Ultra Vires Vol 8 Issue 3: 2006 November

Duff to be played by Tarantino; Old Duff to be played by Phil Collins. Pg. 10

ULTRA

Meet the Liberal leadership candidates pg. 6-7 Ultra Vires’ annual OCI survey and firm rankings pg. 12-15 JD vs. MBSA pg. 25 Pot Profs pg. 22

VIRES

the independent student newspaper of the university of toronto faculty of law since 1999

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 3

November 21, 2006

Debate over Danish cartoons turns hostile

WWW.ULTRAVIRES.CA

JONATHAN SONG, MARK MYHRE, STEPHEN BIRMAN

On October 30, 2006 the Federalist Society got off to a flying but controversial start with a well-attended debate featuring Ezra Levant, Editor of the Western Standard, and Islamic Law and Business Professor Mohammad Fadel.

The topic was whether the infamous cartoons from Denmark of the prophet Mohammad should have been published here in Canada. Professor Ed Morgan moderated the debate.

Mr. Levant employed a style of argument that was at once, witty, jocular and at times abusive. He argued before the sometimes hostile audience that the Western Standard printed the cartoons DEBATE continued on pg. 3

The numbers are in...

U of T Edges Out Osgoode for Most Overall Hires — Torys takes home first place in UV Annual Recruitment Survey STEPHEN BIRMAN, JOSH LAVINE AND JORDAN NAHMIAS

The results are in and once again the people have spoken. In the “Battle for Bay,” U of T edged out cross-town rival

Osgoode by 5 hires in overall unofficial hiring statistics compiled by Ultra Vires, while Torys claimed victory in Ultra Vires Annual Recruitment Survey. However, U of T’s total output fell by 5 students for the summer of 2007, whereas dramatic increases in hires were found at virtually every other law school across the country.

Osgoode’s output went from 74 to 86 student hires. Queen’s jumped from 32

Debators Ezra Levant, Professor Ed Morgan, and Professor Mohammad Fadel

to 42. Western, Ottawa and Windsor saw slight gains while McGill and Dalhousie jumped from 15 and 16 student hires respectively last summer to 26 and 25 summer hires each for the upcoming summer. It’s possible that U of T numbers did not follow the trend because of an increased number of New York hires but we won’t have final information from the Big Apple until the deadline to accept offers passes on December 1.

Meanwhile, in a dramatic reversal of fortunes, Torys rose from number 14 in last year’s survey to the number one ranking in this year’s survey of 101 U of T second-year law students who participated in the recruitment process, leading the way in every category. Students were asked to evaluate the firm’s performance at the OCI and call-back stages, its events, the level of respect shown to stu-

HIRES continued on pg. 4

Fall feast, Fergie and Frank, LIFT, locks and Liberal leadership and more...

NEWS

Masthead

Ultra Vires staff weigh in on this issue’s pressing matters For the past 3 years Ultra Vires has surveyed students after the OCI and recruitment processes to solicit feedback about the approaches taken by various firms, and to draw out student responses to individual firms. We have been informed that many of the firms do read this issue of Ultra Vires to see how they are perceived among law students, and how they fared among their peers in the process.

This issue flips the relationship around and turns the lens on the firms, giving students an opportunity to express a measure of judgment about recruitment from our perspective. If nothing else, we can air our frustrations with a process that consumes much of the first term of second year law school.

Some firms reading the results might feel disappointed or even anger when they see the results. Presumably nobody likes finishing last in a survey, and it would likely mean a lot to these firms to be recognized as an exceptionally attractive employer. After all, wouldn’t these firms want the honour of approval from the masses of students that the entire recruiting process is catered towards?

Based on the changes in some firms’ rankings from last year (Tory’s jumped 13 spots up to number 1 this year), we can be hopeful that some of these firms are listening and trying to make changes based on our feedback.

When we get rejected, we are often left scratching our heads as to what went

wrong. Why him/her and not me?

Where did it go off the rails? What are they looking for, really? That’s why it’s critical we give them the feedback that we don’t get in a PFO letter. Maybe if we’re more honest with them, they will be more honest with us. Maybe by letting

AFTER ALL, WOULDN’T THESE FIRMS WANT THE HONOUR OF

APPROVAL FROM THE MASSES OF STUDENTS THAT THE ENTIRE RECRUITING PROCESS IS CATERED TOWARDS?

them know what we didn’t appreciate, those things won’t be repeated in the future. If they don’t like their grade, they can call Ultra Vires, or write letters to the CDO (if past experience is an indicator some of them will do this). That’s fine and, in the spirit of bettering ourselves, we appreciate the feedback. And that’s really the most constructive thing we can do, both as students and as firms: to think about how we can be better and

ULTRA VIRES

Ultra Vires is the independent student newspaper of the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto.

Editor - in - chief Stephen Birman News Editor Steven Werier Opinion and Editorial Meghan Riley Legal Issues Jonathan Song Features Jordan Nahmias Diversions Dave Seevaratnam Production/Creative Directors Kate McGrann and Britt Braaten Business Manager Josh Lavine IT/Website Managers Austin Acton and Sam Ault GamesMaster Yael Bogler Copy Editors Andrea Hasenbank and Sharon Silbert First Year Content Maria Zeldis Communications Centre, Falconer Hall 84 Queens Park Crescent, Toronto ON M5S 2C5 ultra.vires@utoronto.ca (416) 946 - 7684

improve.

Our survey reveals multiple instances of firms failing to communicate an applicant’s status with a student at different stages of the process. It also reveals that a number of students felt pressured by firms to make a decision before Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. This is troubling. The process is stressful enough for students.

Part of the objective of having timelines is to give students some collective power in a process which predominantly favours the firms. If firms are pressuring students to make early decisions, they strip students of their ability to use the process to make reasonably informed evaluations.

Similarly, there are also rumours of certain firms making offers well before the Law Society permits offers being made. Would it really be too much to ask firms to follow the regulations and make offers at the appropriate time and then wait for our responses? Finally, there were also cases of firms sending out rejection notices in mass emails where other student names could be identified in the sender line. This practice is as unacceptable as a student sending a resume to firm X with a letterhead directed to firm Y. Firms would instantly reject us under this condition and shouldn’t be surprised if they were spurned for the same reason. These kinds of things cannot be tolerated on our end.

The process isn’t perfect and neither

is our survey, but the survey is meant to start the conversation. We urge the firms to read it carefully, and then to go further: Consult articling students, consult your new summer hires, don’t live by the adage of ‘if ain’t broke don’t fix it,’ because it may actually be broke, and you may not even know it if you aren’t looking and listening. With that said, hopefully the firms can have a sense of humour about some of the more colourful responses. We included them because it is fun for us, and funny to us. But mostly because it’s constructive. We’ve done this with the spirit that future students going through the process will benefit. At least, that is our hope

Our most sincere and hearftfelt apologies to Ryan Zalis and Danielle Stone for not crediting your work in last month’s issue on pigeons and professors, respectively.

Contributors

Saad Ahmad, Mark Firmon, Jeremey Glick, Joanna Goldenberg, Sarah Hudson, Lorne Kotler, Nii-Apa Lamptey, Eric Lavers, Kenneth Li, Sarah McEachern, Yvanna Mycyk, Mark Myhre, Fredrick Schumann, Noel Semple, Neil Shapiro, Amy Smeltzer, Sayran Sulevani, Ruthie Wahl, Rob Wakalat

Ultra Vires is an editorially autonomous newspaper. We are open to contributions which reflect diverse points of view, and our contents necessarily reflect the views of the Faculty of Law, the Students’ Law Society (SLS), or the editorial board. We welcome contributions from students, faculty, and other interested persons. Ultra Vires reserves the right to edit contributions for length and content.

Advertising inquiries should be sent to the attention of the business manager at ultra.vires@utoronto.ca.

The next issue will be published on January 16, 2007 and the deadline for submissions is January 9, 2007. The submission limit is 800 words.

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

NEWS

Fall Feast and Pow Wow

AUSTIN ACTON

it being so tender.

ALSA's goal in hosting the event was to build connections with the wider student body at the law school. All law stu-

The Rowell Room was full to capacity once again this year, as the Aboriginal Law Students' Association (ALSA) held their second annual Fall Feast and Pow Wow. The invited elder, Grafton Antone, opened the ceremony by inviting everyone in the room to take part in the smudge. If the smell of sage smoke was not enough to draw in curious first years, the drum and song of the Red Sky Singers was impossible to miss.

Dancers in traditional dress impressed the crowd, including alumna Nicole Richmond (2006). Members of the crowd Students enjoy traditional dancing at the ALSA Pow Wow. were encouraged to Photo - Eric Lavers take part in some of the dances as well. dents were invited, including various The feast included traditional fare pre- student clubs and organizations, many pared by ALSA members. There were of whom stopped by. The President of nothing but compliments on the smoked the University of Toronto's Native Stusalmon, partridge a l'orange, moose stew, dents' Association, John Crouch, was in bannock, wild rice casserole, baked attendance, as well as other Aboriginal U squash, raspberry salad, and ALSA's of T students from First Nations House. trademark strawberry punch. Dean The modern pow wow is a chance for Mayo Moran was overheard saying that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to she hadn't had moose since she lived in gather to dance, sing, eat, and socialize.

Northern BC, and she didn't remember The fall feast is also an important tradiDEBATE continued from pg. 1

because they were newsworthy. Levant went further, and said that the Western media, and Canadian media in particular, while normally completely irreverent in religious matters, had been cowed into submission by threats of violence from Islamic fanatics. He cited different reasons given to him by the big news organizations for not printing the cartoons: "they’re juvenile,""they’re already available on the net," "they’re deeply offensive," and "out of respect for Islam."

According to Levant, these were mere “fig leaves” for a business decision based on the perceived risks to their own organizations and people and any solicitude for Islamic sensitivities was nothing more than hypocritical posturing.

The remainder of Levant’s opening speech was directed at those same media organizations for criticisms leveled at him. To these critics, Levant pointed out that since he had also published a photograph of - the cross being urinated on he could hardly be accused of showing a bias against Islamic sensitivities. At the

same time, Levant contended that the cartoons were too bland to reasonably be considered offensive in the first place.

The focus of Professor Fadel’s speech was not on the Western Standard’s decision to publish, but on possible objections to the initial printing of the cartoons in Denmark. In a calm and academic manner, he made the two following points: first, the cartoons are deeply offensive to many Muslims; second, they paint the entire Muslim world as an invading, terrorist menace. Fadel acknowledged that the first point was not a defensible ground for objecting to publishing the cartoons in a liberal democracy. Fadel emphasized that he did not morally object to publishing scholarly material critical of canonical Islamic traditions when the aim would be debate, rather than mere provocation. Regarding the Western Standard in particular, Fadel did comment that he had trouble believing the cartoons were newsworthy two months after the fact.

As for the second point, Fadel urged the audience to consider the particular political context in which these cartoons

tion in Métis culture, usually celebrating a successful moose harvest or Louis Riel Day, which is November 16th.

ALSA had previously been known as the Native Law Students' Association since its formation in the 1980s. This year, the group resolved to replace the term “Native” with “Aboriginal” in an effort to mirror the terminology of the Canadian Constitution. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, states that “[t]he existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed” and that “[i]n this Act, the 'aboriginal peoples of Canada' includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.”

For those interested in exploring Aboriginal legal issues, the Indigenous Law Journal (ILJ) will be hosting a conference at the law school on January 26 and 27, 2007 under the theme of “Indigenous Law and Legal Systems: Recognition and Revitalization.”

Confirmed speakers include Cindy Blackstock, Professor Paul Chartrand, Professor Gordon Christie, Professor Willy Ermine, Professor Sakej Henderson, the Honourable Frank Iacobucci, Professor Shin Imai, Professor Del Laverdure, Professor Kent McNeil, Dean Mayo Moran, Professor Bradford Morse, Professor Benjamin Richardson, Professor Brian Slattery, and Jean Teillet.

With this extensive list of distinguished speakers, the event promises to be firstrate.

Check the ILJ website often for further details and registration information: www.indigenouslawjournal.org.

were introduced: a Europe that has seen a dramatic increase in its fear of Islam and Muslims. In Fadel’s view, the cartoons were a challenge to the legitimacy of Islamic religiosity in a liberal democratic state. In support of the legitimacy of Islamic religiosity in Europe, Fadel drew attention to the fact that although there were violent protests in Muslim countries (orchestrated by the authorities), there was no violence in Denmark directly relating to the cartoons.

In spite of Prof. Morgan’s explicit request that audience members ask brief questions rather than make comments, question period turned tense as almost every question/comment lobbed at Mr. Levant had a hostile bent. One U of T law student suggested that Mr. Levant’s aim in printing the cartoons was to spark riots in Canada, and a Muslim from Alberta accused Mr. Levant of fanning hatred of Islam. Mr. Levant for his part seemed to relish the hostility, and rather than refute the last questioner, he simply dismissed him as an “asshole.”

Fadel seemed irritated right from the beginning by the general tone of the de-

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bate and Mr. Levant’s abrasive and unscholarly approach. The irritation surfaced on one occasion through Fadel’s dry wit. When one audience member grandiloquently asserted that Christians, Jews and Muslims ought to keep their religiosity out of Western society, the Professor agreed that banning religion altogether was certainly one way to deal with the situation. A day later, in response to student questioning, Prof.

Fadel likened the debate to the Jerry Springer show.

Larger issues hovered in the background of this debate. Mr. Levant spoke of how violence was being used by some Muslims to stifle discussion, and said that his editorial policy regarding the cartoons was in part intended to “pump up” moderate elements within Islam, such as Prof. Fadel. Prof.

Fadel was not impressed, and retorted that Mr. Levant was “the last person he would want to have pumping him up.”

Fadel interpreted this and other comments by Levant as nothing more than thinly veiled paternalism. He criticized the moniker “Islamic moderate” as a label for one who defers to powers that be, and argued that the history of modern Western intervention in the Islamic world had to be taken into account when discussing contemporary Islamic militancy. He also suggested that Europe would have to move from a historical idea of Europeanness to a more civic/theoretical idea in order to accommodate its Muslims, and he criticized Pope Benedict XVI for arguing otherwise.

Feelings about the debate were mixed. Dean Moran, who was not in attendance, said that she wouldn’t be inclined to invite Mr. Levant back to the school any time soon, because several students told her that the debate did not take on the academic tone she would have expected. However, the Dean also noted that she does not approve the speakers that come through the school and would not stand in the way of the Federalist Society’s future debates.

Organizer Stephen Shore (3L) said that the debate was not organized to be competitive, but rather as an opportunity for the two individuals to air their views, and in that sense he considered it to be a success. While conceding that many audience members thought Levant’s debating style to be un-academic, he pointed out that the debate was organized to be governed only by the rules of civility and that he did not think Mr. Levant had breached those.

He also noted that the Moderator Morgan had been complimentary about the debate.

Fortunately, at the end of the night the debaters shook hands, even if it was only at the request of your correspondents.

4

Welcoming ‘Frank’ home SARAH HUDSON

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” A hand rests kindly on the shoulder of a thirdyear student. “I’d like to sit next to my friend.”

And in this unassuming way, Justice Iacobucci (Frank to his friends and colleagues) found a seat for the afternoon session of a symposium being held in his honour. Justice Dieter Grimm may have been the friend in question, but the Solarium was brimming with people who felt a strong and warm connection to Justice Iacobucci. The overall atmosphere of the conference, to use Professor Alarie’s words, was one of “familial coziness.”

Even as a student in a room filled with legal heavyweights—judges, faculty members, former Deans—you felt it too.

Over the course of a two day symposium in October, the Faculty of Law forHIRES continued from pg. 1

dents and to provide an overall ranking.

One survey respondent was grateful for the respect shown by Torys, calling it, “the only firm that truly made me feel like I was on their level.”

Deborah Dalfen, Director of Student Affairs at Torys, was proud of her firm’s performance, saying, “I am very pleased with the results and glad that all of our effort paid off.” Dalfen also said, “I want everyone to know it is a real team effort and everybody participated in a way that is meaningful and made a difference.” She says the process takes “a huge amount of work. It’s a logistical challenge trying to get everybody meeting with people they think they would be most interested in meeting. We want diversity of gender, school diversity, diversity of interests, [and we] spend a lot of time trying to match students with people they would be most interested in.”

Torys’ extensive recruitment process began with 800 resumes and was eventually whittled down to approximately 180 interviews, 60 call-backs and 17 hires of which 8 were from U of T. No doubt, the fact that Torys hired more U of T students than any other firm contributed to the strong student feedback but Dalfen believes her firm’s focus on making the experience fun, combined with an increase in morale at the firm, contributed to Torys’ performance. “I think it has to be fun for the students, it has to be interesting and they have to come away with a feeling about the firm that is going to make them want to come to the firm,” said Dalfen.

But was morale as much of an issue last year when Torys walked away from the process with only 9 summer hires, a number eventually supplemented through JD/MBA and articling hiring?

Dalfen doesn’t know for certain be-

NEWS

mally welcomed Justice Iacobucci, former Professor and Dean, home. He left his intellectual roost of almost two decades in 1985 to first serve as the Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada, and to then join the bench. After three years as the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada, Justice Iacobucci was elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada, where he served from 1991-2004. After retiring from the Supreme Court in 2004, with an incredible list of landmark judgments to his name, Justice Iacobucci made his way home.

He moved back into the neighbourhood immediately—spending one year at Simcoe Hall as the Interim President of the University of Toronto. But it was this October’s unusual and special event that formally marked his homecoming. Gathered in the solarium, Justice Iacobucci’s

cause she wasn’t at the firm last year.

