U of C law students and is free to enter. Prize money will be awarded as follows: first place
($200), second place ($100) and third place ($50).

The pool is limited to 20 participants, on a first come, first serve basis. In order to participate you must sign-
up for registration at 12:00pm on October 1st, 2009 in the Student Lounge. After registration, participants
will be provided information regarding the draft, rules and scoring system.
Congratulations to last year’s winners:
1st – Sanjiv Parmar ($200)
2nd – Gavin Carscallen ($100)
3rd – Sander Duncanson ($50)
Phone: 403-260-0100
Common SenSe, Fax: 403-260-0332
- Commissioner Etchell UnCommon InnovatIon . www.bdplaw.com

Phone: 403-260-0100
Common SenSe, Fax: 403-260-0332
UnCommon InnovatIon . www.bdplaw.com

3
Down and Out in Norrebro
BY ORLAGH O’KELLY (3L)

TO illustrate the security issues facing the Danish government, the professor asked the international terrorism law class,
“do any Danish students live in Nørrebro, you know, where the recent shootings have taken place?” To his surprise, only
two international students raised their hands, receiving inquisitive glares from the indigenous law students in the room. I
was one of them.

Professor Anders was the first to enlighten me on “Norrebro,” ”the gangs” and “the shootings.” Yet this discussion was
not my first introduction to the area I will call home for the next three months.

Walking along Norrebrogade, any Canadian would be struck with the stark contrast between the city’s fashionable core
and this more ethnically diverse neighbourhood; between the obviously “Danish” population and this obvious group of
newcomers. The streets in Norrebro are dotted with ethnic shops such as “Islamic Wear.” Half of the women walking
the streets are in either bhurka or hijab, whereas one in 15 of the women cycling are wearing Islamic dress. Canada is not
immune from such enclaves and is no stranger to diversity. It is the dichotomy that strikes me. Indeed one blogger com-
mented that being in Norrebro “compared to other parts of Denmark” is “like being on the moon.”

But this is not the reason for Norrebro’s notoriety. Years ago, a de facto youth home, which had been “taken over” by
youngsters, was purchased by a private developer. The police subsequently moved in and took over the premises. Com-
bined with a crackdown on the drug market in the Freetown of Christiana, a
partially self-governed neighbourhood, this incident is commonly referred to
as the instigator for the subsequent unrest, riots and gang shootings in Nor-
rebro. The racialization of the gang violence also resulted in a public backlash
against Muslim immigrants.

Sabine Hansen, a third-year law student, insists that Norrebro is not “that
bad.” She, like many Danes, is proud of the neighbourhood, a symbol of their
acceptance to newcomers and one more example of Danish liberal attitudes.

On Sept. 2, I stumbled into a demonstration of 10,000 people with bikes, babies

and signs in tow that supported this view of Norrebro. The outburst of civic
engagement was in response to a police raid of the Borson’s Church and the The Danes take to the streets peacefully
arrest of 17 Iraqi asylum seekers.

The asylum-seekers were eventually transported to a prison-like facility while another 90 Iraqi asylum seekers have gone
underground. The Danes carried signs saying, “Asyl til alle,” which means that asylum should be available to everyone
and, implicitly, for those of all races. A Copenhagen Post editorial noted that the slightest doubt concerning legal protec-
tion for the asylum seekers in their home country gave Denmark “a moral obligation to keep them here.” The UN and
Amnesty International echoed this call and have asked the Danish government to grant all 282 Iraqis leave to remain,
pending a review of their cases. Members of the Social Democratic Party told the Politiken newspaper that Denmark
should side with humanity and not arcane laws.

The Danish government, however, is staying true to a rigid interpretation of the 1951 Refugee Convention. What’s more,
these calls overlook the context of the under- reported Iraqi refugee problem, perhaps the largest displaced peoples crisis
in modern times. As the BBC reported in 2007, nearly four million people had been forced to flee their homes following
the war in Iraq.

The connection between Norrebro and the asylum debacle may seem dubious. That said, the ongoing events in Norrebro
are one justification used for the policy that saw the Iraqis board a plane earlier this month.

At the University of Copenhagen, the discourse on the growing pains of integration is palpable. Intermittent with the
growing excitement for December’s Climate Change Conference, the well-intentioned European students discuss and
compare the issue of integration and asylum in their home countries.

