Students teams compete at 2021 Peter Burns Mock Trial Competition

On Wednesday, November 10, 2021, the annual Peter Burns Mock Trial Competition was held at the Peter A. Allard School of Law. In this trial moot, student teams litigate a complex mock trial before a jury and a judicial panel. Two senior lawyers and a judge coach each of the four teams of students during practice sessions held at the Robson Square courthouse. 

We were able to hold the Moot in person with a variety of health measures in place, and we also live-streamed the trials on Zoom. Many thanks to Rohan Sheehan, Michelle Burchill and Tesolin Piccolo for their exceptional work on the digital and in-person arrangements for the Moot. Many thanks also to Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie for providing special approval for us to use the downtown courtrooms for practices.

The Provincial Court, Crown Counsel and Defence Bar have all been critical supporters of this Moot for many years. Defence counsel Joven Narwal and the Crown Counsel Association have been longtime sponsors of the Moot. We greatly appreciate their generosity and commitment to this great opportunity for our students to learn complex trial skills in a simulated jury trial.

The students did an outstanding job in the Moot before the distinguished panel of Judge Reginald Harris, Judge Deanne Gaffar and Judge Robin McQuillan. Please join me in congratulating all of this year’s Burns Mooters: Cailean Paskall, Madison Dutiewicz, Diana Wang, Charlotte Tan, Haadia Khalid, Joshua Wandler, Uma Wu, and Mila Ghorayeb.

The winners of the Moot were Haadia Khalid and Mila Ghorayeb, and the two alternate winners were Charlotte Tan and Madison Dutiewicz. The winning students will go on to represent Allard Law in the MacIntyre Cup (the Western Canada Moot Competition) next term. Individual award winners at the Competition were Madison Dutiewicz for best cross-examination, Charlotte Tan for best jury address, and Cailean Paskall won the Spirit of the Burns Award.

The Peter Burns Mock Trial Competitions would not be possible without the commitment and dedication of our coaches, judges, sponsors and student volunteers. The Faculty would like to sincerely thank everyone involved, including:

2021 Event Sponsors: Joven Narwal and The Crown Counsel Association

Coaches: Mark Myhre, Brent Anderson, Judge Jahani, Dianne Wiedemann, Rebecca McConchie, Judge Oulton, Scott Wright, Patrick Fullerton, Judge Challenger, Meghan Forhan, Jenny Dyck, Judge Bahen

Downtown Coordinator: Mark Myhre

Judges for the final trials: Judge Harris, Judge Gaffar, Judge McQuillan

Judges for the dress rehearsal trials: Judge Jahani and Judge Bahen

Volunteer Clerk: Burns Moot Alumni Benjamin Israel

Allard School of Law staff: Michelle Burchill, Rohan Sheehan, Julie Carlsten

Volunteer Witnesses: Lisa Chaudhry, Kelvin Zhu, Lara Marie Lampe, Luc Carels, Madison Bergen, Lisa Baek, Kaylie Hanna, Kasra Behnampour