She does say, “I think that morale at the firm is very high. I don’t know if it was or was not last year [but] people are excited to be here and I think that maybe comes across in the interview process and that sort of rubs off on people.

This year the lawyers were very excited and energized.”

Elsewhere on Bay Street, in terms of specific hiring statistics, there were once again several anomalies. McCarthy Tetrault hired 2 U of T students out 28 hires compared to 7 out of 24 last year.

They also went from 2 to 8 hires from McGill. Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt hired an astounding 33 students, up from 26 last year, while Stikeman Elliott rose from 13 to 21. Borden Ladner Gervais dropped from 22 students to 13 hires, while Goodman & Carr hired only 5 students for the upcoming summer, down from 9 hires last year.

Other firms did not fare well in the OCI Survey this year, with the bottom five rounded out by Stikeman Elliot, Goodman & Carr, Miller Thomson, Torkin Manes Cohen Arbus and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin. However, there is always room for improvement. Torys is living proof as it sits pretty at the top of the perch both in terms of the overall ranking and the number of U of T students hired. They may be back in February as Dalfen says she is still considering a JD/MBA recruit but ruled out participating in the first-year process.

However, a repeat performance won’t come easy as there are always challengers to the championship throne. But that doesn’t mean Torys won’t be trying just as hard to keep its standing. “Absolutely, yeah,” says Dalfen, “why not? It’s always great at the top.”

colleagues paid tribute not only to the iconic judge he had become during his lengthy and prolific absence from the Faculty, but also to the teacher and mentor he had always been to many of them.

“He’s such an important figure for us,” says Dean Moran. “He’s really shaped

Former Supreme Court Justice comes home.

this institution, and the law in Canada and beyond.”

Led by an organizing committee of Professors Choudhry, Austin, Schneiderman and Macklem, a staggering number of faculty members contributed to the conference—25 in all. This fact alone, says Dean Moran, was a “huge tribute to Justice Iacobucci… Frank brought out the best in us, as usual.”

The challenge for the presenters, as Professor Lorraine Weinrib put it, was to

ULTRA VIRES

prepare something that was “academic and personal, but with neither undermining the other.” The symposium as a whole struck just this balance. Justice Iacobucci sat quietly through most of the presentations, chiming in only seldom with a light-hearted comment or two. He made no substantive remarks publicly, receiving all of the presentations graciously. Professor Alarie recalls the experience of presenting the paper he co-wrote with Professor Green to Justice Iacobucci as “electrifying”; even better was the opportunity to discuss it with him afterwards.

The end result of faculty involvement was a bounty of 19 papers and presentations. Two additional papers were contributed by Justice Aharon Barak and Justice Dieter Grimm, who made trips all the way from their respective Israel and Germany in order to attend the symposium, present their papers, and to say a public “Thank You” to Justice Iacobucci.

Justice Iacobucci is perhaps best known to law students as the author of the unanimous s.15 case, Law v. Canada.

There could hardly be a symposium in his honour without including discussions of this and other mega decisions— Vriend, Ryan and London Drugs.

But the symposium also unveiled the FRANK continued on pg. 5

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NOVEMBER 21, 2006

FRANK continued from pg. 4

lesser-known, or more intricate, aspects of his many judgments and of his judging. For example, after undertaking an intensive study of Justice Iacobucci’s constitutional jurisprudence, Professor Weinrib doesn’t even mention the famous Law decision when asked which cases she would recommend as examples of his authentic voice on constitutional theory. Instead, she suggests his same sex equality judgments, his freedom of religion judgments and his dissent in Zundel.

Upper-year students in attendance at the symposium conveyed the sense of having just had law school flash before their eyes in a single sitting. Professor Sossin joked, “As an administrative law specialist, I feel a little bit like a jilted lover sitting through this day. Since Frank Iacobucci's first and enduring passion has always been in our view administrative law, to hear all these other scholars from other fields claim the affections of Frank, is a little like discovering the coat of your loved one filled with matchbooks with phone numbers from private law, tax law, the Charter, and realizing that your field may not be the 'one!'”

That so many Faculty members were engaged with Iacobucci judgments signals the incredible breadth of his jurisprudence.

Categories normally discussed in isolation—insurance princi-

NEWS

In Vino Veritas SARAH MCEACHERN

In Vino Veritas, the law school’s oenophile society, held its first meeting last month. The evening began smoothly, and its later stages showed some of the complexity and passion that characterises only the finest gallimaufries. This year’s vintage shows great promise. Well-structured, the evening held participants’ interest from the time that the first bottle was decanted until the final drops of the last were drained.

With the help of a seasoned sommelier, Odel Caritey-Yung, twenty-four law students were taken on a degustatory tour of Italian wines. Ms. Caritey-Yung provided the group with an introduction to the techniques employed by wine connoisseurs from the proper method of evaluating a wine’s appearance, to nosing it, and finally, to quaffing it.

Over the course of the evening there was a good deal of quaffing. The deductive blind tasting method was employed to ensure a focus on the wines themselves, rather than the hype surrounding them. In the spirit of law school, for

those who were unable to attend the first event, we will provide a summary of the key points from the class.

Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobianne ($16.95): An economical alternative to Champagne, this is a fine example of Italian sparkling wine. The nose shows lemon, flowers and a hint

of wet stone. It would make an excellent aperitif, or could be mixed with crème de cassis to make a Kir. 2001 Taurino Salice Salentino Riserva Rosso ($15.95): Garnet-hued and medium bodied, this southern red offers hints of new saddle leather and the dried fruit typical of more developed wines. The high acidity makes this ideal for pairing with tomato-based dishes. A good value wine.

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2003 Castello Monsanto Chianti Classico ($21.95): Cranberry-coloured with a fresh nose. Green pepper, sour cherry, rose and plum feature prominently. A crowd pleaser.

2000 Giacomo Ascheri Barolo Vigna del Pola ($44.95): A dry red with good length, this Barolo had high acidity and an enticing nose featuring berries, earth and spice. Labyrinthean complexity. Not even Theseus could wind his way out of this one.

The next In Vino Veritas Event will be held on Wednesday, November 22, 2006.

The tasting will focus on how to properly pair wine and food. Wine by itself tastes different than wine with food.

Wine can and should, when paired properly, enhance the flavour of food.

A good match will bring out the nuances and unique characteristics of both the food and the wine. The second tasting of the year will explore some simple flavours and how they influence the way wine tastes on the palate. Over the evening we will sample eight wines, and compare the flavour sensations created by joining different wines with different food flavours.

ples, constitutional law tests, administrative law standards of review—were all presented in the same forum. And with

Justice Iacobucci as the thread holding this all together, the overarching theme was that of reasonable and compassion-

ate justice, and even more simply, humanity.

safety concerns early last year. They were concerned that there were members of the public who, “were clearly spending

student and then to be a friend of staff.

“She wasn’t giving lucid responses,” says Nedd-Roderique. “She sounded kind of loopy.” The woman left when NeddRoderique called security, but not before stealing Nedd-Roderique’s rain jacket.

The woman returned later to steal NeddRoderique’s trousers, adding to 13 incidents at the faculty reported to Campus Police since January, including the theft of three computers. Since January, 428 reported thefts, 106 trespassers and 20 assaults have been reported campuswide.

All staff, faculty and SJD students have keys to the buildings, as do student members of groups such as Ultra Vires, the SLS and some law journals. However, administration doesn’t have a record of all the key-holders.

Despite attempts to monitor who has access, the process is imperfect. Goldberg says, “Keys may be lost or stolen.

We have students who graduated in June who still have keys.”

Goldberg says she doesn’t like to be alone on campus at night without knowing who else might be in the buildings.

“Every noise you hear, you panic,” she says.

Nedd-Roderique too is now reluctant to enter the buildings at night. “I would only do it if I absolutely have to,” she

says. “Even then I like to call someone now and speak to them during the time I’m in the office. I also use a side door so that I don’t have to walk all the way through the building on my own.”

Sam D’Angelo, Campus Police Oper-

Law school to beef up on security

AMY SMELTZER

With no accurate record of who has keys to Falconer and Flavelle and homeless people wandering the halls and offices at night, law faculty administration is installing a $120,000 electronic access system to keep staff and students safe.

Beginning in January, students will require a swipe card to enter faculty buildings after hours. The system, which will be completed this month, can be automated to control which card-user can enter the buildings and at what times. An alarm will alert the Campus Community Police if the door is propped or forced open. Similar systems are being installed in all new buildings on campus and are used in a handful of other university buildings.

“Safety is a critical priority for all student space,” says Assistant Dean Bonnie Goldberg of the initiative. She adds that administration has also trimmed bushes near entrances and installed security mirrors in the student locker rooms, following the recommendations of an April Campus Police Security Audit, and will take more measures as the faculty can afford them.

Goldberg says the faculty requested the audit after the Student Affairs Committee, chaired by Mike Pal (3L), brought

“I WAS PRETTY SCARED... SHE WAS BIGGER THAN ME AND I WAS ALONE. NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU ESPECIALLY IN THE SLS OFFICE AND THERE’S ONLY ONE EXIT. I WANTED TO GET OUT OF THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.”

the night in the buildings, in the basement in Falconer, (and) on the stairway in Flavelle,” she says. Just before Labour Day, for example, a student found someone in the SLS office one night.

“I was pretty scared,” says Hadiya Nedd-Roderique (2L) of her confrontation with a strange woman in the locked Student Legal Society office. “She was bigger than me and I was alone. No one can hear you especially in the SLS office and there’s only one exit. I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.”

Nedd-Roderique says the woman, who held a key to the office, claimed to be a

“KEYS MAY BE LOST OR STOLEN. WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED IN JUNE WHO STILL HAVE KEYS.” ations Manager, says the campus is actually safer than the off-campus downtown Toronto community. “The campus is a safe environment as long as you’re aware of your surroundings and stay on lighted paths,” he says. “The majority of calls are crimes of opportunity like theft. There are very few attacks by strangers.”

D’Angelo recommends that students who still feel unsafe working alone on campus at night request that Campus Community Police officers check in on them through the Working Alone Service. Otherwise, the Campus Police randomly patrol the campus, but may not enter law faculty buildings for days at a time.

NEWS

6

The first thing I will do as Prime Minister? Shape a Cabinet well fitted for implementing our vision and commitments.

Greatest Fear? I am never afraid.

Greatest Vice? To phone my colleagues at every hour of the night. (I do not need a lot of sleep.)

Stephane Dion

Favourite Reality TV Show? I do not watch enough TV to have a favourite reality TV show.

Did the candidate attend law school? If yes, which one and what is your best law school memory? If not, why not and do you regret that decision? Sorry, I am a political scientist.

I am running to be the leader of the Liberal Party because I want to make sure that Canada is set to succeed in a very competitive and fast-changing world.

We are on the threshold of a bright and prosperous future, but I understand that we need to have a clear path to where we want to be and how we will get there. That is why I have put forward the three-pillar approach to Canada’s future: we must weave together economic growth, social justice, and the environment. Our wellbeing, and that of our children, and the role we will play in the world, depends on this.

It is also clear to me that Canada is most successful when we are all working together. We need all Canadians

Ken Dryden

pulling in the same direction. That takes clear leadership; clear leadership that I can provide.

We need a national effort to build the most sustainable and energy-efficient economy in the world. We need this effort so that every Canadian can enjoy greater prosperity and higher standard of living. We need this effort for our energy security and for our competitive future.

Our children will look back and thank us for rejecting Stephen Harper and his Conservative government’s destructive and divisive path at a most critical time in our history. Instead, they will praise us for our insight, and for coming together and focusing our effort on a sustainable economy.

The first thing I will do as Prime Minister? DECLARE PLUTO BACK—Mickey and Goofy too. We're a BIG TENT.

A Big Canada—PolGreatest Fear? Losing the next election. itics with a Purpose; Politics with a PasWorst Habit? Thinking I speak too fast and eating too many sion cheeseburgers—tied.

We are an immensely successful My Favorite Reality TV Show? Hockey Night in Canada. country by almost any international measure, and by something more important that’s not measurable.

Did you attend law school? If yes, which one? Yes, McGill.

We are a truly global country. We touch three oceans. We contain an unimaginable mix of peoples, Best Memory? Winning the Stanley Cup. languages, cultures and religions. Our French and English history created institutions and understandA Big Canada is An Environmental Society. We have ings that have allowed differences to survive and thrive.

We have evolved a “live and let live” attitude that allows a responsibilities to act as stewards of the environment, to meet our obligation to pass along clean air, water and land bilingual and multicultural society to work.

Yet we are a country with so much still to do—a coun- to our kids.

A Big Canada is A Global Society that understands how try still in the becoming. What ambitions are worthy of well we do inside our borders in the future will depend inus? creasingly on how well we do outside our borders. We A Big Canada.

A Big Canada is A Learning Society. The only real se- have a unique Canadian voice to help the world work betcurity, the only real opportunity, is in learning. So, in indi- ter.

And along with these directions is a tone. A Politics viduals, in companies and other organizations, at every age with a Purpose requires a Politics with a Passion. Exciteand every stage, we will encourage and reward learning.

A Big Canada is A Fair Society, a land of inclusion, ment over what we have done; outrage over what we have where no matter what their circumstances—economic, not yet done, but must. These are big tasks, worthy of us, family, physical or mental capacity, age or origin—people worthy of the Liberal Party, worthy of the times, worthy of a Big Canada. are given a real chance.

ULTRA VIRES

Who wants to be the next Prime Minister?

The Liberal leadershipcandidates talk to UV

BY STEPHEN BIRMAN

Who will emerge as Stephen Harper's Liberal Challenger? Ignatieff, Rae, Dion, Kennedy. Your guess is as good as mine.

The race to become the ruler of Canada’s Liberal Party began immediately following Stephen Harper’s victory in last January’s Federal Election.

On Febuary 1, 2006, Paul Martin effectively stepped down from the leadership post he coveted for so many years.

On that day, the Liberal caucus selected Bill Graham, MP for Toronto Centre and outgoing Minister of Defence, to fill that role as its interim parliamentary leader and Leader of the Opposition, heading the 103-member Liberal caucus.

Shortly thereafter, the wheels began spinning in the race to assume the party leadership. There were were the “blasts from the past”—McKenna, Tobin, Manley, Rock, Cauchon, Copps, all of who passed early on the leadership opportunity. Instead, an assortment of candidates filled out an 11 member roster that resembled the oddball collection which competed for the Democractic nomination in the 2004 US presidential election.

There were the frontrunners Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae and Stephane Dion, and Gerald Kennedy. The not-likely successors in Dryden, Brison, and Beliquava.

And finally the, please explain who you are and why you are running contingent—Hedy Fry, Caroline Bennett, Joe Volpe, and Martha Hall Findlay.

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

Delegate voting in late September saw Ignatieff take the lead gaining approximately 30% of delegates across the country. Rae was second at approximately 20%, while Dion and Kennedy were in a dead heat at approximately 17%. It now appears that no other candidate stands any reasonable chance of success at the convention.

The campaign has been sporadically marred by scandal. There was candidate Joe Volpe accepting thousands of dollars in campaign donations from minor children of Apotex executives. Then there were allegations of corruption in membership signups, which translated into delegates at the Leadership Convention.

Volpe, Ignatieff and Rae have been linked to scandals which have included paid memberships and sales to deceased persons. Ignatieff, perhaps due to his front-runner status, has come under attack for his views on the Middle East and his support for supporting the principle that Quebec is a 'nation.' Rae has tried to escape memories of his trying Premiership by promising that he has learned from past experiences.

The long and arduous race will culminate at the Leadership Convention, which is to be held on December 2 and 3 in Montreal. The first ballot by elected delegates is pre-set by proportional representation according to the amount of support each leadership candidate received at the delegate selection meetings.

Ex-officio delegates, which include MPs, former nominees and past leaders can vote however they wish and it is only they who will cast ballots initially. In the likely event of a second and subsequent ballots (i.e. if no leadership candidate receives over 50% of the vote on the first ballot), all delegates will be free to vote according to their personal preferences.

At the end of what might be a long balloting process, one candidate will emerge to face off against Stephen Harper in the next federal election. Convention floor horsetrading often makes for exciting television and several candidates will likely have the opportunity to be kingmakers in exchange for future promises/cabinet positions.

With less than two months to go, most observers agree that one of Ignatieff, Rae or former Cabinet Minister Dion are likely to walk away from the December convention a winner. Only then will it be possible to once again identify a discernible voice from a Liberal Party that will be in desperate need of rebuilding if it hopes to regain its status as Canada’s governing party.

Editor’s Note: Ultra Vires sent questionnaires to all the leading candidates in the Liberal leadership race. These are the candidates who responded.

NEWS

Gerard Kennedy

7 The first thing I will do as Prime Minister? Reduce the powers of the Prime Minister. The days of the King Leader are over, which means that we all need to be prepared to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Greatest Fear? Governments that rule with fear.

I’m running for leadership of the Liberal Worst Habit? Speaking my mind. party because I know that Canada only Favorite Reality TV Show? The Liberal Leadership Race. works if it works for all of us. That's why I have dedicated my entire career to improving the Did you attend law school? If not, why not? lives of Canadians. From my earliest experiWhen the time came to decide, I was living in Edmonton, the city was in ences running food banks without a penny of a deep recession, and children were going hungry. I started volunteering government funding, to the strong relationships at the food bank, and left University at 22 to run it with a free enterprise I built with teachers, students and parents while model that got people working together to meet the challenge without govrunning a $17 billion education portfolio, I’ve ernment funding. I later replicated this model in Toronto (earning an hoproven that I can bring people together to acnourable mention from the Financial Post for CEO of the year) and complish outstanding, measurable results. went on to fight the Harris government and look out for students as MinThe Liberal leadership and renewal process ister of Education. Law school would have been great, but I have no represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for grets.

