UM Today | Faculty of Law | Media Pyro

October 6, 2022 —

The Faculty of Law hosted its 2022 Homecoming event on September 21 in partnership with Legal Aid Manitoba to celebrate the 50-year partnership that existed between the two institutions. Since 1972, Legal Aid Lawyers have supervised law students working at the University of Manitoba Community Law Center (also known as the Legal Aid Clinic) to provide experiential learning opportunities to law students and ensuring access to justice for people who cannot afford a lawyer.

During the virtual event attended by more than 70 students from Melbourne, Australia and Victoria, British Columbia, guests heard greetings from the Honorable Judge Wanda Garreck. [LLB/1990] for the Provincial Court of Manitoba; Peter Kingsley, QC, Executive Director of Legal Aid Manitoba; Erin Wilcott, Executive Director of the Manitoba Law Foundation, and Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law. Associate Professor David Ireland [LLB/2010; LLM/2014]The Director of Clinics at the law school, acted as moderator and moderated two group discussions – one of the lawyers to be examined, and one of the former students of the clinic. , present and future.

In his acceptance speech, Judge Garreck said that he and his fellow jury members were happy to see the student lawyers in their courthouse. “The judges see the students as enthusiastic, well organized and well observed,” he said.

Recalling her days as a law student working at the clinic, she encouraged current students to take advantage of the opportunities the clinic offers to gain experience and network. “It’s a great way to start your name,” he said.

Professor David Deutscher, who served as the clinic’s supervisor from 1977 to 2015, explained that the clinic was originally started by a movement of law students who wanted to help people and gain experience- manually. “It’s a trying time,” he said. His goal as a supervisor should not be called “reward manipulation” but it is the same as not being better than wages.

Legal Aid Attorney Michael Walker [LLB/1985] the clinic was inspected from 2015 to the present, and saw students adapt to new technologies and expand services according to a new Memorandum of Understanding signed this past spring between Legal Aid and the Faculty. The expansion will include family law, prison and civil rights services. Walker is ready to hand over power to Ireland, who is a clinical student. “It’s a community-based clinic,” Walker said.

The Honorable Justice Rocky Pollack, QC [BA/1969; LLB/1972] he was an intern at the clinic in 1971 – 72. At the beginning of law school, he didn’t think he wanted to help “the little guy,” but his experiences at the clinic inspired him. , working with his fellow students. Randy McNichol and the clinic’s supervisor at the time, Al McGregor, described him as a “hot criminal attorney” who ran a powerful clinic. “It was a great time to be a law student,” he recalls. Working at the clinic inspired her to want to be an “advocate for change,” she said.

Diane (Demeule) Hartley Holley [LLB/1995] He brought a unique perspective to his work at the clinic as an administrative assistant from 1979 to 1986, during which time he helped guide many student volunteers. By 1990, he was enrolled in law school part-time and volunteered at a clinic while studying at Robson Hall. After graduating in 1995, he clerked at Brandon’s Westman Community Law Center before practicing family and criminal law with Sims & Company in Minnedosa.

Finally, Hayley Allardyce [JD/2019], now a junior partner at the criminal defense firm Campbell Gunn Inness Seib, explained the current clinical experience, recalling that “the clinic is a safe place to learn the basics of criminal law.” He noticed how law students had a good time unlike the lawyers, and was grateful for being able to call on his supervising attorney Mike Walker for help when needed. To highlight the supportive community that surrounds the clinic and its work, Allardyce said at his first hearing that he spent hours preparing for it, he forgot to mention an important issue at in his decision, but the Crown rose and urged him in a way of support.

Manitoba continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary^th anniversary through 2022. Details of the new Memorandum of Understanding signed between Legal Aid and the Faculty of Law regarding the expansion of services at the clinic can be found in the UM statement Today “Expansion of University Law School services to help Manitobans access the Law. .”

Information provided by The University of Law.