FALL 2017 Palbinder Kaur Shergill: Her inspirational journey to British Columbia’s Supreme Court College launches Nunavut Law Program The mighty Hughes returns Student Siera Bearchell’s commitment to helping others FALL 2017 Published by the College EDITOR of Law at the University Cat Bonner of Saskatchewan, of NOTE Communications and Alumni contains news and updates Relations Officer from the college as well College of Law as information relevant to our alumni and all of our University of Saskatchewan college community. 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A6 To submit information Email: [email protected] or articles for of NOTE, or to send us your latest CONTRIBUtors news, whether personal Lindsay Royale is a communications or professional, please contact: coordinator at the U of S. Jessica Elfar is a development communications specialist at the U of S. table of contents 2 Dean’s Message Alumni News 12 Catching up College News 13 Find your grad photo on 3 Around the College our website 4 College launches 13 Save the date – Nunavut Law Program alumni receptions 5 McKercher LLP Lecture 13 In Memoriam Series: Winter 2017 Highlights 14 Alumni Notes 6 Public, justice, 14 Law alumni profiled in healthcare and library U of S Nation Builder list sectors come together 15 The Mighty Hughes for access to justice Returns 6 Western Canada Moot Student News team victorious at 2017 16 Law student Siera Sopinka Cup Bearchell: committed to 7 Home for a half-century helping others 7 College hosts Second 16 Spring 2017 Annual Commercial Law Convocation Symposium 17 Students negotiate their Faculty News way to victory 8 News in Brief 17 Law student receives Aboriginal Student 8 Videos highlight Achievement Award faculty research 18 Q and A with students 8 Larry Chartrand of the Program of Legal appointed Academic Studies for Native Director of Native Law People Centre 19 LLM News 9 College names Northern 20 The gift of support Director for Nunavut through difficult times Law Program 21 College of Law 9 Professors Heavin announces refugee and Keet develop scholarship risk assessment 21 Antwi Frimpong: profile methodology for of an LLM graduate lawyers 9 Professor MacLean joins faculty 10 Feature: Palbinder Kaur Shergill: Her inspirational journey to British Columbia’s Supreme Court FALL 2017 www.law.usask.ca University of Saskatchewan Home for a half-century 7 4 10 15 College launches Nunavut Palbinder Kaur Shergill Mighty Hughes Law Program The program brings a law degree to Her inspirational journey from the Alumnus Ted Hughes (BA’48; LLB’50) the territory for the first time in over College of Law to British Columbia’s returns to the college for a book a decade. Supreme Court. signing in his honour. College of Law Alumni Magazine www.law.usask.ca Fall 2017 dean’s message Northwest Territories, and Paul Okalik, the first Dean’s Message: Inuk lawyer to be called to the Nunavut Bar. Stay tuned for updates! I celebrated my first With the launch of the Nunavut Law Program, birthday as dean of the the college had the honour of holding two college on July 1, 2017, first year welcoming ceremonies this year. On and although there was September 19, we gathered in Convocation no cake, it was a great Hall to celebrate the 129 students joining the opportunity to reflect on college here in Saskatoon. I am delighted to say what a fantastic year it has this means the college has 154 new students been! this year - by far the largest class we have ever With a fresh academic had! We look forward to uniting these two year, we welcomed two cohorts in every way we can, so they can share new faculty to the college. their experiences as they go through law school Assistant Professor Jason together. MacLean, whose research expertise includes I hope you will enjoy catching up on what’s environmental law and climate change policy, been happening at the college over the last few joined us from the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law months. Featured in this edition, we have stories at Lakehead University. We were also very on two of our distinguished alumni. Ted Hughes fortunate to welcome Professor Larry Chartrand (LLB ’50) and his family travelled to the college as Academic Director of the Native Law Centre. in October to attend a special reception to mark Professor Chartrand is one of Canada’s leading the Saskatchewan launch of a biography in Ted’s Indigenous law academics and earlier this year honour, The Mighty Hughes, which is a detailed was awarded the Law Society of Upper Canada account of his life, his work as a Saskatchewan Around Medal. We are also proud of the fact that he is a judge and BC conflict-of-interest commissioner, graduate of the Native Law Centre’s Program of and his significant achievements during his Legal Studies for Native