Canadians to get engaged and to help determine the future of our country. We can do politics differently than we have before. It means openWe are the party of Pearson and Axworthy and we ing the party up to becoming one that is inclusive, that lis- must have a strong, purposeful voice on the world stage. tens and that respects the views of its members and the Canada's unmatched diversity is a unique strength in forelectorate; that trusts and is trusted. I've have a lifetime of eign affairs, and only Canada can best translate the hopes, leadership experience as a Liberal, yet I represent a fresh fears and aspirations of the world's many peoples into a new voice for the Liberal party, unencumbered by the new common language of progress. It’s time to close the past. immigrant success gap at home, so that no talent is Together, we can make Canada a world leader in sus- wasted as we meet the challenges of a new global econtainable energy and build an enterprising, innovative cul- omy, and take our place as leaders for the 21st century. ture.

Bob Rae

I have the warmest memories of my time at the law school and wish you all well. I found the friendship, intellectual challenge and lousy food an unbeatable combination. It reminds me in many ways of the campaign trail.

The rule of law and the search for justice are important values for all of us. Law is not a business and it is not a career. It is about embracing a discipline founded on moral principles, a vocation of service that has given me great satisfaction. I hope that it will for you as well.

I entered politics soon after leaving law school. My earliest days in Parliament were at the time of the national debate on the Charter and patriation of the constitution.

My political life in Ontario naturally dealt with a full range of issues in which my legal training was invaluable.

In the years since 1996 I have helped to restructure the Red Cross, advised the government of Canada on native fishing issues, worked on the softwood lumber dispute, dealt with issues of national security, advised Ontario on higher education and conducted a review of the Air India bombing. I have also helped in the foundation of the Forum of Federations, and been a constitutional advisor

The first thing I will do as Prime Minister? Check out the swimming pool Greatest Fear? Snakes on a plane

Worst Habit? Leaving my Blackberry charger in hotel rooms Favorite Reality TV Show? Elimidate

Did you go to Law School? Yes, U of T.

What is your fondest law school memory? Passing my Property Law exam to Sri Lanka and Iraq.

All this was made possible by the marvellous doors opened to me at law school. From Allan Mewett's unforgettable lectures on evidence and criminal procedure to halting efforts at my first moot, I know full well how much I owe the law school, its splendid teachers and students.

I am now running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. Volunteers are welcome—as are advisors, kibbitzers, bloggers and other enthusiasts.

Hon. Bob Rae, Goodmans LLP 250 Yonge Street, Ste. 2400, Toronto M5B 2M6

8

NEWS

ULTRA VIRES

BLACK EYE ON HALLOWE-EN PARTY BLAMED ON BLACK-EYED PEA Students shocked to discover Falconer Hall not the party hot spot they expected

STEVE WERIER

On Friday, October 27, the law school held its annual Halloween party in Falconer Hall. Scores of students attended, dressed in costumes ranging from Catwoman, to Nacho Libre, to way too many Borat Sangievs.

Second Year Student Affairs Rep and party organizer Andy Anthony (2L) said “we at the SLS were really happy that the event was well attended, and there were some excellent costumes.” However, the event was marred by a lack of bartenders (and later, alcohol), and a power outage that cut the party short just after midnight.

The problems with the bar stemmed from the setup. Whereas in past years Campus Beverage had set up two bars, only one was set up for this year’s event.

Not surprisingly, this translated into excessively long lines and congestion. To make matters worse, beginning at about 11:30, when students who were lucky enough to make it up to the bar finally did so, they were met with the realization that Campus Beverage had run out of

liquor! Fortunately, students didn’t have “I remember we were playing London to struggle with this for long, as all the Bridge by Fergie at the time. The baseline power in the building went off at 12, and of that song is so powerful that the FA students had to evacuate the school.

Anthony acknowledges these shortcomings, saying the logistic problems “can be chalked up to the failure of Campus Beverage to support the type of events we’re trying to promote.”

The power outage was likely attributable to the outdated facilities of Falconer, which proved unable to support the high tech equipment used to put on the event.

Anthony, who along with Dave “DJ Ocho Cinco” Maldoff (2L) “We’re the Black Eyed Peas, we be so scandalous DJ’d for the evening Our rhymes is so hard your fusebox can’t handle us...” has his own reason:

Legal Community Turns Out for 2nd Annual LIFT Gala Fundraiser SAAD AHMAD

Toronto’s legal community recently joined hands with the Faculty of Law to raise over $15,000 to support the Girl Child Network (GCN), a Zimbabwean NGO focussed on empowering girls and eradicating both their abuse and barriers to their growth and development.

The funds were raised through the 2nd Annual LIFT Gala fundraiser, held at the Gladstone Hotel on Tuesday, November 14. Legal Initiatives for Tomorrow (LIFT), is comprised of law students who aim to find and support

worthy NGOs in developing countries.

The group was formed in response to the tsunami that ravaged portions of South and South-East Asia in December 2004. As part of these efforts, Stewart Thom (3L) filmed a documentary following the efforts of the The Siyath Foundation, a Sri Lankan NGO. This documentary was subsequently screened during the inaugural LIFT Gala, which raised funds for the Siyath Foundation.

The latest Gala featured Afro-Creole ballet, a screening of a documentary about GCN, and a speech by Betty Makoni, the founder of the organiza-

tion. The 30-minute documentary was filmed by Jared Kelly (3L) this summer, and captured the harsh challenges that some disadvantaged girls face in Zimbabwe. The evening also featured short talks by Tara Doolan (2L), who interned with GCN this summer, and Graeme Hamilton (2L), a LIFT summer intern in Botswana. Other students actively involved with the project include Shanna Spring, a medical student who spent the summer in Botswana; Rodney Gill (2L), a LIFT administrator; and Robyn Switzer (1L), who had previously studied film production and who co-edited the film with Jared.

The event was sold out, with 280 attendees. There was a strong student turnout, and some representation from the school’s administration. However,

circuitry just couldn’t handle it.”

So what does this mean for future events? For starters, the SLS may be more reluctant to hold events on Campus property in the future. Assistant Dean Bonnie Goldberg says that Dean Moran received a report on the night’s events, and she has looked at the minutes of a recent SLS caucus meeting that examined the feasibility of holding events on campus. Fortunately for Goldberg, unlike the boat cruise, she was not awoken with a frantic phone call from students following the Halowe-en mishap.

Overall, students seemed to have enjoyed their Hallowe-en - at - school experience, notwithstanding the aforementioned problems. And if power outages and freaky masks are the scariest experiences students have in Falconer during their law school careers, then they should consider themselves lucky.

some students noted the lack of faculty attendance.

Attendants were struck by the power of Ms. Makoni’s speech, in which she spoke of her being driven by feelings of “anger” and “vengeance” arising from being raped as a girl. As Robyn put it: “It was really interesting, because I’d watched Betty for a few weeks [while editing] and I thought she was powerful, but I thought she was even more powerful in person.” Mueed Peerbhoy (3L), a LIFT volunteer, stated that the speech “really brought it home”, and “made it concrete.” More importantly, the documentary and the speech made him want to “do more,” and he felt they convinced him that “we all can make a difference”.

Freedom of speech, PBSC and Justice Rothstein

On a slippery slope...

KASRA NEJATIAN

The ideas underlying the right to a free press and freedom of speech have been present in our jurisprudence, in one form or another, for over a century and in the Western cultural tradition since Ancient Greece where Socrates spoke at his trial about the Gods demanding that he speak his mind. More recently, freedom of speech has been recognized as a protected right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is also enshrined as a fundamental freedom in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

One might think that after such a long and broad history, there would exist broad agreement as to what the idea of freedom of speech actually entails. Yet as the recent debate over the Mohammed Cartoons showed, no such consensus exists.

The debate organized by the Federalist Society pitted Ezra Levant, the Publisher of the Western Standard, against Mohammad Fadel, a professor at the faculty.

Fireworks, personal insults, and heckling aside, the debate raised some interesting legal issues. The question at the heart of the debate was this: how should concerns about equality and pluralism impact our notions of speech? Answering this question in light of the riots across the globe over the publications of these cartoons provides some insight into the basis of our legal system.

But before going further, it must be noted that this clash between freedom of speech and religious and cultural beliefs is not new. In the United States for example, the Supreme Court has conveniently deemed pornography not to be speech and as such is not protected under the First Amendment. In Canada, the Supreme Court has taken a similar approach: arguing that the value of the speech itself is determined by how closely it falls within one of the three recognized reasons for the right to freedom of speech. In this vein, various justices of the Supreme Court have attempted to exclude commercial speech, hate speech, and even pornography from constitutional protection.

Given the linkage of constitutional protection to the value of speech protected, it can hardly be surprising that some scholars, including some non-Muslim scholars, now seek to remove that protection from religiously offensive speech. After all, what value is there in offending religious people or seeking to marginalize a political minority?

Taken to its logical conclusion, this value-based protection of speech would subject the freedom of speech to a veto by any member of society. This was a conclusion that Professor Fadel attempted to avoid. He argued that he had no moral objection to publication of fact-based, scholarly work; and that such work should never be censored. His ob-

LEGI AL S S UE S

jection, he pointed out, was to material that was designed for the sole purpose of offending and marginalizing. Drawing a parallel to recent events, Fadel agreed that factual coverage of Israel’s attack on Lebanon should not be censored, even if this coverage would enflame anti-Israeli sentiment and lead to the marginalization of the Jewish community.

One may question how the state is supposed to distinguish fact from opinion, or marginalizing from uplifting;

9

however, such practical concerns can be dealt with by the Courts. After all, they seem perfectly able to distinguish between what is commercial and what is not, so one can safely assume that they can also tell apart offensive from non-offensive.

Adding Professor Fadel’s restriction to those the courts have already recognized, we end up with the following proposi-

SLOPE continued on pg. 10

Getting to know Noah Aiken Klar

An Interview With the New Associate Director of PBSC

JORDAN NAHMIAS

Noah Aiken-Klar is the new Associate National Director of Pro Bono Students Canada. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law and received his LL.B. in 2003. Noah was heavily involved in a wide variety of volunteer, public interest and extracurricular activities, for which he was awarded the Gordon Cressy Award for leadership and the SAC leadership scholarship. He also delivered the valedictory address. Pretty impressive, huh?

I recently had the chance to sit down with Noah to ask him some questions about what he used to do, what he is doing now, and where he sees the future of PBSC. Jordan Nahmias (JN): How old are you?

Noah Aiken Klar (NAK): 30

JN: What did you do before you took on this position with PBSC?

NAK: I graduated from U of T Law in 2003, and then clerked at the Superior Court of Ontario, which was an incredible experience, and I would recommend it to anyone. I then practiced for two years at a litigation boutique. After that, Pam [Shime] scooped me up and seduced me into working here.

JN: So, how did you get involved with PBSC in the first place?

NAK: I was a student volunteer, and then I became the first year national coordinator. In my second year, I oversaw the national program. I was also the first person hired for the national office, and I was really drawn to that because it was a student-run organization and gave students the opportunities to be leaders.

Eventually, it became a part of everything, and it was always something people wanted to know about.

It was also easy for Pam to get me involved. She is a real mentor for me, and when it was time to bring someone else on, she came to me. Although I loved litigation, I was happy to come back to PBSC.

JN: Having been so involved with PBSC from its early beginnings, what then is your opinion of the current state of Pro Bono work?

NAK: When I came to U of T, I came with the expectation that I would be an outsider—like it was sleeping with the enemy. But, I found a good group of people who were interested in public interest work and using their roles as lawyers for public service. That was an overwhelmingly positive experience.

In the years since then, that passion for the public interest has grown more and more, and more students are coming with sentiments similar to the ones I had, while engaging during law school in those activities that other groups like PBSC support. The tides have turned now, because the students who did what I did are now lawyers, and as such, the public interest they had as students should now be a part of their careers.

The Universities, U of T, and firms are responding to that interest. For example, the growing number of clinics at the school, LAWS, and other similar programs are really starting to take flight. Ten years ago, there were 50 volunteers at PBSC. Now, there are 2000, so it is evident that public interest work, in all areas, is really growing.

JN: Having been so involved (and successful) to date, what is some advice you would give to current students and/or budding lawyers?

NAK: My advice for students is that you should not worry, especially at U of T. It is one of the best schools and when they graduate (and they will), they will be someone who is of the best. They should enjoy themselves, and the B curve. Most importantly, get as involved as possible. There are few times in one’s legal career that one has so many opportunities to do incredible things that are handed to you. Everyone is going to get a job and Bs (except for, maybe, five students). Take time to enjoy school, and of course, get involved in Pro Bono work.

For graduates, I tell them that it is tough out there. There is way too much work, and never enough time. There will be many moment of uncertainty, or of being at the right place. But, that is just part of the profession. Accept what is inevitable, and enjoy it. Do what is important, and hopefully doing public interest work will be an important part of that work which is important.

JN: Finally, where do you see yourself in the future of PBSC? Let’s say, the next ten years?

NAK: Well, this is PBSC’s tenth anniversary year. It was hard to predict that it would become such a facet of the legal profession and a central part of what students do. It is also hard to predict what will happen to it ten years from now. I assume it will keep moving in the same way it has, getting students involved who have the ethic of the public interest in mind. Ten years from now, those students will be partners, professors, and lawyers. They will be in positions of power and the surprise will be how they choose to implement the values they picked up at PBSC. I imagine it will be transformative at a social level in ten years. That is why I am here.

10

LEGAL ISSUES

ULTRA VIRES

SLOPE continued from pg. 9

STUDENTS FLOCK TO JUSTICE ROTHSTEIN AFTER THE DAVID B. GOODMAN LECTURE, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER 25, 2006

tion: the law should protect truthful speech; it should not protect untruthful, offensive, marginalizing, hateful, commercial, or pornographic speech.

This, of course, is an attractive proposition.

In fact, it is so attractive, that it seems to be the law of the land in much of the world including Iran.

Iran, you may remember, is the country whose leader put a bounty on the head of Salman Rushdie, the author of The Satanic Verses. His death sentence, a fatwa allegedly written by Ayatollah Khomeini, called “on all valiant Muslims wherever they may be in the world to execute [Rushdie] without delay, so that no one henceforth will dare insult the sacred beliefs of the Muslims.” Daring to insult that was Rushdie’s crime. It was also the crime of Hitoshi Igarashi, the Japanese translator of the book, who was stabbed to death in July 1991.

Years later, in Canada, the Alberta Human Rights Commission is investigating Ezra Levant for an oddly similar crime. Of course, Levant probably will not end up with a fatwa on his head. After all, the Crown is not in the habit of issuing them.

Justice Marshall Rothstein realizes why US Supreme Court judges travel with security detail

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And that makes Bereskin & Parr a great place to grow.

We invite you to join us.

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FEATURES

The real deal on OCIs, OCI survey, Halloween party, David Duff & Tarantino, and more...

Filmtastic Interview with Professor David Duff MARIA ZELDIS

As I enter Professor David Duff ’s office in Flavelle House, I find him sitting barricaded behind a massive metal desk, his face obscured by a large black monitor.

From behind the fortress comes a voice: “Eventually, I plan to sit behind a wall and have a camera mounted so I don’t even have to look at students directly.”

Perhaps all this secrecy is justified. Perhaps David Duff has something to hide.

Perhaps… David Duff is not really David Duff…

MZ: Professor Duff, we know that you are not in fact who you say you are. It is obvious that you are actually Quentin Tarantino disguised as a geeky law professor. So let’s drop this charade and talk movies. [Maria shows Duff the facemerge photo of himself and Quentin Tarantino. Duff proceeds to spend 10 minutes agonizing over his facial features] Duff: I’ve faced such accusations before.

I have been mistaken for Tarantino in the past, especially during the Toronto Film Festival. I’ve had people stare at me—either they thought I was Tarantino, or my fly was down.

MZ: Now that you’ve had some time to get into tax law, tell me your favourite “tax moment” in film.

Duff: There is a good moment in this French film I saw once, The Dinner Game. In it, some affluent French folks amuse themselves by inviting people they think are fools to dinner. Someone in-

STEPHEN BIRMAN

vites a tax auditor thinking they’ll have a good time ridiculing him. As it turns out, he discovers all of this expensive art on their walls that they haven’t disclosed and he gets them back. My favourite tax-re-

That, plus she’s the Queen.

MZ: In Reservoir Dogs, you were cast as “Mr. Brown”. Why did you choose this colour?

Duff [dressed in brown from head to toe]: Umm, it’s just my colour. Although I probably have a Mr. Pink aspect to me too. It’s my metrosexual side. I’m brown on the outside, pink on the inside. Mr. Black is too violent, Mr. Orange is loyal but tragic. Mr. Pink lives in the end so I like him. But let’s face it, my acting sucked in Reservoir Dogs. My acting

Coke or Pepsi? Both suck.

Boxers or briefs? [Long Silence]… Boxers…

Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? Probably Jennifer… reluctantly.

Beer or liquor? Beer/wine.

Blondes or Brunettes? I have to say brunette since I’m seeing a brunette.

Yankees or Red Sox? Blue Jays isn’t an option? Yankees.

New York or L.A.? Until recently east coast, but I LOVE LA. Laguna beach is great. I would happily live there.

Plaid or Stripes? Stripes. Take THAT Phillips!