My experiences as the observer give me reason to suggest that the rightward shift of the security-and-order agenda, the
“Third Way,” in Europe may face a groundswell of opposition in the future. That story remains “to be continued.”
4
 What Did You Do This Summer?
Name: Wilma Shim
Where did you summer? Criminal Justice Division, General Prosecutions Calgary, Alberta Justice

Perks (eg. Set your own hours, free lunches, 2 weeks paid vacation): Students were given direct access to the Court House (we
went through the ‘Lawyers’ line when entering the Court House and never had to go through security!)
Students had the opportunity of seeing the ‘behind the scenes’ of what occurs in a Crown Prosecutors life (including victim/wit-
ness/police interviews, police reports, negotiations with defence, and trial preparation) and
were given the opportunity of sitting in front of the bar during trials and Court

Overall experience (you can share one specific event): Great summer experience. The hi-
light for me was when one of my arguments that was prepared for the Crown was accepted
by the Court. Seeing your research and hard work put into action is truly exciting!

Any advice you want to share with others?This position was very court and research inten-
sive. If you are interested in doing court work in the future and thinking/speaking on your
feet, this is the position for you!

Did you get an article from this position (does not apply to SLA or Pro Bono)? Yes!

Contact information: Wilma Shim, whlshim@ucalgary.ca

Name: Cameron MacCarthy

Where did you summer? Shea Nerland
Calnan LLP
Perks (eg. Set your own hours, free
lunches, 2 weeks paid vacation): SNC
started out as a small firm doing big
firm work. Although the firm has
grown to a mid-sized shop, there is
still an emphasis on work-life balance.
I didn’t get ‘free dinners’ if I worked
past 6pm, but there was no need – I
was already on my way home.
Overall experience (you can share one specific event): This
was my second summer at SNC and there was definitely an
increase in the level of work I was given, my interaction with
clients, and exposure to different practice areas. I feel like I
learn more in a day at work than I do in at week at school.
Any advice you want to share with others? There is always a
number of trade-offs between big, small and medium-sized
firms. I wanted to find a job that always challenged me and a
firm that did interesting and innovative work. SNC has been
a great fit for me.
Did you get an article from this position (does not apply to
SLA or Pro Bono)? Sure did.
Contact information: cpmaccar@ucalgary.ca
Name: Shamsher Kothari
Where did you summer? Van Harten Foster Iovinelli Joshi,
Barristers & Solicitors
Perks (eg. Set your own hours, free lunches, 2 weeks paid
vacation): Students of criminal law firms are subject to a
blanket rule of all expenses paid. Function tickets, food and
beverages, and any other law related events are all on the
firm’s tab, always. The trade off is long hours and a sharp
learning curve.
Overall experience (you can share one specific event): My
overall experience with this firm has been absolutely amaz-
ing. Getting to practice law with some of the best Criminal
Defence Lawyers in Alberta has undoubtedly helped pre-
pare me for articles and private practice.
Any advice you want to share with others? Wherever your
law degree takes you, remember to always be humble in
your success and steadfast in your adversity.
Did you get an article from this position (does not apply to
SLA or Pro Bono)? Yes.
Contact information: skothari@shaw.ca
6
Name: Nabeel Peermohamed
Where did you summer? Pro Bono
Students Canada (office in the
Faculty)
Perks (eg. Set your own hours, free
lunches, 2 weeks paid vacation):
- Set my own hours
- All the facilities are close by
(gym, swimming pool, food court,
etc.)
- Get to know the faculty and ad-
ministration staff really well
- Worked very closely with the
Dean’s office
- Worked with lawyers in the legal
community interested in your work
- Own office
- Don’t have to wear a suit to work
every day!
Overall experience (you can share one specific event): Ex-
tremely fun job! No long hours, great support, and very
fulfilling work. Through the job I was invited to several events
which were great for completing the job’s requirements as
well as networking. The best part was the Organization Train-
ing Day and having way more organizations show up than
anticipated. This really showed how much the community ap-
preciates the program and that is great motivation to continue
working!
Any advice you want to share with others? Apply for this job
if you’re wish to make a difference in the community, you
have a zeal for the public interest sector, and wish to work
at the faculty. Get involved with PBSC to learn about the
program so that you have experience when applying for this
position. Joining the executive is a great way to achieve this.
Good luck!
Contact information:
Nabeel Peermohamed
Program Coordinator, Pro Bono Students Canada
Name: Ryu Okayama
Where did you summer: Banff Student Legal Assistance
Perks (eg. Set your own hours, free lunches, 2 weeks paid
vacation): Getting to live in Banff, Pretty much running your
own law practice, Getting to work really close with an advis-
ing lawyer, Small but tight legal community that allows
you to get to know almost every one, Regular lunches with
lawyers and judges
Overall experience (you can share one specific event): Even
though you do work hard, I thought that this was the best
possible summer job that I could have. The court time in
front of a judge, supplementary seminars with SLA and
working under an advising lawyer truly made this an unfor-
gettable and incredible experience building position
Any advice you want to share with others?
Definetely get involved with SLA
during the year so that you can be a
knowledgeable and qualified candi-
date for the 2010 Summer positions
Did you get an article from this posi-
tion (does not apply to SLA or Pro
Bono)?
Unfortunately an article is not avail-
able through SLA, however I have
heard that it is a grat thing to have on
your resume
Contact information:
r_okayama@hotmail.com
(403)354-2651
Name: Sylvie Welsh
Where did you summer? Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Perks: Free lunches (included salad bar and a warm meal), 2
weeks paid vacation, free monthly bus/C-train pass,
discount on a gym membership, free drinks every
Friday afternoon and relatively flexible hours
Overall experience (you can share one specific event):
My experience this summer was fantastic. I had the
opportunity to write memos, gives presentations,
publish an article and write court documents.
Any advice you want to share with others? Really
consider applying to big firms as you get exposed to
so many different lawyers in so many different prac-
tice areas. To put this into numbers, BD&P has over
140 lawyers in 20 different practice areas.
Did you get an article from this position? Yes
Contact information: sjmwelsh@ucalgary.ca or
(403)477-2864
 Orientation Week Activities!




