Our Moot Court experience is embedded in PLSC 2243: Law, Politics, and the Judicial Process. It is a wonderful and engaging experiential learning opportunity. In this 6-credit course, students participate in a simulation of “appeal” of an actual Supreme Court of Canada. This exercise takes place in the Fall semester, and involves classroom preparation as well as the simulation itself, which takes place at the Calgary Courts Centre.

The Moot Court is organized with the cooperation of the Calgary offices of Bennett Jones, LLP, some of whose lawyers assist us in our preparation. We meet with the lawyers several times – on campus and at the law firm’s offices, as well as during a “practice moot” in the classroom. This is followed by the formal Moot Court session at the Calgary Courts Centre. Students have the opportunity to take on the “roles” of the justices (accompanied by an Alberta Justice, who sits as Chief Justice), as well as the roles of lawyers for both parties in the case (for the Appellant and Respondent), interveners, clerks, and journalists covering the case.

What Will You Gain from the Moot Court Experience?

• Learn to analyze ideas, media, texts, institutions, processes
• Learn how to conduct research and write a judgment, brief, or article
• Learn how to read and present a case
• Gain an appreciation for the critical relationship between politics and the judiciary
• Develop skills in research, writing, presentation/articulation, argumentation and critique, scholarly interpretation, legal argumentation
• Gain clarity with concepts such as the rule of law, power, authority, legitimacy, sovereignty, rights, obligations, liberty, coercion, dissent

Our Moot Court experience is unique at the undergraduate level, and provides valuable experience for students considering law school, where such exercises are a core element of legal education.

For more information, please contact:

Lori Williams
Phone: 403.440.5964
Email: lwilliams@mtroyal.ca

Policy Studies students can work in diverse positions involving education, business, government, healthcare, oil and gas, research institutes, policy consultants and lobby groups. Opportunities may include: research, data analysis, policy formation, foreign policies, themes and trends in economic and political issues, technical writing, statistical compilation and interpretation with instruments and techniques of policy implementation. It is advised that students explore volunteer and/or summer employment opportunities before taking the internship course, as some positions require additional experience and/or qualifications.

The four-year Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice program builds on Mount Royal University's strong reputation for leadership in justice education. For more than 35 years, Mount Royal has met the demand in the justice industry with leading-edge programs, first with a diploma, then an applied degree and now a university-level bachelor's degree.

Practica are unpaid work experiences consisting of 2.5 days of full-time work within an agency, plus bi-weekly academic seminars and required course assignments supervised by an instructor. Practicum is 6 credits towards your bachelors degree.