Left wing or Right Wing? Politically or in hockey? I play left wing.

Teaching or Practising? Teaching! That’s clear.

lated moment, though, is in this Monty Python episode. Dennis Moore plays a Robin Hood character who steals from the rich and redistributes to the poor.

Eventually, the rich have nothing left but their undies, while the poor are still living in their hovel but have all this stuff, like jewellery and candelabras. At one point, Robin Hood holds up a coach and starts to redistribute stuff from it. While he’s trying to figure out what to give to who, he says: “Blimey, this redistribution is much more difficult than I thought!”

Good moment.

sucks in general, especially in Pulp Fiction.

MZ: In Desperado you worked with a mainly Spanish-speaking cast. What is the extent of your knowledge of foreign languages?

Duff: Well as I found out my Spanish is quite poor. However, I can say a few things in Russian. I was sent to Russia as a spy in 1976 disguised as a member of a high school group.

MZ: I bet you do. So, do you prefer to watch movies at home or on the big screen?

Duff: I prefer watching movies in the home theatre I built in my mansion in L.A. Since I am Quentin Tarantino.

MZ: How do you feel about Daniel Craig being cast as the new James Bond?

Duff: I’m not sure… he’s blonde…

Sorry, my allegiances are to Sean Connery. Second pick would be Pierce Brosnan. The problem with James Bond is that after the 60s his character doesn’t work so well. They should try something with a lot more hard drugs and violence like my movies.

MZ: As you may have heard, your colleague Professor Phillips has recently been chosen to play Batman in the upcoming sequel. If you were to play a superhero, which one would you be?

Duff: Spiderman. With great power comes great responsibility.

MZ: Do you have any superpowers?

Duff: Yes, and I’m not telling you what they are…

MZ: Who would play you in a movie?

Duff: Do you mean who would play Duff or Quentin Tarantino? I’m confused. Duff would be played by Tarantino, and I’d also have Phil Collins for the fat Duff when he’s not working out.

MZ: Any final thoughts?

Duff: The income tax is a necessary and good thing. We need to the fiMZ: What is your favourite movie?

Duff: I love North by Northwest (Alfred nance public sector and redistribute MZ: Which actors do you want to work Hitchcock, 1959). I also LOVE the Big resources in a less arbitrary way that with on your next film?

Lebowski. I can watch it over and over makes for a fairer society.

Duff: Helen Mirren. I just saw her in The again. In fact, I own the collector’s ediQueen. For her age she looks fabulous!

tion.

The CDO weighs in on the numbers

What? You didn’t know that second-year summer firm interviews were going on?

The CDO office is impressed with the character and conviction law students have shown during the OCI process.

They are also committed to helping you find a summer job if you weren’t successful in the recent hiring process.

“I want to reiterate that this is the start of recruitment and not the end—lots of students will find interesting summer jobs between now and the end of the academic year. Typically, over 85% secure employment by May,” says CDO Direc-

tor Lianne Krakauer.

However, Krakauer has observed that, “there seems to be a very slight decrease in the numbers of students at Bay Street firms,” but she doesn’t think this indicates any particular trend. “We may find more students have opted to go to New York. It's too soon to say for sure as students have until December 1 to accept their offers.”

Krakauer says, “Overall just over 100, or approximately half the class, will have obtained summer employment through the OCI period.”

The CDO noted that “students are opting for smaller boutique firms and government offices in slightly higher numbers. We have students who will be summering at family, labour, criminal, and IP and litigation boutiques,” says Krakauer.

Krakauer cites a couple of examples.

One student opted only to interview with criminal law firms despite lots of offers to interview elsewhere—and was successful in landing a job. Another student chose a government office over a New York firm; and still another chose a litiga-

tion boutique over New York.

Krakauer says, “Decisions like these are difficult to make and show a strong character and a good deal of conviction."

And don’t forget that if you weren’t successful this time around there are plenty of opportunities to gain employment.

The CDO is hosting a session today (Tuesday, Nov. 21) called: Making a Choice—Summer Jobs beyond OCIs. Students are also encouraged to set up a one-on-one appointment with the CDO to discuss their options and job search strategy going forward.

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ULTRA VIRES

2 0 0 6 S u r v e y o f To r o n t o l a w f i r m rec ruit ing Respondents were also asked to rate each from 45% (Overall) The finals scores were then av1-10 on the respect shown throughout the eraged to arrive at the 2006 Firm Rankings. process and to give an overall score. Ultra Vires Although the results displayed no obvious outthen calculated those scores based on 20% liers, they should be read critically. First, where (OCI), 20% (call-back), 10% (Events), 10% statistics are reported for sub-samples (e.g aver(Respect) and 40% (Overall), to arrive at a age firm ratings), they are based on relatively final score from each student for each firm. The low sample size. Secondly, some respondents Boutique firms were scored based on 22% may have completed the survey multiple times (OCI), 22% (call-back),OCIs, 11%Callbacks, (events) and or otherwise tried to skew ratings. Thirdly, no Offers: The Big Picture

How did students do?

On average, respondents applied to 23.3 firms. The sample had an average of 11.3 OCIs and 5.5 callbacks. Four respondents received as few as one OCI while one respondent received 27. On average, people received one more callback this year than last year, though the fact that several students received upwards of 10 callbacks may have skewed this statistic.

23 respondents did not receive an offer, while 24 students received one offer. As well 17 students received 4 or more job offers.

The Effect of Grades GPA 3.50 + 3.375 - 3.50 3.25 - 3.375 3.0 - 3.25 < 3.0

Average # OCIs 14.9 13.1 10.4 8.5 6.7

Average # Callbacks 7.3 6.4 5.1 3.8 2.7

Avg # of Offers 2.3 2.2 1.5 1.5 1.0

TABLE 3. OCI, CALLBACK, AND OFFERS BROKEN DOWN BASED ON SELF-REPORTED GPA.

Grades: The Impact of the Transcript

While no one would say that transcripts are a clear, accurate, and complete reflection of one’s performance in law school, law firms need objective criteria with which to distinguish between the many applications they receive. The statistics seem to suggest that the law firms use our grades in this way, as we found a strong correlation between good grades and success in the summer job process, as the number of OCIs received rises steadily as grade point rises, from an average of 6.7 for those with a GPA of 3.0

and under, up to 14.9 for those with a GPA of 3.5 and higher. Given this initial difference in the number of OCIs, it is not surprising that the number of callbacks and number of offers also increase as GPA increases. However, this doesn’t mean that you need straight A’s to secure a summer position, as even those with a GPA of “3.0 and under” averaged one job offer each (although this group only consisted of 3 students).

Average # Callbacks 6.1 4.7 5.0 5.8 4.4 5.7 4.8 5.5

% Receiving 1+ Offer 77.4 73.2 70.0 78.1 63.2 75.9 88.2 75.5

Other

Dalhousie

McGill

Firm Aird & Berlis Baker & Mckenzie Bennett Jones Bereskin & Parr Blake Cassels Blaney Borden Ladner Cassels Brock Davis & Co. Davies Dept. Justice Dimock Stratton Epstein Cole Fasken Fogler Rubinoff Fraser Milner Gilbert's Goodman and Carr Goodmans Gowlings Heenan Hodgson Shields Hicks Morley Klippensteins Koskie Minsky Lang Michener Lenczner Slaght Lerners Mccarthy Tetrault Mcmillan Miler Thompson Minden Gross Ogilvy Renault Osler Hoskin Paliare Roalnd Pinofskys Ridout & Maybee Shearmen & Sterling Sherrard Kuzz Skadden Arps Smart & Biggar Stikeman Elliot Throsteinssons Torkin Manes Torys 2006 Totals 2005 Totals 2004 Totals

Ottawa

TABLE 2. JOB DISTRIBUTION BY FIRM AND SCHOOL Windsor

and 41% of OCIs lead to a callback interview. This should make the distribution of people receiving one or more offers across the ages less surprising (88.2% of mature students; 75.9% of 24-26; 63.2% of 23 and under).

On average, women applied to more firms than men (23.7 v. 23.0) and received fewer OCIs (9.7 v. 12.8) and fewer callbacks (4.7 v. 6.1). As well, a smaller percentage of women received one or more job offers than men (73.2 v. 77.4).

Given the size of our sample, and self-selective nature of the survey in general, it is difficult to know how representative these statistics are.

However, based on the responses we have received, the trends with respect to women and visible minorities are concerning.

Average # OCIs 12.8 9.7 11.0 11.5 10.7 11.4 9.1 11.3

Queen's

On average, visible minority students applied to a significantly greater number of firms than non visible minority students (27.3 v. 21.9).

However, they received fewer callbacks (5.0 v.

5.8) and a smaller percentage received offers (70.0 v. 78.1).

Mature students (27 and older) were more selective than their younger counter-parts in their application selection. Relative to the number of applications sent out, mature students received more OCIs and more callbacks than their younger counterparts, on average (51% of applications led to an OCI, 52% of OCIs led to a callback). This trend expressed itself from oldest to youngest, as the 24-26 group had 48% of applications lead to an OCI and 50% of OCIs lead to a callback, while the students 23 and under had 45% of applications lead to an OCI

Average # Applications 23.0 23.7 27.3 21.9 23.5 23.3 17.8 23.3

Western

Age, Gender and Visible Minority Status

Male Female Visible Minority Not Visible Minority 23 and under 24 to 26 27 and over Entire Sample

Osgoode

TABLE 1. APPLICATION, OCI, CALLBACK, AND OFFER BREAKDOWN BASED ON SELF-IDENTIFIED VISIBLE ATTRIBUTES

attempt was made to correct for selection bias.

Finally, for the firm ratings, there was no correction for potential biases created by other factors such as the number of students interviewed at each firm, the number of students hired, or whether or not the respondent received an offer from a firm.

Toronto

The Ultra Vires 2006 Survey of Toronto Law Firm Recruiting was conducted using an anonymous online survey distributed to second year students at the law school. 101 student responses representing approximately 60% of students participating in the process were received.Respondents were asked to answer a number of personal questions and to provide specific comments on the firms they met with.

Total

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10 2 4 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 14 4 1 2 0 1 2 1 2 1 7 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 25 7 6 2 2 0 0 4 1 3 5 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 13 1 1 3 1 2 2 1 2 0 18 3 4 2 2 3 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 18 4 6 5 0 0 1 0 1 1 9 2 3 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 19 4 4 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 4 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 14 2 6 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 14 3 4 3 2 1 0 0 1 0 19 3 1 2 1 2 6 0 2 2 12 1 3 0 1 2 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 1 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 28 2 7 1 0 2 3 8 0 5 14 3 2 2 3 1 2 0 0 1 11 2 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 4 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 14 3 2 1 2 0 2 1 3 0 33 6 9 4 6 2 2 0 3 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 21 3 7 2 1 2 0 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 17 8 2 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 407 91 86 47 42 34 35 26 25 23 355 96 74 39 32 33 30 15 16 20 361 91 80 41 36 32 24 23 18 16

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

FULL-SERVICE FIRMS

Aird & Berlis 71.6 (#10)

One student was “blown away by how friendly they were.” However, after the OCI, they were described as having a “weak presentation.” Nevertheless, they were respectful all the way through, even when one student rejected their offer.

Overall, it looks like a good place to work “if you value work/life balance more than prestige.”

Baker & McKenzie 69.1 (#16)

One student said that they gave him the best OCI gift: travel speakers. Another student said that the interviewers were “friendly” and “engaging” and that they “even offered to get me a bottle of water.” On the other hand, one student described the interview as “boring, but fine” and another stated that “the articling students could have tried to be more excited.” At the callback interviews, one student claimed that they “sent a veiled message to all U of T students that they were going to call.” As well, there were complaints about communication, specifically their call-day email notification, listing all U of T students on the address list.

Bennett Jones 73.9 (#5)

Responses ranged from “awesome” to “absolutely horrible.” In addition to complaints of a low student to lawyer ratio at dinner, one student claimed, “it opened my eyes to how the firm views

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practice,” one student remarked. Interestingly, the reception was a great spot to find a date as there were “lots of nerdy male lawyers VERY eager to meet the female recruits.” One student felt “the firm was a bit too casual about the whole process.” Then again, the negative review might be because they “are not on anyone’s radar because this is their first year doing OCIs.”

people. Many negative comments [were] made of other firms.” Nevertheless, they were “honest [with students] all the way,” and a “classy firm” that “came across well at first, but under the surface seemed to be arrogant and unfriendly.”

Blake, Cassels and Graydon 73.4 (#6)

The interviewers were generally described as “nice and personable.” However, the consensus is that the “life story” question did not go over well with students. One student described the question as “stupid” while another remarked, “You want my life story? I want the 20 minutes of my life I’ll never get back!”

Callback interviews went “much better,” as they were “very well organized” and “friendly and open to letting you see as many different people in as many different areas as you wish.” People at the firm were described as “generally nice,” and the reception was “humourous” and “well coordinated and not too fussy.”

Overall, one student summed it up by stating that “I was really impressed with Blakes.” Another said, “They treated me like gold.” ‘Nuff said.

Borden Ladner Gervais 72.2 (#8)

Were these interviewers “bland,” and “cold” or “genuine,” “genuinely interesting” and “extremely friendly”? While the callback received generally positive reviews, one student stated, “Trying to talk to one person for 45 minutes was more than I could handle.” Another student said they felt pressured to say whether they would accept an offer, while a third said BLG was “clear about my chances.”

Students were impressed with dinner: nice restaurants with “lawyers in the area I said I was interested in.” One student was “turned off by the pressure tactics and lack of respect for making decisions.” A student who turned down an offer was “treated very coldly” and “[with the phone call ending] abruptly.”

However, another commented that “I didn't feel faceless, surprising for a firm with so many people.”

Blaney McMurtry 69.6 (#14)

The OCI was described as “good, interesting…honest.” Yet, one student thought that they “didn’t send their best to represent the firm.” At the callback level, the firm got much better reviews.

“All the lawyers were down to earth and more than willing to talk about their

Cassels, Brock & Blackwell 79.1 (#3)

With “some of the friendliest people

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt

Cassels Brock & Blackwell

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg Bennett Jones

Blake, Cassels & Graydon Fraser Milner Casgrain

Borden Ladner Gervais McMillan Binch Aird & Berlis Goodmans

McCarthy Tetrault Fogler, Rubinoff

Blaney McMurtry Ogilvy Renault

Baker & McKenzie Davis & Company Lang Michener Gowlings

Heenan Blaikie

Stikeman Elliott

Goodman and Carr Miller Thomson

12 12 10 10 12 22 13 13 15 5 13 12 5 4 12 3 7 4 17 7 14 8 7 3 10

6.7 8.3 7.3 7.0 5.0 9.0 7.5 6.8 5.6 7.3 6.5 4.7

11 11 10 10 9 19 10 9 10 * 11 7 3 2 5 2 6 4 14 4 11 * 7 * 8

8.6 7.7 7.5 7.6 7.4 7.4 7.1 7.4 7.5 7.9 7.2 6.9 8.0 6.9 6.7 6.5 7.0 7.4 5.9 5.9 5.6 6.6 5.8 4.6 5.9

16 21 17 14 18 28 20 23 22 8 17 20 6 11 20 6 11 10 23 10 19 10 11 11 18

Scores

Scores

Scores

8.8 7.9 8.9 8.4 7.8 7.5 7.9 8.4 7.5

Overall

8.27 8.14 7.47 7.50 7.06 7.33 7.25 6.87 7.12 7.25 7.26 6.70 7.00 6.64 7.10 6.71 6.91 6.60 6.00 5.90 5.44 5.75 5.70 5.55 5.06

# of Responses

9.0 8.4 9.0 7.7 7.8 7.8 7.8 8.2 7.5 6.8 6.3 7.5 7.2 8.0 6.8 6.7 6.4 7.3 5.9 6.0 6.2 6.4 5.9 5.7 7.1

Respect # of Responses

20 28 29 21 24 39 36 39 39 13 36 31 10 19 33 10 16 15 34 23 34 19 16 18 33

Events # of Responses

7.8 7.4 7.4 7.1 7.5 6.8 6.4 6.3 6.6 7.0 7.8 7.0 6.4 6.6 7.9 6.7 6.9 6.5 7.1 5.6 6.6 5.5 5.9 5.6 4.0

# of Responses

Torys

Scores

Firm

Callback

# of Responses

Rank

Scores

OCI

15 21 17 14 18 27 20 23 25 8 19 20 6 11 20 7 11 10 23 10 18 12 10 11 18

Composite Score

Full Service Business Law Firm Rankings** TABLE 4. FULL SERVICE BUSINESS LAW FIRM RANKINGS

84.0 79.8 79.1 75.7 73.9 73.4 72.4 72.2 71.7 71.6 71.1 70.9 70.5 69.6 69.5 69.1 68.9 68.1 61.3 59.9 59.4 59.3 56.9 54.9 53.9

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I’ve met” and recruiters “[who] were very well trained and conducted themselves with enthusiasm and warmth,” OCIs received largely positive reviews, despite one complaint that “there was no shutting the student recruiter up.” The infirms also were “organized”, involving “a lot of interaction with students and lawyers.” The cocktail party was “fun.” and dinner too was “amazing”, with “lots of lawyers and students, and lots of drinking,”. Respectful throughout; “if you had many offers, they anticipated it, and were open to letting you take the time you needed to decide.” Surprisingly, however, “[once] they decided they didn’t want me, they didn’t even bother to answer my emails.” In the end though, they were described as “the coolest of the firms.”