 Layout by Anjli Patel
 Photos by Wilma Shim


 Far Left: Yikes! SLS
 President Wilma Shim cuts
 locks off squatters’
 lockers, without even
 breaking a sweat, prior to
 re-assigning them to first
year students on the first

day of school.

 Left: First year students
 enjoy a delicious lunch and
 conversation in the
 sunshine outside Murray
 Fraser Hall, sponsored by
 Borden Ladner Gervais
 LLP.


Right: Second year students Andrea

Berenbaum, Jane Marsden, Shannon

Beckett, Robert Black, Charles

McRoberts, Adam Zelmer and Arash

Rai introduce themselves to first year

students prior to the Mutual

Expectations seminar.
Below: After a campus tour, first year
 attend a reception sponsored
students

by MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman
LLP at the Den.
Below Right: Administrative whiz

Elizabeth Webster takes a break from

her office duties to display her

culinary skills at the welcome
breakfast
 sponsored by Stikeman
Elliott LLP.
 Right:

Wilma Shim
 and articling
 students Julie
 Bedford and
 Mitch
 Eliasson
 from Fraser
 Milner
 Casgrain
 LLP,
 sponsors of
 Learned
 Friend Night.
 Far Right:
 Cheers!
 Jennifer Lee,
 Jon Ng and
 Brynne
Harding.
 

Above: Hungry first years!

 Above: Second
year students
prepare a hearty
breakfast
sponsored by
Stikeman Elliot
LLP.
Right: Cowboys
/ second year
students Ryu
Okayama, Sarah
Thompson,
Rebecca
Marshall and
Meghan Lindsay

Above: President of the Alberta Chapter Gillian

Marriott addresses students at the Canadian Bar
Association welcome reception.

At Learned Friend
Night:
Right: Gabe Gortva,
Vickie Hockley, Joanne
Luu, Caitlin Pakosh and
Brian Gregg relax with a
drink.
Far Right: Aida Athena
Rafie and Len Bernstein.
Working for Free: For the Love of Law
BY CARMEN GUSTAFSON

“I come from the headwaters of the Yukon River and we are worried about the salmon. They aren’t
returning. It is not like when we grew up, when we spent time on the River catching fish to feed
our families. I want our grandchildren to know this life. We need to work together to do something.
Mahsi cho, gunalcheesh.”

We are sitting in a circle under a giant circus tent on Ta’an Kwach’an traditional territory,
listening to introductions of the people who have gathered from over 50 Nations and Tribes
to discuss the health of the Yukon River and what the Yukon River Inter-tribal Watershed
Council is doing to help. There are youth, elders, Chiefs, Watershed Council staff, govern-
ment leaders, artists and scientists in the group. Stories like the one above echo through the crowd. It’s the end of my
summer in the Yukon and I suddenly become overwhelmed by the feeling that something inside me just shifted. The peo-
ple and the land suddenly mean something more to me than just a summer experience that will look good on my resume.
The people I met have become my teachers, my friends and my family. The North will do that to you – get under your
skin and become more than just a place on a map.