People. career. Our cover story is a feature on Justice Now the fall term is upon us, which brings new Palbinder Kaur Shergill (LLB ’90), who was the College students, changing weather, and a full calendar! recently appointed a judge of the Supreme One of the college’s proudest achievements Court of British Columbia. Justice Shergill, who to date, was the launch of our Nunavut Law also visited the college in October to co-deliver Plains/ Woodland Cree singer and Program. On September 11, I had the privilege the Saskatchewan Law Review Lecture, is the songwriter Joseph Naytowhow of travelling north to attend the First Year first turbaned Sikh Supreme Court judge in the performs a blessing and traditional song at the reception for alumnus Welcoming Ceremony in Iqaluit, to bring country. greetings to the program’s 25 new students. Ted Hughes on Oct 12, 2017. As always, we are delighted to be sharing our It was truly a special occasion, with over alumni’s extraordinary achievements. Our 150 community members attending. I was alumni are key to the future success of the touched to see the number of family, friends college, and I encourage you to stay connected and dignified guests (including Madame with us. I was delighted that many of you could Justice Côté from the SCC) who joined us join us for our 2016-17 alumni receptions across to wish the students well. The program is a the country, and I look forward to seeing faces partnership between the college, Nunavut new and old in the coming year. I thoroughly Arctic College and the Government of Nunavut, enjoyed visiting our Edmonton alumni for the and represents further evidence of the first time as dean on October 30, and I eagerly college’s continuing commitment to creating anticipate my visits to Calgary and Toronto in opportunities in Indigenous legal education. 2018 (details on page 13). News from Iqaluit is that our students are doing Stay in touch… very well; they visited the Nunavut Legislative Sincerely, Assembly in September to be recognized by the MLAs, and have formed the Nunavut Law Students Society. They also recently organized an all candidates forum in the Nunavut election. The program has welcomed a number of Martin Phillipson distinguished guest speakers so far, including Dean, College of Law Senator Dennis Patterson, former premier of the 2 FALL 2017 www.law.usask.ca University of Saskatchewan Students chat at orientation. college news Student prize winners with Dean Martin Phillipson at the 2017 Around convocation reception on June 7. the College Students at the 2017 Canadian Bar Association Lawyer, college alumnus and One Bad Son drummer Kurt Dahl Saskatchewan Branch reception. guest lectures in the entertainment law course on Sept 29, 2017. College of Law students take part in the U of S Graduation Guests come together in the Native Powwow on May 31, 2017, to celebrate the academic achievements Law Centre for a book gathering and of graduating Métis, First Nations and Inuit students. conversation. College of Law Alumni Magazine www.law.usask.ca Fall 2017 3 college news College launches Program Director Stephen Mansell Nunavut Law Program speaks at the welcoming ceremony The program, which brings a law degree to Molloy, formerly the Government of Canada’s Just a few months into the program, and there the territory for the first time in over a decade, chief negotiator for the Nunavut Land Claims is much to report from Iqaluit. officially welcomed 25 new students at a Agreement, and College of Law Dean Martin unique First Year Welcoming Ceremony on Phillipson. Inuit scholar and advocate Aaju Peter, graduate Sept. 11. of the Akitsiraq Law School and Order of Reflecting on the success of the ceremony, Canada recipient, joined the program as Over 150 community members attended Program Director Stephen Mansell said “I am cultural advisor. Peter is also lecturing on Inuit the ceremony in Iqaluit, Nunavut, which was very excited to be working with 25 amazing law, culture and perspectives in the first-year conducted in Inuktitut and English. Nunavut students over the next four years courses. as they progress through their legal studies. For the students, it was a chance to celebrate The potential for these students, and this The program has also welcomed a number of their entrance into law school, and the program, to shape the future of the legal distinguished guest lecturers, including Dennis beginning of a highly anticipated four-year profession and access to justice in our territory Patterson, senator for Nunavut and former journey in legal studies. is immeasurable.” premier of the Northwest Territories, and Paul Okalik, the first Inuk lawyer to be called to the The ceremony opened with a traditional On Sept. 13, the program’s students, faculty, Nunavut Bar, and the first premier of Nunavut.