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg 75.7 (#4)

OCIs were said to be “very friendly,” “top notch.” However, one student said that although they were nice, “it kinda felt like I was at the gates of hell and the gatekeeper was Jessica Simpson—you know it will only go downhill from there.” Once students were invited to the firm, it seems that the “Slavies” reputation was something that the firm was trying to drop. They “seemed more concerned about selling the firm than [with] you having to impress them.” One student remarked that it was “the only place I actually felt that people weren’t treating me as just a random candidate.”

Overall, they were “genuinely interesting and nice people.” Said one student, “they are the most professional firm on the street. I cannot say enough good things about them.”

Davis & Company 68.9 (#17)

“You could smell the desperation a mile away,” remarked one student, while another said of this “rude” firm that she did not get “much of an impression either way.” Callbacks were similarly disappointing: “they kept me waiting half an hour in that interview, and it was clear one of the lawyers had not read my résumé. Not cool.” A senior partner at the firm told one student that “Davis would rather hire less qualified students [than me] who’ll accept them.” Nevertheless, students were “shown respect” and “Davis handled itself very well.” “[V]ery honest through the entire process”, interviewing with Davis was “a great experience”; they were “very transparent and honest about the process”; they “should get over their inferiority complex.”

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin 53.9 (#24)

“Maybe the worst OCI ever”; students agreed that interviews were “brutal”; in5.5 * These firms did not have receptions, dinners or other events and/or an insufficient number of responses were received from candidates. For these firms, terviewers described as “terrible people,” "events" was removed formula calculating dinners the Composite Score.events and/or an insufficient number of responses received * These firms didfrom not the have receptions, or other “unfriendly,” “not engaging,” and “uncofrom candidates. For these firms, “events” was removed from the calculation of the Composite Score. **We did not receive a sufficient number of responses to the following firms to include in our Recruitment Review: Epstein Cole, Gardiner Roberts, Gilbert's, operative.” Surprisingly during callbacks, ** We did not receive a sufficient number of responses for the following firms: Epstein Cole, Gardiner Roberts, Koskie Minsky, McCague Peacock, Pinkovskys, Sherrard Kuzz, Mathews Dinsdale, Minden Gross, Ridout & Maybee, Skadden Arps, Sherman & Sterling Faskens was “informative”, “welcoming Gilberts, Koskie Minksy, McCague Peacock, Pinkofsky’s, Sherrard Kuzz, Mathews Dinsdale, Minden Gross, Ridout & and Thornsteinssons. and friendly”, “[making] sure I met with Maybee, Shackler Arps, Shearman & Sterling and Thornsteinssons Torkin Manes Cohen Arbus Fasken Martineau DuMoulin

14

relevant people.” The reception featured a chocolate fountain. Students found the firm recruiter Sally Woods was “very respectful of student’s choices and accommodates the best she can.” Prompt communication was appreciated.

Fogler Rubinoff 70.5 (#13)

Said one student of in-firm interviews, “they really gave me the opportunity to get a vision of what they do.” However, by second and third callbacks, one student felt a little bit of pressure to commit to the firm, making them “uncomfortable”. The dinners were “pretty chill.”

The firm was very respectful of students’ “wishes and decisions” when it came down to offer time. One student concluded that “they are the best mid-size firm out there.”

Fraser Milner Casgrain 72.4 (#7)

“Nice” and “friendly,” despite swag (dartboard) that was described by one student as “useless.” One student advises, “If they’re interested, they will do everything they can to impress you. I met a lot of partners.” The firm was also described as having a “more hierarchical feel than at some of the other firms.”

The “crowded” reception was described as “well conducted,” while lunches and dinners were also reviewed well. Overall, they were very respectful: said one student, “they wanted to know what I was thinking about the firm, but made it clear that it would not change their impression of me (and it didn’t).”

Goodman & Carr 59.3 (#22)

At OCIs, opinions ranged from “really enjoyed meeting the interviewers,” to “they were OK, but not incredibly friendly.” At callbacks, students seemed to feel like they were being pressured into saying certain things, even though “everyone was really, really friendly.” It was also said that “they were very good about keeping me informed.” Despite being “honest” and having students that are “really great”, it was difficult for students to get beyond “rumours that they are a sinking ship.”

Goodmans 71.1 (#11)

Fun, fun, fun: that is apparently what Goodmans is all about, with most students describing OCIs as “friendly,” “relaxed,” and “lovely.” However, some students felt excluded from the interview, as the interviewers seemed to have a private conversation. One student remarked that they were “friendly to the point of being misleading.” One student said she “Really, really liked everyone I met [at callbacks].” Although some students felt that she “would want to be friends with” the people she met, another student “didn’t click with the young associates I first met.” The “nightmare” of a reception had a “strange set up” and “was really loud and busy.” Criticized for lack of transparency, many felt that “it was hard

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to gauge what they were thinking.” Students also thought that Goodmans lawyers were “slightly fake.” Despite a “clique-y feeling,” some students felt that it was the “best firm.”

Gowlings 61.3 (#19)

The interview was characterized as "fun," "relaxed," and featuring a “very enjoyable interaction.” The callback was well organized and overall a pleasant experience. However, students complained about lack of courtesy: from failure to respond to thank-you notes to non-inclusiveness at the cocktail party. The overall positive interview experience was clouded by students’ serious concerns about low hire back rates.

Heenan Blaikie 59.9 (#20)

Comments focused on the firm’s high pressure tactics, and a PFO email that showed all of the unlucky students’ names. Said one student: “I was ... victim of their very unprofessional conduct of being sent a rejection letter with my name visible for everyone.” Despite being called “quite friendly,” one representative comment under “respect” said that there was “None. [They] monopolized my time over all 3 days; had at least 7 people ask me if I would accept an offer, [I] said I would, and then didn’t get one." However, a more positive student said they were, “Very respectful in that they were very transparent about their interest in me from the start [and they] called early on call day to let you know that they would be calling later to make an offer.”

Lang Michener 68.1 (#18)

Students found Lang Michener’s OCI interviewers “kind of dry.” One candidate said they were “nice but not outgoing,” while another was less enthusiastic saying that “both interviewers were dead in the eyes, I was bored stiff.” On an overall note the firm was described by one student as “Meh,” another said it was “OK overall,” and a third student said, “they need to take some happy pills for next year.”

McCarthy Tetrault 70.9 (#12)

While one student called it their dullest interview and another said he was “bored to tears” an equal number called the OCI interviewer “very friendly.” The firm ranked high in terms of respect. Overall, however, students found them difficult to read, though some disagreed, with one student saying: “They let me know where I stood, and I never felt pressured.”

McMillan Binch Mendelsohn 71.7 (#9)

The behavioural-style interview was described as “fast-paced,” “structured” and “engaging.” One student said, “They gave me honest answers to my questions about the firm instead of the normal firm propaganda.” During callbacks, students were impressed by the firm’s pro-

fessionalism and genuine attempts to get to know them. One respondent said the firm gave the most respect of all the firms he met in the process, another felt they had “complete respect for your preferences and wishes.” As one student summed up, “It’s an amazing firm. I would have loved to have worked there, but no offer. This firm definitely puts more into recruitment than any other firm I have seen.”

Miller Thomson 56.9 (#22)

One student referred to the interviewer as “very combative.” With a cocktail party described as “a ‘lion's den’ [with] everyone fighting for a chunk of partner meat,” it is not surprising to find that feelings were mixed in the respect department. Students had trouble reading the recruiters, while some students found the process confusing: as one student said, “they didn't let me know ahead of time who I would be meeting, and then those who I did meet didn't give me their business cards. That was pretty annoying.”

Ogilvy Renault 69.5 (#15)

Students called the OCI a great time: “the interviewer was quite the joker, it was a fantastic OCI and they really wanted to get to know students.” Both the interview and dinner events got positive reviews; however, one student wasn’t impressed by a conversation at dinner where the lawyer “had a discussion in front of me about whether it's okay that I have clinic experience but not competitive mooting.” In the overall category Ogilvy got strong reviews. One student gave then “thumbs up,” another said he did not want to be a lawyer until he met the people from Ogilvy.

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt 79.8 (#2)

Several students calling the interviewers “great people.” One student said, “I spent a lot of time with the firm, trying to convince them I was worthy of the firm but everyone was spectacular.” Another student warned that this was a firm that “will lead you on.” Curiously, one student wrote: “they are very understanding of slip-ups in interviews.” While a dinner event provided a good opportunity to meet lawyers, some students felt that the atmosphere was too competitive.

As one student put it, “they were the best and they certainly know it.”

Stikeman Elliot 59.4 (#21)

During interviews described as “fake,” “superficial” and “a little childish,” some of the students felt that one of the interviewers dominated the conversation to the exclusion of the other interviewer.

However, at callbacks the interviewers were well liked, especially the one who “was no BS and dropped a few Fbombs.” The group dinner and pub night received positive responses, as students enjoyed meeting “fun” lawyers. Students

ULTRA VIRES

agreed that “they were really aggressive,” making some students feel “uncomfortable.” Another student was more positive saying they found “good people, and it’s a good firm but a little judgmental."

Torkin Manes 54.9 (#23)

While several students felt the interviewers did a poor job selling the firm and could have been more enthusiastic, one student felt that they were the “nicest at the OCI stage.” Students were not impressed with the firm’s call day tactics. One student said that “leaving students in dark about call day is disrespectful.” Another student said they “called late on my OCI callback day, and then asked me to come back for a 5:30 interview on day 2 [which was] not really respectful of time constraints.” One student summed it up by saying: “The firm might be okay, but I wasn't overly impressed.”

Torys 84.0 (#1)

Ranking first, Torys received praise for its OCI interviews, which one student found to be the easiest of them all, and another called a “great time, very friendly people, extremely relaxed, as they made a good effort to get to know me and be informative about the firm.” The firm was complimented for its warmth and niceness while one perceptive student pointed out that “[t]hey must have been more nervous than me given their field from last year!” Students enjoyed the callback as well. One student said, “[e]veryone was really friendly and interested in you. They didn't come on too strong either with finding out where they stood in your ranking.” Another student said that, “it didn't go unnoticed that my interviewers had memorized my résumé beforehand.” While some students found the lunches and dinners nice, one student was critical of the group format saying, “Lunch was a waste of time, with three lawyers to two students, you couldn't really get to know anything with a second student there. Make sure you are not with another student if you go for a lunch.”

One student recommended the obvious by advising future candidates not to “ask them about why six of their partners left at once for Bennett Jones."

BOUTIQUE FIRMS

Bereskin & Parr 61.4 (#9)

While one student remarked that “they scrutinized my transcript like no tomorrow…why, they have a problem with good marks?” another student called them “friendly.” One student said that they are a “terrible firm posing as a Bay Street player.” Make of that what you will.

Dimock Stratton 73.4 (#3)

Both respondants described them as “pleasant,” as “they took a great deal of time and effort to answer my questions

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NOVEMBER 21, 2006

15

consider my options in a more informed manner.”

Boutiques, Specialty Firms Rankings TABLEand 5. BGovernment OUTIQUE, SPECIALTY FIRMS AND GOVERNMENT RANKINGS

Smart & Biggar

Department of Justice Hicks Morley Bereskin & Parr

Department of Justice 66.5 (#7)

Contrary to popular opinion, the DOJ interviews are not as painful as one might expect, according to some students. One student said that it “was not as scary as I expected” while another described it as a “good mix of questions, not the stereotypical 100% substantive interview.”

However, others said it was a “particularly painful process.” The callback was more substantive, as “you get grilled on the case you present.” The interviews left some students wondering where they stood, though one successful candidate claimed that “[got] strong hints if…in contention.” Overall, the DOJ isn’t as bad as you’d think, as “it was slightly more intimidating than other interviews, but…a positive experience."

Hicks Morley 63.4 (#8)

2004 Score (Rank)

2005 Score (Rank)

2006 Score*

2004 Score (Rank)

Composite Score

# of Responses

Scores

Scores

# of Responses

8 8 8 9 10 7 8 5 7

80.4 75.5 73.4 70.6 70.4 69.5 66.5 63.4 61.4

Lerners 75.5 (#2)

The interviewers received praise from all of the reviewers. One interviewer was “the perfect grandma! Knew my résumé well, and asked some insightful question.,” Another student called it the most professional interview experience she experienced by far. The cocktail party was crowded. Lerners scored well in the respect department; “the recruiter deserves a raise. One of the most personable recruiters I have met all year long.” Another student said they were "kind enough to answer my emails even though they weren’t interested and this was definitely a lot better than other firms." The recruitment director received the highest grades by going out of her way to give information about the process and getting to know every student personally.

Students had no qualms about the OCI. It was nice and they were friendly.

One student said that interview was “extremely warm & enjoyable.” One student was disappointed that he didn’t receive a PFO, another said she felt they “think too highly of themselves.” Overall, students did not have deep feelings about this firm. One student called it a “wonderful experience” while a colleague noted “total indifference towards this firm.”

2005 Score (Rank)

7.6 7.1 7.0 6.9 7.1 6.7 6.4 5.2 6.4

litigation to be considered. Callback interviews used a “cluster style” where you sit in a boardroom and people come in and out mid-sentence, which at least one student found hectic. The cocktail party allowed students a chance to meet the founding partners. Most students felt they were respected in the process and appreciated being gifted with a Starbucks coffee card.

Hodgson Shields 70.6(#4)

1 Torys 8.4 6.2(14) 8.1(1) 2 Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt 8.0 6.8(4) 7.7(3) 3 Cassels Brock & Blackwell 7.9 5.9(19) 6.9(11) 4 Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg 7.6 6.6(9) 7.7(4) 5 Bennett Jones 7.4 7.3(1) 8.1(2) 6 Blake, Cassels & Graydon 7.3 6.9(3) 7.6(5) 7 Fraser Milner Casgrain 7.2 6.6(8) 6.1(17) 8 Borden Ladner Gervais 7.2 6.0(17) 6.7(15) 9 McMillan Binch 7.2 6.5(10) 6.8(13) 10 Aird & Berlis 7.2 6.7(6) 6.0(18) 11 Goodmans 7.1 6.8(5) 6.9(12) Historical Scores 12 McCarthy Tetrault 7.1 5.3(24) 7.5(7) 13 Fogler, Rubinoff 7.1 3.3(25) 5.6(19) 14 Blaney McMurtry 7.0 n/a n/a 15 Ogilvy Renault 7.0 7.2(2) 7.4(8) McKenzie 16 Baker & Firm 6.9 5.6(23) 5.0(23) 17 Davis & Company 6.9 5.8(21) 5.1(21) 18 Lang Michener 6.8 6.7(7) 7.1(10) 19 Gowlings 6.1 6.3(12) 6.3(16) 1 Torys 8.4 6.0 6.2(14)6.2(13) 8.1(1) 7.2(9) 20 Heenan Blaikie Hoskin & Harcourt 2 Osler, 8.0 6.8(4) 7.7(3) 7.6(6) 21 Stikeman Elliott 5.9 6.5(11) Brock & Blackwell 3 Cassels 7.9 5.9(19) 6.9(11) Goodman and Carr 22 5.9 6.1(16) 5.2(20) & Vineberg 4 Davies 7.6 5.7 6.6(9)5.9(20) 7.7(4) n/a MillerPhillips Thomson 22 Ward Jones Manes Cohen Arbus 5 Bennett 7.4 5.5 7.3(1)5.9(18) 8.1(2)5.1(22) 23 Torkin Fasken&Martineau Graydon DuMoulin 6 Blake, 7.3 5.4 6.9(3)5.6(22) 7.6(5)6.7(14) 24 Cassels Milner CasgrainScores have been divided *All 2006 Composite for comparative purposes 7 Fraser 7.2 by 106.6(8) 6.1(17) * All Ladner 2006 Composite Scores have divided by 10 to previous years.

Gervais 8 Borden 7.2 been 6.0(17) 6.7(15) for comparative purposes to previous years 6.8(13) Binch 9 McMillan 7.2 6.5(10) 10 Aird & Berlis 7.2 6.7(6) 6.0(18) 11 Goodmans 7.1 6.8(5) 6.9(12) 12 McCarthy Tetrault 7.1 5.3(24) 7.5(7) 2006 Score*

Scores

Students enjoyed meeting the interviewers sent by Hicks Morley. “Both interviewers were super nice and really fun,” said one student. Students appreciated the professionalism of the student committee during callbacks. “They were very forthright with me and told me exactly where I stood with them, which was really nice,” said one student. Overall, one student said “meh,” while another called the firm “wonderful.”

Historical TABLE 6. Scores HISTORICAL SCORES (FULL SERVICE BUSINESS FIRMS)

Firm

8 6 8 9 10 7 8 4 7

Lenczner Slaght 70.4 (#5)

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Good

“Interviews are actually a much better experience than they were made up to be.

Yes it's EXHAUSTING at the end but at the same time most firms make an effort to put you at ease and it's quite fun to hear how people got to where they are now. I wish I could pick more than one firm! All my offers are fantastic and I look forward to the summer. Do I sound like a CDO brochure already? I don't like being cynical just for the sake of it. If the process works out well, I do want to say positive things about it to do it justice.”

The Bad

“My main problem was that some firms never contacted me to tell me of their rejections. The casualness of the interviews, while it might make them easier to get through, is also demeaning. It gives the appearance, real or not, that candidates are being judged on very superficial bases.”

“The Toronto process is much less Inter viewers 'student friendly' than the US one. I can't were described as imagine that this process will be around “super fun to inFirm for much longer.” terview with! Paliare Roland 80.4 (#1) Very outgoing Paliare’s interview style required stu“'Fit' is a euphemism for indirect disand fun”, 1though dents to really demonstrate Paliare Roland 8.0their interest n/a n/a crimination.