At the beginning of the winter term last year I applied for a Canadian Lawyers Abroad internship. I was instantly drawn
to the placement in Whitehorse/Alaska with the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council. CLA-ACE offers intern-
ships to law students with a CLA chapter in their school. Last year was the first year we had a chapter in the Faculty and
I was the first to benefit from the internship program.

It is an unpaid internship with the reward found in the experience. Fortunately, I was able to secure two sources of fund-
ing, shared with my fellow CLA intern in Whitehorse: Canada Summer Works (through the Government of Canada) and
Student Work Experience Enhancement Program (through the University of Calgary Students’ Union). In addition, I was
selected for one of the Irma Parhad Programmes Summer Studentships, which generously provided me with money for
living expenses (although this funding comes with some not-unsubstantial commitments). Very much appreciated were
generous friends and family who came through with donations. The lesson from this is that with a little hard work, it is
possible to fund a volunteer position. Don’t let the lack of monetary return keep you away from a great experience.

During the summer, I worked on projects ranging from researching energy regulation in the Yukon Territory, to draft-
ing a resolution for the Council calling for the U.S. to take action on salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock industry, to
presenting to municipal councils. It also included administrative duties, such as getting the mail. In a non-profit where
resources are limited, everybody does their part to keep the office running. The reward is usually a work atmosphere that
respects things like your outside relationships, activities and free time. That meant I got to explore the Yukon and south-
east Alaska and made some great friends!

This summer taught me about issues facing First Nations in the Yukon, jurisdictional conflicts in protection of water and
trans-boundary species like salmon, the very real impacts of climate change on people of the North, regulatory processes
for building alternative energy projects and working in cross-cultural organizations. There is no doubt I was able to grow
as a professional from all of this. This was an experience that I will continue to benefit from as I navigate through a career
in law, whatever that ends up looking like.

You are in a privileged position as a law student and this only grows as you move through your career. Use the knowl-
edge you gain and your abilities to really make a difference in the world. If this was a certain father-son relationship
and we had lightsabers instead of a legal education, I would urge you to go out and “use the force… for good.” Or, as a
Tlingit leader told me: “Aya ay gwa’x qwan,” which means “always do your best.”

For more information:

Canadian Lawyers Abroad: www.cla-ace.ca
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council: www.yritiwc.org
Council of Yukon First Nations: www.cyfcn.ca
Carmen’s Yukon Blog: http://yukoncarmen.blogspot.com/
Parhad Programmes: http://www.ucalgary.ca/md/PARHAD/irmaparhad.htm

10
There’s more
To being a
greaT lawyer
Than your gPa.
Within our firm you’ll find lawyers who’ve closed billion-dollar deals,
represented Prime Ministers and argued precedent-setting cases
before the Supreme Court. You’ll also discover adventurers,
marathoners and humanitarians. Every year, through our summer
and articling programs, we seek out students who, like us, have
both a passion for legal success and a desire to push themselves
to their limit. We’re not just looking for exceptional lawyers, we’re
looking for exceptional people.

To read our lawyer profiles and to see if BLG is right for you,
visit blgcanada.com/student

Calgary | Montréal | Ottawa

Toronto | Vancouver | Waterloo Region
Lawyers | Patent & Trade-mark Agents
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
is an Ontario Limited Liability Partnership.
blgcanada.com
3, 2, ,1... Profiles !
Name: Sepideh Alavi, aka. Sep

Hometown: North Vancouver, BC

Undergrad Studies: Political Science Major, Anthro-

pology Minor

Pre-law school employment/volunteer experience:

I have various volunteer/ work experiences, includ-
ing...
- working at a golf course which perks included meet-
ing players from the BC Lions and Vancouver Canucks
who would give me free tickets to games!
- working at BC Hydro Power Smart where my role was
to educate companies on energy conservation
- working at the Department of Service Canada for the
Federal Government where I focused on initiatives in
the Employment Programs Unit
- volunteering for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Service for Sight
for the past five years through initiatives put on by my sorority
Exam Rituals? My exam ritual is comprised of procrastination tactics including,
cleaning the entire house, cooking for friends, making “to-do” lists, finding a study-
buddy and color-coding summaries before I even begin to start studying (Note: feel
free to drop by if you are hungry during exam period!
Name: Jeremy Walden
Hometown: Victoria, BC
Undergrad Studies: Bachelor of Com-
merce, University of Victoria
Pre-law school employment/volunteer
experience: Executive Assistant to BC’s
Minister of Health; Ministerial Assis-
tant to BC’s Minister of Agriculture and
Lands
Exam Rituals? Wake up early - put on
Eye of the Tiger - shadow box.

