Osgoode’s environmental law mooting program is alive and well. As a member of Osgoode Hall’s 2015 Willms & Shier Environmental Law Moot team, I am pleased to report that the 7 March competition went (almost) as well as we could have hoped for. While nine law schools from coast to coast were represented at the competition (from the University of Victoria all the way to Dalhousie University), both Osgoode teams managed to walk away with awards: Martin Banach, Joslyn Currie, and myself took second place while Danielle Cornacchia, Gün Köleoğlu, and Maija-lisa Robinson won the D. Paul Emond Award for Best Respondent’s Factum.
A big thanks also goes out to our coaches, Andrea Bradley, Senwung Luk, and Michael McClurg of Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP. As second place finishers, Martin, Joslyn, and I had the chance to present our submissions to Justice Karakatsanis (SCC), Justice Stratas (FCA), and Justice van Rensburg (ONCA). While we would have liked to take the first place prize, Osgoode has definitely shown its strength in environmental law by bringing home two team awards. This is the third time that the moot has been held and the second time running that Osgoode has been runner-up. The Willms & Shier Environmental Law Moot is only held once every two years, so consider this a call to present first year students to be ready to bring home the gold two years from now, continuing Osgoode’s excellent track record in the competition.