Ask yourself: will, for examsome students 2 Lerners in the firm. One student said, 7.5 “they 6.4(3) start7.1(5) ple, a young, Asian female with a Dimock Stratton 3 inter7.3 interviews n/a n/a noticed that off by asking how many traditional upbringing and coming from Shields doing, where else 4 Hodgson 7.1you 6.8(2) viewers were im- you're applied8.5(2) Lenczner Slaght 5 7.0 6.0(7) 6.3(8) p e r s o n a l . to/how you made your decisions about limited means 'fit' into a firm composed 6 Smart & Biggar 6.9 5.6(8) 7.0(6) predominantly of well-to-do Caucasian Surprisingly, Department stu- where to apply/interview.” an-5.6(10) of Justice 7 6.7 While 5.1(10) men and women? While I think I underdents noted that Morley other student was pleased “they7.1(4) 8 Hicks 6.3 that, 7.4(1) stand what is meant by 'fit,' I'm afraid Bereskin & Parr you need to 9 show called very early to confirm 6.1that 5.4(9) an offer7.1(3) that this way of evaluating candidates has a lot of interest in would not be made which allowed me to little to do with one's legal abilities or poTABLE 7. HISTORICAL SCORES (BOUTIQUE, SPEC’TY, GOV’T) tential, and may prejudice applicants who aren't from the same socio-economic background as most lawyers are.”

2006 Score*

and tell me about the firm.” This “amazing” firm boasted interviewers who were both “professional” and “personable.”

7.5 9.0 7.4 6.8 6.9 6.9 6.5 6.8 7.9

Firm

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Paliare Roland Lerners

Dimock Stratton

Hodgson Shields Lenczner Slaght Smart & Biggar

Department of Justice Hicks Morley Bereskin & Parr

8.0 7.5 7.3 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.7 6.3 6.1

n/a 6.4(3) n/a 6.8(2) 6.0(7) 5.6(8) 5.1(10) 7.4(1) 5.4(9)

n/a 7.1(5) n/a 8.5(2) 6.3(8) 7.0(6) 5.6(10) 7.1(4) 7.1(3)

2004 Score (Rank)

Lenczner Slaght

5 5 5 5 6 5 2 2 3

Only one student really responded to our inquiries with comments. The student had a positive experience at the event which consisted of a “fantastic dinner [and they] repeatedly encouraged me to get anything that I wanted.” The student also said it “seemed like an amazing place to be practicing IP. No air of superiority about them, and they genuinely value their summer and articling students."

2005 Score (Rank)

Hodgson Shields

9.0 7.4 8.8 7.0 7.2 8.4 8.5 8.0 5.7

Smart & Biggar 69.5 (#6)

2004 Score (Rank)

Dimock Stratton

11 10 13 10 15 10 19 8 12

Overall

2005 Score (Rank)

Lerners

# of Responses

8.2 7.8 6.5 7.6 6.9 6.0 5.4 6.8 5.2

Paliare Roland

Respect

2006 Score*

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Firm

Scores

Rank

Callback

# of Responses

OCI

The Ugly

“I felt like I was at a trade convention.”

Best “unsexy” group: Kudos to Lindsay Kantor (1L) and Maria Zeldis (1L) for shunning the easy route and committing to a decidedly unsexy, and decidedly AWESOME, group costume.

Shame on you: Not to pick on Mireille (3L), but there were enough naughty nurses this year to staff a hospital of questionable moral character. While we aren’t taking a stand on the sexy vs. unsexy costume debate, it may be time to look past timehonored choices...sexy lobster, anyone?

Due to unforseen difficulties, the SLS was unable to award Halloween prizes this year for costumes. As every “type A” student at this school knows, the ONLY reason to come to the Halloween party is to compete for the prize, so without further ado...we present the UV picks for this years best, worst, and most often-replicated costumes of 2006.

Chris Graham (3L) managed to wear a very intricate costume while leaving the distinct impression that he was wearing no costume at all. We don’t know what prize to give you, but we at UV salute you.

Additional UV head nods to Russel Goldenberg (2L) as a convincing penguin, and Khalid Janmohamed (2L) (below), who asked us “What can Brown do for you?”

Commitmen Ryan Zalis (3L) didn’t step out of character once all night

nt

t.

Best Group: with a group 13 people strong and several choreographed routines, these thirdyears won hands down. Vice magazine called looking to borrow accessories from these fitness buffs...

Are you afraid of the dark?

SLS Halloween Party 2006

FEATURES

18

IT’S NOT PRACTISE THAT MAKES PERFECT, IT’S WHICH PRACTICE Lenczner Slaght is one of Canada’s leading litigation firms, rated in the top tier by Chambers and Partners and at the centre of LEXPERT’s Toronto bull’s-eye. Training and experience brought us here. Come and see how we practise what we preach. For more information, contact Barbara Russell, Human Resources Manager: (416) 865-3557 or brussell@litigate.com.

The art of diplomacy...er not so much

You want to be on our side

Students give real answers to interview questions COMPILED BY STEVE WERIER

Interviews are tough. You have split seconds to give answers that might determine your future, or in the case of OCIs, at least your summer paycheck. Making it even harder are second round callbacks, where students descend on the imposing towers of Bay Street for in-firm interviews. Being diplomatic is key; speaking your mind --not so much. With that in mind, UV asked some students for their thoughts on some of the questions they got, the answers they gave, and what, deep down, they were really thinking.

These are their stories.

Question ("Q"): So how is your day going?

Answer ("A"): It's great. Busy. But great.

Real Answer ("RA"): Fuck you for making me go through this shit and smile. I hate you.

-Justin, 2L Q: Please tell me your life story A: Blah, blah, blah, blah, and I did DLS

litigate.com

last year What I was thinking ("WIWT"): Where is the nearest weapon, I wish I had a weapon, I wonder if I could argue provocation - Britney, 2L Q: So You Want to Litigate?

A: Yeah, totally. I love the art of persuasion, and Eddie Greenspan was so inspiring last year during Bridge “Weak”.

WIWT: I wonder what this woman looks like naked.

-Joey F., 2L

Q: What other firms are you meeting with? What ones are you still considering?

A: Umm, Laskins, Badmans, LBGT, and MickSorley..but of course, I love you

ULTRA VIRES guys.

RA: Why don’t you tell me what other girls you’re considering? Any of them have more A’s than me? Any of them hotter than me? Any of them of an ethnicity you like?

-Christina, 2L

Q: Here’s an offer!

A: Thanks!

RA: What are you doing?!?! It’s Monday!!

Can you guys get away with that??

Shouldn’t someone tell the Law Society??

-Lance 2L

Q: Do you want a tour of the office?

A: I'd love one.

RA: What makes you think your boring art work is any better than anyone else's boring art work. And, for the record, spending thousands of dollars on randomly spewed paint does not make your firm seem more progressive in any way.

If you want to seem more progressive, play Jay Z. Yeah. You heard me. Fo' shizzle.

-J.C., 2L

Q: Will you be coming to our pub night?

A: Of course. I have a dinner first, but I will come right after.

RA: Only if you promise to keep [Recruiter] as far away from me as possible.

- Howie, 2L

our success starts with our students www.fmc-law.com/careers

FRASER MILNER CASGRAIN LLP MONTRtAL • OTTAWA • TORONTO • EDMONTON • CALGARY • VANCOUVER • NEW YORK

OPEID NIONS & I TO RI A L S

Rants and advice, MBA vs. JD, Japan, hummers, medical marihuana and more...

November Sucks

A message from your SLS President KIM HAVIV

I don’t want to alarm anybody, but I think this is the worst time of the law school year. Reading week done, weather colder, days shorter, exams imminent.

You know that ‘today is the day that I have to get it together’ feeling that’s hit you every day for the last few days?

That’s November talking, and it’s going to be here for a while.

But fear not, friends, your SLS reps are still on the job.

Faculty Council meeting #2 is coming up this Wednesday, November 22 in the Solarium. A big topic on the agenda is a report from Arnie Weinrib and Bonnie Goldberg on admissions and enrollment in the J.D. program. We’ll also receive an interim report from a working group looking at pedagogy and updates from the Project Committee and the Academic Plan.

Meanwhile, the various groups that report to Faculty Council have received their mandates and are getting down to business. One of the larger tasks has been passed to the standing committee on long-term curriculum, which is considering ways to better incorporate legal research and writing into the academic program. Your friendly neighbourhood SLSer anxiously awaits your input.

While I’m making my ‘Uncle Sam Wants You’ comments, please do take a minute to fill out the environmental sustainability survey (alternate title: ‘How much sustainability can you handle?’) that’s posted in e-community. And thanks to all those who attended the Financial Aid Town Hall on October 19 – your contributions are of great assistance to the SLS in forming proposals for the future.

In the next few weeks, the Student Affairs Committee will be allocating funds that were donated to the student body by the graduating classes of 2001 and 2002 through their GRADitude campaigns (that’s not just me being cute – they’re actually called that). The 2002 fund will go to student groups organizing conferences at the law school and subsidizing students who attend conferences elsewhere. The 2001 fund will go to student groups purchasing capital equipment.

More info and applications are in the November 13th Headnotes.

Last plug goes to the Coffeehouse this Thursday, November 23rd in the Rowell Room. I’m told there will be pie. There will also be talent galore and no power outages.

Right… about that. Sorry about the power blowing at the Halloween party. It was as much of a bummer for us as it was for you, and we apologize for the confusion and disappointment. It seems that’s what happens when you run slick

speakers into a building that was designed for kerosene lamps.

Finally, as the semester winds down, my sincere thanks to the students and student groups who have brought a wide range of great events to the life of the school. Good luck in the trenches my friends, and I’ll catch you on the flip side.

Music Students THE ANONYMOUS RANTER

A couple months ago, I was sitting in the Rowell Room (the nicest of rooms here), enjoying my coffee and paper, in a pensive mood, trying to think about…something important. Anyway, everything was good, until I heard something: a noise…more like a tune actually. I turned around, and—there it was! A music student singing her fucking aria or something into my ear. This was when I decided that music students hanging out in the law school are the bane of my existence.

You know you agree with me. Ever since first year, you wondered "who are these people eating lunch in my school, and reading these weird coded papers (that is sheet music, by the way—something you will never see again as a lawyer)?" Deep inside you, there is this kernel of hatred for them. Why is that? Well, I have investigated this question myself. I think it boils down to a variety of factors: 1. They take up space. Valuable, Rowell Room/Atrium/library space. More when they have instruments.

2. They eat lunch at your table when you want to sit there. And then they don’t clean it up.

3. They are noisy. Maybe it is because they are so auditorally inclined…but damn it they talk loud, with no regard for our insane desire for silence when we read cases (Or don’t read cases in the upper years).

4. They aren’t as smart as us. Yes, I said it.

5. They come to our receptions, without being invited, and take the free food that we are planning to steal. I make a point of going to events and speakers I have absolutely no interest in, and it never fails... The music students raided it first. Let’s not even discuss when there is booze served…

6. When they bring laptops, they take up bandwidth. (OK, this one isn’t as important, but I need reasons here.)

7. They smell.

All good reasons. But there is one reason that is more important than any of those mentioned above. Not only is it a valuable reason for asking them to go somewhere else, but it also amplifies every other reason you can think of. The reason I speak of is the fact that they have their own building to do all of these things in. I mean, it was built for them. It says “music” on it. I’m sure they would fit in way better over there too. So why do they feel the need to come here and do whatever it is they do in our workspace? It’s absolute bullshit.

That is why I am moving for the full time music student ban from Flavelle and Falconer. I’m sure you’ll agree—there should be some sort of passport or key system for us here. $18,000 of tuition should definitely make it possible to get some sort of password. I’ll make one now: New England Clam Chowder (the white). I’ll be at the front door from now on, and you have to say that. Don’t tell any music students, or you’ll be the rat. You don’t want that rep.

With this plan in place, the law school will become a better place for us law students. No more singing, no more sheet music, no more instruments taking up precious space for procrastinating. Think about it.

On a side note: if you are into rants, you might want to check out the Eaton House on Monday nights. People actually go to this place, contribute five bucks to the pot, and then go on stage to rant. Whoever has the best rant wins the pot. The Anonymous Ranter might be making his/her/its debut there this coming Monday.

Go and see who he/she/it is…it will be like solving the mystery of the Caramilk bar.

Recruiters make bad investment decisions MARCUS NIEDERMAYER

Several metaphors have been employed to describe the firm OCI process. Most partners at full service firms referred to OCIs as speed dating, while several employed the old Vegas crapshoot analogy; however, as most HR professionals would tell you, recruitment is, in many regards, all about making smart investments. Firms spend significant funds acquiring, training, and retaining summer and articling students. So, how good are these firms’ portfolios right now?

Let’s begin with a basic tenet of smart investing: Buy low, sell high. With this principle in mind, how can one explain that I did not receive an offer? Surely grades such as mine (not very good), accompanied by my limited and unimpressive experience (also not very good) and my uncanny ability to make female interviewers feel “weird and uncomfortable” should have sounded alarm bells for professional development personnel eager to acquire low value, high potential performers. On the flip side, how many of those same firms were eager to place all their chips in large cap, high performing dividend yielding stocks? Far too many if you ask me.

Second, as most investment advisers would tell you, it’s all about having a diverse portfolio. To this end, I salute the recruiters at all the firms with whom I interviewed. Diversity was taken to an exciting new level throughout OCIs. At dinner with one prospective firm, I was impressed with the variety of people sitting around me. Although I did feel very out of place being the only Jew at the table, I’m sure the one Asian girl felt just as uncomfortable as the one brown guy who felt just as uncomfortable as the one “heinously ugly guy who definitely isn’t getting the job” sitting next to the guy who kept double dipping his veggies in the communal dip. I will always have fond memories of this dinner, and the eclectic spectrum of individuals who outshone me.

Finally, who would want to make a serious investment without first collecting all available information? While some firms were fabulous in this regard, asking questions like, “So, how is law school?” or the ever popular, “Why us?” many firms fell flat on their faces, resorting to questions with little significance on the future earnings of their potential investments. More than once I was asked, “How is your day going?” or “Would you like a drink?” Such questions, in my opinion, do not get to the root of what these interviewers should be trying to discover.

OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

Lawyers Not Reviled In Japan ROB WAKULAT

Admit it. You’ve told family members, friends and perfect strangers that you were headed to/currently ensconced in law school and you could practically see them hold back their vitriolic response in favour of a more polite, “Well, isn’t that nice.” Despite the best efforts of organizations like DLS, Pro Bono and the International Human Rights Program, law schools in Canada still manage to churn out ethically and morally challenged grads who go on to fleece their clients’ trust funds and get front page coverage for it in The Toronto Star.

Along with other caricatures of lawyers (bengoshi) as ambulance chasers and bombastic poets (thank you Johnnie Cochrane!) the legal profession is in the enviable position of being less respected than Adam Sandler in a dramatic film.

This has led to a society where we can type in “lawyer jokes” in a Google search and get over 1,000,000 hits or have our future profession place second in dilbert.com’s Weaseliest Profession Poll!

And lucky for us, most people would prefer to tar all law professionals with the

same brush, rather than learn that most lawyers are hard-working, client-focused and tireless advocates for an umpteen number of worthy causes.

While it’s probably too late to recapture the general public’s admiration, deTHE COUNTRY DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A SINGLE, SOLITARY LAWYER JOKE!

spite a game attempt by the American Bar Association in 1993 to improve the image of lawyers by paying consultants US$170,000, there does exist a place where a lawyer can tell someone what they do and receive a response worthy of a king. That place, my dear friends, is Japan.

I have come to the land of Iron Chefs and outlandish game shows as part of the faculty’s Work-in-Japan Program. I am currently working in Tokyo (rigaru editaa) as a legal editorat Nishimura & Partners, which is probably Japan’s third

largest law firm (horitsujimusho). A foreigner doing something other than teaching English or studying Japanese is unusual in itself, but a foreigner working at a law firm is truly a rare phenomenon.

On my first night in Tokyo (after a 13-hour flight), my intrepid roommate Jon Ellison, Esq., decided there was no time to lose and took me clubbing on three hours of sleep. Knowing no one but ourselves meant that if we were going to have any fun we’d first have to make introductions. I’ve never seen someone recoil in awe when telling them anything about myself until that night. If any of you have ever met a Japanese person, you will know that they can combine surprise and skepticism in one loud noise (EHHHHHHH!!!???) that has a decibel level proportionate to the degree of shock involved. Apparently, a hand motion covering the face and stuttering backwards, as if Elaine Benis pushed them, can also accompany this expression if the information they have received is sufficiently unbelievable.

21

This is exactly the type of response I found myself repeatedly receiving upon telling fellow club-goers what I did. It was typically followed by the person saying “No way!” (uso) until I had him/her convinced that I was, in fact, a legal professional of sorts. That evening’s reception has since been followed by numerous instances of people of all ages providing similar responses to hearing about my job and reaches a crescendo when I give them my card with horitsujimusho written on it. So where do Japanese lawyers derive this rare respect from? The answer is that Japan has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, ratios of lawyers-to-population in the developed world. Historically, in a country of 130 million, about 1,000-2,000 people pass the annual bar examination (there were no law schools) and then go on to do an 18-month study program at the Legal Research and Training Institute whereupon they are qualified to practice, judge or prosecute. Passing the bar usually reJAPAN continued on pg. 23

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At McCarthy Tétrault, we are leaders in providing our clients with a unique depth and breadth of expertise that spans the country and all areas of law .