What do you do to keep sane? Having a balanced lifestyle is integral to keeping my What do you do to keep sane?
sanity and allows me to put things into perspective. I find playing organized sports 1. Green tea
(plug-in: join the law volleyball team!), going out with friends, photography, eating 2. Lavender incense
well and drinking wine helps me to stay positive through the stresses of school. 3. Hatha yoga
I
f you could be any place right now, where would you be? In Ios, Greece, at a restau- If you could be any place right now,
rant called Harmony - it is the most relaxing place on earth. There is live acoustic where would you be? I would be at
music, happy-hour sangrias, sunny weather, a hill-top ocean view, hammocks and Cafe Buza in Dubrovnik, Croatia sip-
great people. ping on an ice cold “Hardy Boy” in a
What’s the scariest thing you have ever done? short glass.
I had to be the media representative for the Federal Government on a well known
radio program which was live on air, unscripted and had an open line for viewers to What’s the scariest thing you have ever
call-in with questions. The worst part was that I didn’t have much time to prepare done? Professor Rafferty’s Contracts
and knew everyone was listening, including my employers. The pressure was on. class

Famous person you look up to and why? I’ve never really looked up to any particu- Famous person you look up to and
lar famous person – rather local heroes, family members or friends who have con- why? Roger Federer. He’s the best ten-
quered large obstacles or satisfied a community need have stuck out as role models nis player in the world and one of the
for me. classiest people in sports.

One thing people in law school don’t know about you: I am a Vancouver Canucks One thing people in law school don’t
fan, even though I live in Calgary now. know about you: I own the Magic Bul-
let blender. Yes, that’s the one from the
Your biggest fashion faux pas? I found a top in my mom’s closet from the 70’s that infomercial.
I wore for Halloween in elementary school when I dressed up as a hippy- it was
tie dyed, bright pink, sparkled and had crochet sleeves. I ended up wearing it on a Your biggest fashion faux pas? Not dry
weekly basis even after Halloween ended. Guilty as charged. cleaning my Ed Hardy t-shirts.

12
 Name: Kane James Richards
Hometown: Guelph ON but I also like to think I hail from Manning AB

Undergrad Studies: BA Criminal Justice Public Policy…don’t really know what that means

Pre-law school employment/volunteer experience: I worked in a freezer factory dropping

freezer coils and I also delivered ice for 2 summers. I like to think I was integral to the freez-
ing process at both jobs. I also worked at the Kitchener Crown Attorney’s office.

Exam Rituals? I wear shorts when I study and I wear shorts when I write the exams as well
as every morning of an exam I listen to R Kelly- I believe I can fly…true story.

What do you do to keep sane? 1st year I did jigsaw puzzles. 2nd year I started making a sock
monkey (still unfinished). 3rd year I plan on becoming an amazing guitar player. Basketball
helps as well.
I
f you could be any place right now, where would you be? Snowboarding in some sweet deep
powder or chilling on a beach. Wait, can place also mean time? Because then I would want to be in 80’s when Air Supply,
REO Speedwagon, Styx and lite rock love ballads were ruling the airwaves.

What’s the scariest thing you have ever done? I want to say bungee jumping but it wasn’t that bad, I also want to say kite
tubing but it was relatively safe, really the scariest thing I have ever done is probably showing up to first year property
with Prof Watson-Hamilton having not read the assigned reading. Terrifying…
F
amous person you look up to and why? I look up to my Mom, no need to look for famous people to idolize when you
having someone amazing like that right close. Oh and Matlock, dude is seriously undefeated. The only time he has lost,
he totally meant for it to happen. Eat it Perry Mason!
One thing people in law school don’t know about you: I have a borderline crippling fear of cotton balls and cotton ball
like accessories (I am looking at you Q-Tip). They are terrible. I also like Star Trek, but I don’t hide that.