We attract the best and brightest talent to our ranks, fostering a diverse and exciting professional environment that offers many opportunities for growth.

By striving for excellence, rewarding creativity and promoting initiative among our people, we build on the successes of our impressive past to help develop the leaders of the future.

To inquire about articling and summer student programs, log on to mccarthy .ca/leadership .

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22

OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

I say marihuana, You say marijuana

MEGHAN RILEY

Medicinal marijuana is coming. Currently, there are 1500 Canadians licensed to smoke marijuana for medical reasons. As of this fall, the University of Toronto and York University each provide one of their professors with a specially ventilated room on campus to smoke medicinal marijuana. Both professors are licensed to smoke marijuana for a legitimate medical purpose. These are the first cases of this kind in Canada and may be a sign of major changes to come.

Professor Doug Hutchinson, a professor of philosophy at U of T, and Dr. Brian MacLean, an assistant professor of sociology at York University, have become the subject of international media scrutiny over the past few weeks, with CNN even weighing in on the situation as recently as November 13. I emailed both men to try to set up interviews. I was unable to speak with Mr. Hutchinson, since he will be out of town for a few weeks, but he sent me a gracious email indicating that he would otherwise be happy to grant my request. He also copied the email to Dr. MacLean and suggested that I email him. It seems that these two men, who have been pulled together by the rarity, timing and publicity of their circumstances, are becoming fast friends or allies.

I talked to Dr. MacLean for about 45 minutes over the phone and found him to be extremely likeable. He suffers from degenerative arthritis, and after consultation with his doctor, and filing the requisite paperwork, was granted a license by Health Canada to both possess and pro-

My Name Is John Kimble, and I Love My Electric Car

Environmental Law Club MARK FIRMAN

We are used to seeing him struggle with cyborgs, grapple with gangsters, and battle with barbarians. In his political aspect, however, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has set his sights on a different kind of foe. In September of this year, the Governor announced that the State of California would be suing six of the world’s top automobile manufacturers for environmental damages that it alleges stem from vehicle emissions. California’s Attorney General, Bill Lockyer, claims that, taken together, the emissions

duce marijuana for medical purposes. He smokes about 7.5 grams a day. In his case, he cannot work, or live comfortably, without it. When he was hired by York University in July, he gave them all the relevant paperwork along with his request that they accommodate his medical disability. As I am learning in labour law this term, a unionized employer has a duty to accommodate employees who have disabilities. After Weber v. Ontario Hydro, both the Charter and Human Rights Codes may properly be the subject of arbitration, if they are

HE SMOKES ABOUT 7.5 GRAMS A DAY. inferentially incorporated into a collective agreement.

MacLean’s union, YUFA (York University Faculty Association) negotiated with the University, and ultimately arrived at an agreement. MacLean was allocated a ventilated room to medicate in as of November 6.

Dr. MacLean is happy with the outcome, even though there was a threemonth delay in arranging the accommodation, during which time he

constitute a “public nuisance.”

The state’s aims are noble. Most scientists agree that greenhouse gas emissions, including those from automobiles, heavily contribute to global warming. Even if there is a general planetary warming trend that exists independent of human activity, it is almost undoubted that human activity is at the very least accelerating that trend. Any effective effort to combat at least the human component of this problem should therefore be welcomed.

But are California’s actions the best way to account for the environmental costs incurred through vehicle emissions? If the government’s claim were to be successful, and we mustn’t forget that some very unique causes of action have found success in Californian courts, then what would the result be?

The six car companies named in the suit would owe potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to the state. It is not difficult to see that, faced with this added liability, car companies would seek to recoup their costs by raising the prices of their cars across the board. While ostensibly this move simply forces consumers

had been relegated to smoking marijuana on the edges of the campus, where he feared that students would see or smell the marijuana. MacLean was uncomfortable with this and was worried that there would be damage to his reputation.

However, he is willing to attribute the delay to the novelty of the situation for the university, and to their needing to find a solution that balanced other people’s rights to a smoke-free environment.

York University has yet to make an official statement indicating that they support Dr. MacLean and explaining that rather than hindering his performance on the job, his marijuana use is medicinal and, in fact, necessary for him to do his job. Until and unless the university takes this step, Dr. Maclean fears that he is vulnerable to allegations by disgruntled students that his ability to grade papers and/or teach is impaired by his marijuana use. He believes that a clear statement of support by the university would help send a statement that those kinds of claims won’t be entertained.

I want to highlight our discussion about the spelling of the word marijuana/marihuana. My spell check permits to pay the true cost of their automobiles by factoring in an environmental component, it would likely cast the net too wide.

Car companies would raise the prices of all vehicles, even the low-emissions and

ULTRA VIRES

both, and indeed, both are used. Dr. MacLean pointed out to me that in all of his medical paperwork, the word is spelled “marihuana” whereas the spelling in most legal cases is “marijuana”. Dr. Maclean insists that there is a difference. He smokes marihuana, the medicine, not marijuana, the recreational substance.

He told me that the distinction is important to him, not because there is anything wrong with recreational use (he supports it and feels that it is unconstitutional to criminalize simple possession), but rather because the two arguments are totally separate and the current accommodation made for him has nothing to do with recreational use and ‘getting high.’ Dr. MacLean stressed to me that marijuana is what allows him to work, rather than hindering him. He told me that, “it’s no party.” MacLean doesn’t want people who have limited recreational experience with the drug to assume that they can predict the effect it has on him, or that he is “whacked out” when he smokes.

Overall, these two situations will likely pave the way for many similar accommodations, at least in Ontario. It will be very difficult for unionized employers to deny accommodation to their employees who do have licenses to smoke marijuana.

What is interesting to me is whether these decisions will contribute to a shift in attitudes about marijuana generally and whether these kinds of accommodations will begin to happen in non-unionized workplaces.

lawsuit, this approach would ensure that more of the environmental costs of driving are passed along to the actual consumers doing the driving. Unlike the litigious approach, however, carbon taxes can target specific types of vehicles, and could be proportionally higher based on a particular model’s miserable fuel economy or high level of emissions. For an example of this type of polluter, look no further than Governor Schwarzenegger’s own fleet of Hummers.

At the same time, the state government could further LOOK NO FURTHER THAN GOVERNOR encourage consumers to SCHWARZENEGGER’S OWN FLEET OF drive energy efficient vehiHUMMERS. cles by offering tax deductions for the purchase of low emission or hybrid vehicles. The hybrid cars that we want citizens to drive.

U.S. Federal Government has alA better solution would be for the Cal- ready introduced such an incentive ifornia legislature to impose a carbon tax program, though some critics have

on sales of high and moderately-polluting vehicles and gasoline. As with the

CAR continued on pg. 23

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

The Charter at 25: Time for a Sequel NOEL SEMPLE

The 25th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms will fall on April 17, 2007—right in the middle of exam season. We’ll all be too busy to think about it then, so now is as good a time as any to take stock. The Charter boldly declares a set of fundamental Canadian values, and having such a declaration is a wonderful thing. The problem is that the values enshrined are incomplete. After twenty-five years, what Canada desperately needs is a new Charter of Duties and Obligations, binding citizens, not the state.

The old Charter assumes that Canadian governments will create unjust laws and exploit the vulnerable. It therefore requires them to do certain things and to avoid doing others. One can question whether the Canadian state actually needs to be leashed, and if so whether judges should hold the leash. One might also ask whether constitutionally bound legislatures around the world are actually more respectful of rights and freedoms than are legislatures which remain supreme, or whether the Charter would actually prove a sturdy shield for minorities if the Canadian majority ever does embrace bigotry.

Nonetheless, the old Charter probably does more good than harm. In any case, it’s here to stay. However, we’re in urgent need of a sequel.

Canada needs a Charter of Duties and Obligations to confront enormous social challenges caused by the irresponsibility of individual Canadians. Here are a few examples: - Deadbeat parents in Ontario alone currently owe $1.35 billion in unpaid child support. Every year, thousands of people conceive children they are unable or unwilling to nurture and support. There should be a constitutional duty to support one¹s children and to avoid having children whom one cannot support.

- Only about two-thirds of Canadians eligible to vote did so in the most recent federal election, and approximately one third of those under age 25 did so.

OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

Democracy suffers if the demos can’t be bothered to participate. The constitution should require Canadians to vote.

- Canadians evade billions of dollars in taxes legally every year, in large part through the use of offshore tax havens.

There should be a constitutional obligation to pay taxes commensurate with one’s ability to pay.

- Some Canadians absorb an expensive state-subsidized education, leave, and then spend the rest of their lives contributing to a different country. Other people of sound body and mind choose to receive welfare payments rather than working and contributing taxes. A Charter of Duties and Obligations could require everyone to make reasonable efforts to contribute to Canada¹s economy.

- We, as individuals, consume more energy and produce more waste per capita than almost any other group of people on earth. This is the real reason why Canada cannot meet its international environmental commitments. A duty to respect the natural environment could rein in some of the excesses of the Canadian lifestyle.

Why bother constitutionalizing these duties and obligations instead of simply enacting them? Firstly, because the old Charter would probably trump some of the duties suggested above. For example, the right to not vote might be protected by the old Charter¹s freedom of expression or liberty interest, unless the duty to vote were given constitutional status in a new Charter of Duties and Obligations.

Moreover, the Constitution is didactic as well as legal; it teaches us what it

means to be Canadians. When we introduce our political culture to new Canadians, the Constitution is emphasized.

When appointed judges discard laws created by our democratically elected representatives, they claim to do so on the basis of the Constitution’s authority. The unmistakable message to anyone observing this phenomenon is that the Constitution is more important to us than democracy itself.

Canadian citizenship can be understood as a contract between each citizen and the state. A citizen accepts the contract by applying for citizenship or by choosing to stay here after reaching the age of majority. Currently, one party to the citizenship contract (Canada) is bound absolutely and in constitutional terms, while the other party (the citizen) is bound only contingently, through ordinary laws. The duties of the citizen are at least as important as those of the state, JAPAN continued from pg. 21

quired years of self-study, multiple attempts and being in the top 5% of the 40,000 test-takers. In return for dedicating their mid-20s to secluded study and a very stressful evaluation process, lawyers are accorded the status of “living above the clouds with the gods” (Kumo no ue no youna souzai) in Japan. In fact, a brief survey (of about six people) confirmed that the country doesn’t even have a single, solitary lawyer joke! Since most Japanese don’t know any better, they figure that their country’s system is followed around the world, allowing us foreigners to bask in

23

and should therefore have the same constitutional status.

Canada gives its citizens peace, prosperity and liberty. These are not free gifts; we hold them in trust. We are entitled to enjoy them, but we are also morally bound to augment them, protect them, and bequeath them to our descendants.

By constitutionalizing duties and obligations like those mentioned above, Canadian law would reflect this moral duty and its importance.

Given how important it is to us, we¹d better be sure that our Constitution accurately represents what we want to be.

No Constitution which deifies rights and freedoms while ignoring duties and obligations can possibly do so. The next 25 years of progress depend not on restraining the state, but rather on enunciating and emphasizing the duties and obligations of each Canadian. the afterglow of this country’s most respected profession. Unfortunately for Japanese lawyers the government has decided to “reform” their system by expanding the number of annually qualified lawyers and adding law schools.

This will not only allow weaker test-takers to become lawyers, but will also increase the opportunity for Japan to develop its own cadre of ambulance chasers who can be analogized to sharks and snakes. Our Shangri-La is counting down to its own expiration date and maybe the only way to ever feel like you made the right career choice is to get here before it is a wisp in the sands of time!

CAR continued from pg. 22

questioned the scope and effectiveness of that particular credit.

Nonetheless, the tax-incentive approach could really push these types of alternative cars onto the market.

In the end, unfortunately, Governor Schwarzenegger has practiced some of the same indiscriminate firing that has become the hallmark of his action films. His state’s well-intentioned lawsuit lacks the focus needed to ensure that fuel-efficient alternative vehicle prices will not be affected by an adverse court decision. A better approach to combat the growing environmental impact of vehicle emissions would be to amend the tax code to make it less attractive to buy gas-guzzlers and fuel and more attractive to buy low-emission and hybrid cars.

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NOVEMBER 21, 2006

OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

Point-Counterpoint: JD vs. MBA

Don't be a Fool— Stay Out of Law School: Top Ten Reasons Why Business School is Better NII-APA LAMPTEY

10. Business school buildings are better. Have you seen the Rotman building?

It has windows, a beautiful atrium, great group study rooms, computers with flat screens and even houses a state of the art mock trading room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

9. Business school is easier. It’s a fact! It is much easier to get into Rotman than to get into U of T Law. The GMAT is much easier than the LSAT and you can enter with only a 3.0 undergrad GPA. Moreover, once at Rotman you are faced with a B+ curve, which is much more enticing to the ego than the B bell curve the law school offers.

8. Websites. There are websites called “IHATELAWSCHOOL.COM” and “DISMISSEDLAWSTUDENT.COM” (Self-explanatory)

7. Exams. During December examinations people don’t puke in the locker rooms of business schools. For you 1Ls and 2Ls just ask the third years. (Oh, and in case you forgot…December exams count for NOTHING!!!!!!!!)

6. Time. Business school is only two years while law school is three. MOREOVER, business students don’t get conned into another year before they enter their professions. Honestly, what is the articling requirement but a way for law firms to get labour at a cheap price!?

5. Papers. Business school papers are 500 words AT MOST and usually only 250. Moreover, there is no friggin' McGILL guide citation. Papers you can rhyme off in half hour? YES PLEASE!!!

4. Answers. There ARE right answers. No more subjective professors deciding which teacher’s pet they like the most. You either get it right or you don’t.

3. Once you are done school, no matter how smart you are, no matter how nice you are, and no matter how much pro-bono you do…everybody will HATE YOU. Look, it’s simply part of the profession, EVERYBODY HATES lawyers.

Even your lawyer colleagues, don’t be fooled…they hate you too!!

2. After a few miserable years of practicing law most lawyers attempt a career change into business anyway. Let’s be honest, unless you TRULY have a passion for the law and you are a superstar (i.e. on the fast track to becoming partner or a Supreme Court Justice), you work your tail off for little pay. At some point, other considerations will lead you to look at business opportunities or to go in house. On this point, ask yourself two questions: (1) How many lawyers do you KNOW of that have left their practice to pursue an MBA!?!? WAIT FOR IT….now ask yourself (2) How many times have you HEARD of an MBA grad leaving her profession to go back to law school!?!? Enough said.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY BUSINESS SCHOOL IS BETTER…DRUMROLL PLEASE… 1. John Grisham’s THE CLIENT: At the end of the day, after business school you will be the client. At this point you can proudly and accurately state that your law school colleagues work for you.

The devil visited a lawyer's office and made him an offer. "I can arrange some things for you, " the devil said. "I'll increase your income five-fold. Your partners will love you; your clients will respect you; you'll have four months of vacation each year and live to be a hundred. All I require in return is that your wife's soul, your children's souls, and their children's souls rot in hell for eternity."

The lawyer thought for a moment. "What's the catch?" he asked.

Top Ten Reasons Why Law School is Better than the MBA Program

25

LORNE KOTLER

10. Getting into U of T Law is an accomplishment. Getting into Rotman is an afterthought. Cold hard numbers: Rotman accepts one third of applicants, while U of T accepts roughly eight percent. In business or law, you’re striving for that elite status to lord over your future colleagues. It is not possible to say with pride and snide, “I was in the 66th percentile!”

9. More holidays off from school. Religious-, civic-, and Friday-related days off are plentiful. I understand that Dean Moran is currently considering adding Groundhog Day/Bill Murray Appreciation Day to the roster. In MBA, nothing. The few “days off ” given are code for “project completion days”. Even the weekends aren’t safe.

8. You actually learn in law school. With the exception of pass/fail bridge week assignments, oddly discontinued after my year, you have to actually learn from lectures and assignments. No Rotman lecture is complete without a deeply involved PowerPoint© slide demonstration, given out in advance, that tells you all you need to know. Lectures are redundant. On the other hand, they represent a convenient time to check your email.

7. Professors are there for you. Unlike Rotman professors, who often moonlight for the private sectors, Law profs have nothing better to do than to answer your thirty-five separate questions on the difference between fiduciary and contractual obligations, complete with hypothetical fact patterns. Rotman profs appear upset if you have even one question on fiduciary obligations.

6. No math. Your high school math professor probably tried to convince you that calculus would eventually be useful in life. In biz school, you run dangerously close to proving her right. I am convinced that pi is something to be eaten, preferably in pumpkin form and I’ll be damned if someone tries to convince me otherwise.

5. No right answers. Do you have any idea what the capital market line is? What about the Black-Scholes option pricing model? If you don’t, you are so out of luck. No part-mark reward for such gems as “adverse possession is possession that is adverse”.

4. Class participation is optional. I know what you’re thinking right now. You are thinking about that one person in the class who really enjoys hearing the sound of their own voice and asks five-part questions that have nothing to do with what is actually being discussed.

Imagine, however, that there are ‘participation grades’. Instead of one or two ‘special people’, there are now fifty. Have fun!

3. Two words: group work.

2. 50/50 gender split (and everyone isn’t already married). Whether you are looking for an up-and-coming lawyer to support your daily bon-bon and soap opera habit (like me), or looking for arm candy to bring to future office functions, law school is a three year singles mixer. You might meet someone that you end up dating for almost two years… maybe their locker is next to yours—who knows? Rotman, on the other hand, is only one-quarter female and pretty much no one is single.