Your biggest fashion faux pas? Socks and sandals. Honestly, it is so f%#$ing comfortable, like walking on clouds full of
awesome. Some people say sweater vests, but I am unapologetic about my enjoyment of wearing the sweater vest.

Dear K + A
You ask, We answer, Everyone wins @ life.
Submit your questions to “answers_live_win@
live.com” (STRAIGHTARM TO THE FACE!!!)
[The views in Moot Times do not represent
those of K + A]

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a lawyer?

A: Lawyer? 10-hour workdays? Lonely dinners at the
French Maid? Sleeping with a loaded gun under my Alad-
din pillow? No, I’m not in this to be a lawyer, I just came to law school for the chicks. Yeah, all the millions of girls who
want nice, stable, upper middleclass one-night stands... that’s what this hell has all been about.
K: I was teaching dance in the Catskill Mountains at a resort called Kellerman’s. There, while rehearsing for the Shel-
drake annual performance, I was partnered with a young woman vacationing with her affluent family. She was a fill-in
since my partner got knocked up. We became very close – rehearsing all the time, dancing in the rain, on a log and even in
a lake. Sadly, I was fired before I could perform, since I was having a relationship with a guest (my partner). But I realized
then that I had to take control of my destiny. I returned to the resort the night of the performance, took my partner out
of the corner, and was all like “Nobody puts so and so in the corner.” We performed amazingly, even the final lift; you
should have seen it – amazing! As I held her above me, in her lovely pink dress, I felt that my true calling was law, since
I had reached the pinnacle of my dancing career. I enrolled the following week. I’ll never forget that night. I truly had the
time of my life...

13
Q: Sometimes in class I feel as though everyone is smarter than me. How do I know I really belong here?
K: Oh Timmy, sweet, innocent, naive Timmy. The problem is that everyone is smarter than you. It’s a fact. I know because I am
one of those smarter people. I come to school every day with one goal, and one goal only: to make you, and everyone else, know
I am the smartest. So you aren’t alone in feeling that way. How do I do that, you ask? Well, as per usual I am gonna tell you. I
first make sure I come to class at least 5 minutes late, so everyone can watch me walk in and sit down in the middle of the front
row. Oh, I know there was an empty seat next to you, “person-three-rows-back-on-the-end”, but come on, I deserve my front
row seat. I earned it. Then I am gonna boot up my computer; don’t worry, the speakers are on max so everyone will know the
magic is about to start. Then, when Word is up and running, I will go back into my loud-zippered bag and get the text book out.
That’s right, ALL HIGHLIGHTED; I read the whole damn thing. Now we are ready to rock! Rhetorical question? I’m answering
it. Someone else called on behind me? I’m interrupting them and pretending I thought the prof was pointing at me. I don’t know
the answer? I’m still gonna raise my hand and tell a story about how something barely similar happened to me, or how I heard
somewhere that what was being said in class was true. And finally, at the end of class I will sprint to the front and start asking the
prof questions that have nothing to do with what was just taught, or even going to be taught. And you see Timmy, that’s why you
feel dumb. It’s because I am so smart.
A: Basically, if you can crash a Jewish wedding with an open bar, and remain sober enough to play “Chopsticks” on a grand piano
afterwards, then you definitely belong here.

Q: If you could liken your 2 years in law school so far to a TV show, what show would it be?
K: I like to think of my 2 years as a hybrid of numerous TV shows. It’s like Law & Order, Sex and the City, Grey’s Anatomy, Mat-
lock, Street Legal, and High School Musical all put together. I like to call it, “Matlock: Street Sex and Anatomy Law School Musi-
cal”. My 2 years of law school have everything those TV shows have all in one! The mystery and intrigue of Law & Order: will it
be open-bar, free appetizers, or should I eat before I go? Or, will there be Starbucks cards given away?? The scandal and style of
Sex and the City: didn’t he wear that suit last time? And, no way is he / she dancing with him / her!! The clash of arguments of
Street Legal: who will win between construction workers and profs? The dancing of High School Musical: oh how we dance! And
sing, and dance!! And, well, Matlock is amazing, so suck it Perry Mason. So ya, that’s my TV show comparison. And stay tuned
because “Matlock: Street Sex and Anatomy Law School Musical Senior Year” has just begun.
A: Well, it certainly wouldn’t be episodes 3 and 4 of BSG (Battlestar Galactica) season 3. That’s the one where the human refugees,
lead by Colonel Saul Tigh, come back and *yawn* lead an insurrection on New Caprica. Spoiler Alert!: (this was actually said out
loud by someone whose name will remain anonymous) “While this may not have been the best episode, it definitely had the best
space battle.” Can you believe it, this was a two-part episode! Now all I need to finish the answer to this question is the hotkey for
that emoticon... you know, the one with no friends.

Q: How do I get back into school mentality after such an epic summer?
K: I know how you feel, because I too had an epic summer. It was magical. I finally rediscovered my love for Harlequin romance
novels. Nothing better than my patio on a warm summer’s night, with candles, some wine, my silk luxury Turkish bathrobe on,
and a strapping stable hand with a mystery in his eyes that only

Get Out of Town! with

the horses he tames, or the young debutante southern belle he
charms, understand. Sorry, where was I? Oh ya, school mental-
ity. Well the way I get back into it is by losing myself in a good
Harlequin romance novel. Nothing too serious. Maybe one
about a young marine biologist that gets swept off her feet by the Environmental Law
Society
the rugged, but handsome, sea captain that has a mystery that
only the waves and sharks that he tames can understand. Just
magical... Oh, but one thing: if you are going to try the patio
with luxury Turkish bathrobe, and you too live on a ground Tired of pizza, beer and free highlighters yet?
floor apartment, wear clothes underneath. It makes your night The Environmental Law Society invites you to the “wild-
less police involved. est” launch event of the year! We will be camping and
A: Well, unlike you, and K, I did not have an epic summer, hiking in Lake Louise (Banff National Park) from Septem-
and it can all be summed up in one day: June 25th. Like every ber 25-27. If you would like to join us, email els@ucalgary.
other day, I came to work an hour and a half late, smelling of ca for more information or to RSVP. Accomodation (at
Big Macs and body odour. Would today finally be the day that your cost) is also available at the warm and cozy hostel,
one of my superiors trusted me enough to email or call with a and day trippers are more than welcome to join just for
research question for me to answer? Alas, just another lonely the hike. If you aren’t able to join us, we will have oppor-
morning, alone with my empty, cavernous inbox, and my silent tunities for you to get involved through the year, so stay
phone, which might as well have been plugged into the salt and tuned.
mustard sandwich on my desk that I’ve been waiting all morn-
ing to eat. Then it happened. “You have one new email in your See you in the mountains!
inbox”, my computer informed me. What could it be? A memo
on standard of care? Drafting a statement of defence?! Free cook- Trevor Farence, Bob Scriven, Heather Richardson and Car-
ies in the break room??!! No. It is K. He tells me Michael Jackson men Gustafson
has just died. Today I begin crying at my desk an hour earlier
than usual.
14
 Why choose Bennett Jones?

“I chose Bennett Jones because of

its unparalleled reputation.”
Cory Wilson University of Calgary
My Interests Litigation

Your Future. Your Choice. Your Firm.

bennettjones.com/yourfuture

2009BJ-Lexpert-Sept-vStudents.indd 1 11/09/2009 2:46:19 PM

 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
15 16 17 18 19

Dean’s Pizza Last Day to Drop a

Lunch for 1st-
SLA Orientation
years, from 12 from 12 to 2 pm class
to 1 pm, in MFH
3360 B,D & P Golf
1:30 pm, at the
GlenEagles Golf
29 21 22 23 24 25 26
Book Launch Fall Recruitment BJs recruitment
Get your loans a Fort Calgary Mixer event, 4:00 on- Melissa’s
sorted out! School Somebody Else’s Thursday, Septem- Road Race in
Fees are Due Money: The Walrond ber 24 wards Banff
Ranch Story, 1883-- 5:30 to 7 p.m.
UN International 1907 Nexen Inc. Garden
Day of Peace Court

27 28 29 30 October 1 2 3
Monday The Stampeders
Night Jazz Se- His Holiness OMG - its play the Tiger-
ries presents October and I Cats
the 14th
Cumako at Dalai Lama have not done
anything for Scarab Metal
the University is coming to Fest featuring
Theatre Calgary school !
Destroyer 666 at
Mac Hall

4 5 6 7 8 9 10
CIBC’s UTI Speaker
Run for the Series: Do Tony Ben-
Patents Equal
Cure - Join Profits? nett is at the
the Law in the Cassio Jubilee
Schools Room, Mac-
Team Ewan