1. Do nothing until November, then just get a summary. Being an MBA kills your social life, or so I’m told. There are always assignments due each week, not counting the quarterly final exams. In first-year law there are seven courses. First year MBA: twenty one. And there are no Amanda Heales in biz school to get you through the course load.

Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources person asked the young MBA fresh out of Rotman, "And what starting salary were you looking for?" The candidate said, "In the neighbourhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The HR person said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary and a company car leased every two years—say, a red Corvette?" The MBA sat up straight and said, "Wow!!! Are you kidding?" And the HR person said, "Certainly, ... but you started it."

Drums and Deal or No Deal, hash browns and “hot or not”, NHL and NFL, Elton John and Royal Tanenbaum, and more...

Second Years are weird SAYRAN SULEVANI

The premise: For this issue, I decided to try something different. Mainly because I wasn’t going to make the deadline otherwise, I asked some friends for short comments on their favourite movies, which I would then post and review. Deadlineencroaching hilarity ensued.

The players: Vian S., Travis A., Mark M. and Pat D.

VIAN: “Any of you f***ing pricks move, and I'll execute every motherf***ing last one of you!” ~ Honey Bunny. How can you not love Pulp Fiction? It gave us Samuel L. Jackson's beginnings in badassery, "The Wolfe", Uma Thurman O.D.ing and Christopher Walken's story of hiding a watch in his ass for two years!

ME: Ah my dear sister, a woman after my own heart. I concur with her crass vulgarity. And I think my insanity is hereditary… And perhaps contagious?!?

TRAVIS: The Royal Tenenbaums. I love this family. I want this family. I want a dad who wears beautiful suits on the brink of ruin and a group of crazy relatives that are crumbling from their own innate fabulousness. I want to be a troubled genius. Most of all I would like this house.

ME: A surprisingly sensitive and poetic comment about a great film from a man who “rode the rainbow wave” into law school as far as I’m concerned, and who finds unknown hilarity in videos about

DI VERSI ONS

waffles who are also lawyers.

MARK: Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulin is one of my favourite movies, primarily because the main character and the cinematography demonstrate a sense of wonder and awe at the simple day-to-day things going on in the world around us.

And it doesn't hurt that watching the movie without subtitles allows one to feel a certain level of sophistication.

ME: Ah Mark, the tall drink of water.

The man that anyone could bring home to mother. Except if mother didn’t like non-Kurds. Although, he does exhibit some of the qualities of the tall, warring, mountain-people of Turkish propaganda-lore, so maybe he could pass. In any case, I appreciate his pretentious honesty. Well done.

PAT: Marie Antoinette. Although the movie was without plot, character development or witty dialogue, I appreciated the deeper socio-political commentary embodied in its leitmotif, its poignant, postmodernist critique of classism in the modern West, exposed by the juxtaposition of emblems of hedonistic access in Western society—punk rock, fancy shoes and French food—and the conspicuous absence of the moral economy of the subaltern.

ME: That was actually the introduction of his comment, which was 15 pages long and filled with literary references.

He is a subversive heretic, who I’m pretty sure sold his soul to the devil back in Mississippi, in the Faustian sense. I know what you’re thinking. But I’m pretty sure he got into Harvard on a Frisbee scholarship.

Enduring Arts: Music, Deconstructed

YVANNA MYCYK

program: “Because music is made of proportions and numbers and formulas and patterns I always wonder what these numbers actually mean. Do the numbers generate a certain structure, creating the context and the meaning and the form, or are they just the incidental byproducts of other, deeper, more mysterious processes? My piece… tries to explore the ‘meaning’ of various processes and formulas.”

After five hours of Bora Laskin Law library, what is more appealing than closing your eyes and chilling to the elemental power of the drum beat? So I thought when I bought my ticket to see So Percussion, a Brooklyn-based, Yalebred quartet of percussionists So Cool that they have ongoing collaborations with Björk.

Turns out, kicking back was the last thing on the programme at this concert.

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST: This was no Mont Royal drum circle.

MODERN PERCUSSION The audience could either remain alert to the intricacy of the compositions and ENSEMBLE IS THE NEW REMIX. reap great rewards, or resist going into mental overdrive and forfeit some enjoyment of the music. What I’m really sayThis was actually my favourite piece ing is, a lot of this music was waaaay of the evening, as I found it most accesover my head. And I’m not complaining. sible and I truly look forward to hearing It just took a lot of thought to get a it again. The composer’s “process” was grasp of what was going on. Kind of repeated in each of the three movelike reading an erudite legal text from an- ments, which were played on a different other jurisdiction. I think the combina- set of mostly home-made instruments. tion of both tasks set me up for the The final movement was very delicate, trance I went into. and was played entirely on vases and tea If you think I’m actually just lazy, or cups, with the odd piece of wood. don’t know how to enjoy music, or don’t While I recommend So Percussion’s know what I’m talking about, here is acclaimed CDs without reservation, eswhat the composer David Lang wrote pecially because their self-described about his work, the so called laws of nature, which was the final piece on the MUSIC continued on pg. 30

Glick’s Breakfast Picks

Jeremy eats partially-subsidized breakfast, talks about it

Futures Bakery & Café (483 Bloor West) If we were to go on a date, and if you were to spend the night, in the summer there would be a very good chance we would end up here for breakfast. That is because in the summer the patio is open and we would be served at our table. In the winter, when the patio is closed and one must eat indoors, it is self-serve and we probably would not end up here. But Futures is a good choice for breakfast regardless. If you show them your student ID, you can get any of their breakfast choices for four dollars. And breakfast at Futures is an all-day affair. I do not enjoy their omelets, which are far too thin and sometimes include egg-shells as an unwanted filling, but love their eggs done

sunny side up with hash browns and toast. Their hash browns are seasoned, small and crispy and their toast is usually just right. Coffee comes with the meal and is unlimited though somewhat pedestrian. And for the bacon lovers, apparently it tastes good. For the price you really cannot go wrong and in the winter this is a great place to eat breakfast alone.

Tip: In the summer, service is sometimes slow and the food sometimes arrives cold.

Eggstasy (1255 Bay Street) A more expensive option only slightly better than Futures in taste. Eggstasy was once a restaurant located on Carelton, just west of Yonge, but the two owners parted ways. One got the loca-

tion and the other got the name and so the 1255 version of Eggstasy was born.

Their food is not bad but too expensive.

Having said that, the décor is upscale and the place is very popular on the weekends. My friend had the breakfast meat and enjoyed it. I had three eggs sunny-side up with one piece of toast, two pancakes, hashbrowns and some fresh fruit. The weird thing about Eggstasy is that you can pick three sides but one slice of toast counts as a side as does two pancakes. If you pick wisely you can get a huge amount of food. If you pick poorly you will be sorry. My friend thought his eggs were too buttery but that the waiter was nice and laughed at our jokes. We went during the week and the restaurant was fairly empty. Our

total was 30 dollars including a tip. The coffee was alright and the creamers were cold, which means they keep them in the fridge. I don’t like it here and neither does my friend. Go somewhere else if you can.

Maggie All Day Breakfast (400 College)

If you told me I had one more breakfast left, I would go here. This is by far my favorite breakfast place in Toronto (excluding buffets) despite the often slow service and long wait for a table. I am a fan of their special which includes two eggs, toast, pancakes, garlic fries, fresh fruit and breakfast meat (I get

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

DIVERSIONS

27

DAVE’S DIVERSIONS

Somebody clap!

DAVE SEEVARATNAM

I used to be able to sing well. My sister and I would perform duets at the school talent show, and wow the audience with our sweet harmonies. Later, I snagged the coveted role of Papa Mozart in the fifth-grade production of “Of Mice and Mozart” and was kicking around the elementary school choir long after the other boys had fled. No one was casting me in any professional musicals, but I had the kind of voice that people would ask to hear, and I would happily oblige.

But something terrible happened around Grade 7 or 8. Namely, puberty.

My voice cracked, transforming into something unrecognizable and horrifying. In health class, they told us to expect hair in new places. They warned us that masturbation would breed selfishness and lead us astray from God (or was that only in Catholic school…?). They showed us a cautionary video where kids sporting mullets were busting a move to “Heart of Glass” at the school dance, and later snuck out to party hard (read:

an extra egg in lieu of the meat and give one of the pancakes to my girlfriend). The eggs are always done exactly as I ask, the toast is perfect, the fries are by far the best in Toronto bar none and the pancakes are both fluffy and substantial. The coffee comes with the meal, is unlimited and decent. There are other options besides eggs: my girlfriend likes the bowl of yoghurt with honey and fresh fruit and their stuffed french toast is, while incredibly unhealthy, incredibly delicious. I cannot stress how much I enjoy this place.

Master’s Buffeteria (310 Bloor West) I went here a number of times in first year as a result of a recommendation of a one-time property pro-

have a sip of beer and kiss for 5 seconds), behaviour that resulted in proportionate punishment (read: expulsions, groundings for life, complete humiliation and social ostracism). But no one addressed the sense of loss a boy suffers when robbed of his mellifluous soprano, and left only with a squawking, screeching mess. It was, to say the least, distressing. Scarred as I was, I’m pretty sure I didn’t sing a single note throughout high school.

Years later, the screeching has mostly subsided. And while I don’t have a singer’s voice any longer, through the magic of karaoke, I have miraculously recovered my will to sing. The catalyst came at Christmas of 2001, when my parents got my sister a karaoke machine.

She may have retained her pipes, but I was the one who was most likely to grab the mic and belt out Three Doors Down’s “Kryptonite” at family parties.

We also resurrected our duets at birthdays and special karaoke events we contrived. This has encouraged me to venture out to karaoke nights and morph into something of a mic hog, depending on prior alcohol consumption.

Unlike those grade-school solos, a standout karaoke performance is not really about having a good voice. It’s about attitude. It’s about timing. It’s about knowing the lyrics without even looking at the screen, and how to enunciate them just like the artist did in that timeless original recording. It calls for a sincere, if misplaced, passion for pop music.

At least, that’s what I told my inter-

fessor. He no longer teaches at this faculty and I no longer eat at Master’s Buffeteria. This place is so bad that it makes me upset to think about the breakfasts I wasted there.

If you want a cheap meal go to Futures.

L’espresso (321 Bloor Street West) What I like to eat for breakfast on any given day depends on a number of factors including time, how much I had to drink the night before, and the books I am reading.

As a result, sometimes I like to forgo the eggs and instead opt for an Americano and pastry. The best place for both near the law school is without a doubt L’espresso. The little brother to the more suave (and expensive) Bar Mercurio across the

viewers during firm recruitment. That’s right: I ventured into the realm of the decidedly uncool and commodified my passion, jotting down “karaoke” in that throw-away “Interests” section at the bottom of my resume. And—save for those ultra-intense government interview—everybody asked about it. The prevailing reaction to my spiel was toler-

[MY SISTER] MAY HAVE RETAINED HER PIPES, BUT I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS MOST

LIKELY TO GRAB THE MIC AND

THREE DOORS DOWN’S “KRYPTONITE” AT FAMILY PARTIES...

BELT OUT

ant bemusement. For my own evaluations, this was good enough: I wanted the firms to respect my love of karaoke, even if they didn’t “get it.”

This was better, in my view, than pretending to understand when you clearly didn’t. At one firm, an interviewer talked about how her friend did an amazing rendition of “Take Me On." “By Franz Ferdinand?” I asked, having initially heard her say “Take Me Out." She went on to explain: “No, no, it’s that 80s song—with a really cool video.” I eventually surmised

street, L’espresso has gained a following among the university crowd that likes its upscale food only slightly overpriced. The kitchen has matured since it opened and L’espresso now does a decent breakfast. But what they do exceptionally well, and at a very reasonable price, is to provide me with strong coffee and excellent pastries on my way to school. Though it takes a little while longer for them to make an Americano than it does Starbucks, the Americano at L’espresso is far superior. This is in part due to the quality of their beans (you can choose between blends) and in part because they don’t just give you shots of espresso and hot water but instead let the water run through the beans for a stronger coffee. Their regular coffee is excellent as well and a

that she meant Aha’s “Take On Me.” Needless to say, that firm was immediately black-listed for the unforgivable faux-pas.

So, it seems I’ve broken the unspoken rule of Diversions and actually mentioned jobs in this, the safe haven of Ultra Vires. To redeem myself, here are two recommendations for stand-out karaoke experiences this great city has on offer: Crews &Tango

508 Church Street, Tuesday Nights: Gay men take their karaoke damn seriously. And some of them think that they sound like Kelly Clarkson, when they really, really don’t. This bar is notable for an encouraging MC who, after a friend and I performed “When I Come Around” by Green Day, shouted at the silent crowd: “Somebody clap!"

XO Karaoke

693 Bloor West: Next door to ultra-hip Clinton’s Tavern, this venue can be even cooler, in spite of the marble-top bar you’d expect in your parent’s basement and a confusing array of Korean movie posters. Upstairs, you and your friends can rent private rooms, so that you only embarrass yourself in front of people you know at least marginally well. Bonus points for the made-for-karaoke music videos that conjure 1-900 number ads and/or Mentos commercials.

There are many other ways to take in some karaoke in Toronto, and I haven’t even scratched the surface.

Ready your ears—I just might break into song at a seedy bar near you.

good substitute if you are in a rush.

Their chocolate croissants are both buttery and flaky on the outside and delightfully sweet and soft on the inside. They are not shitty croissants with a stick of rock-hard chocolate in them like one can get at Starbucks but instead are croissants that actually live up to their history and origins. You have to get there early though because the croissants are so good that they quickly run out and you may end up eating a so-so brioche.

There are other restaurants nearby and I have eaten at them all, but my space is limited and so too is the amount of money that the cheap bastards at UV gave me for research— and so this ends my review of breakfast restaurants.

DIVERSIONS

28

Recovering from a Wicked addiction KENNETH LI

Ugh... What is This Feeling? I think I’m suffering from withdrawal... I haven’t eaten normally, slept normally, nor done any of my readings in the past few weeks.

(No wait... that’s probably quite normal for me.) Anyways, you’re probably gonna tell me that No One Mourns the Wicked, and I have only myself to blame for this addiction. However, the addiction I’m talking about is not at all Something Baaaa-aad; it’s actually only been a one-time encounter between The Wizard and I. (And NO, I’m Not that Girl that people call Dorothy.)

Very simply, I’ve been hooked onto the soundtrack of Wicked ever since I’ve watched it.

In case none of this makes sense to you, I’m talking about the latest musical to hit town, Wicked. It’s a brilliantly witty story of the witches of Oz, before Dorothy dropped by unceremoniously and made off with a pair of ruby slippers. Was the Witch of the West really Wicked? Who were the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion? What’s so special about the ruby slippers anyways? And more importantly, why didn’t the Wicked Witch have enough sense to get a better wardrobe?

Well, interestingly enough, the musical tells us that “black is this year’s pink”, and it cleverly divulges the answers to any burning questions you may have had about the Wizard of Oz. The plot was essentially adapted from a book of the same name – written by Gregory Maguire – and the playwrights have done an amazing job of injecting humor and light-heartedness into an otherwise grimly sinister storyline.

To say the least, Wicked is a music extravaganza that sends you on a magic carpet ride around the land of Oz, from school in Dear Old Shiz to One Short Day in the Emerald City. It all begins as we are introduced to a baby “like a froggy, ferny cabbage... [and is] unnaturally green.” As you would expect, having no protection under s.15 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the green-skinned protagonist, Elphaba, grows up in the face of an atrocious amount of discrimination and loathing. Of course, as fate would have it, she winds up sharing a room at school with the quintessentially dumb blonde, Galinda. The story then develops the relationship between the two roommates, and to tell you any more would be No Good Deed on my part, lest I spoil all the

Concert reviews:

ULTRA VIRES

ELTON JOHN, THE TRAGICALLY HIP, PANTS AND TIE, CRYSTAL CASTLES, AND SHOUT OUT OUT OUT JORDAN NAHMIAS

Unfortunately, I did not have the privilege of getting my usual concert fix this October and November. I was supposed to go see Jurassic 5, but had some dinner with a law firm instead (which was really good, but not such good music – or conversation for that matter). Anyway, I got to see two other great concerts. And, we are also lucky enough to have a third concert reviewed by Kate this month. Enjoy!

The Tragically Hip

Opening Band: None Venue: The Phoenix Concert Hall Rating: 4/5

So, yeah, I have already written about them this year. And yes, the last review was about their performance at a smaller venue. So, yes, this might be similar in some ways. But it really isn’t, and I will tell you why. First of all, this was a very exclusive concert to go to.

The night I went to was the first of a series of four performances in the same week, at the Phoenix. A very small and stuffy venue, the Phoenix seems to be able to hold a capacity of less than 1000, but that adds to why the sound is so great in there. And that was the first reason why it was such a good concert. The next reason was that it was one of the first opportunities to hear the new album, World Container, live. They basically played the entire album, most of which I did not know very well at the time. But, it encouraged me to go get it immediately. Along with the usual classics like “Wheat Kings” and “Courage”, it made for a great show.

Elton John

Opening Band: None Venue: ACC Rating: 5/5 I got a lot of flack for going to this fun for those planning to watch the musical themselves.

The set for this production is amazing from the start, with a Time Dragon that looms ominously over an intricate map of Oz, while the eponymous Emerald City sparkles from the centre of the map.

The costumes and props are stunning and er... black... as required. What truly made it memorable for me, was the unexpectedly witty dialogue and lyrics, executed to perfect comic timing by the actors, as well as the excellent calibre of the acting and singing throughout the

one, and I am not sure why. Elton John is one of the most important rock artists of the twentieth century. From his musical writings for the stage, to his many collaborations, to the raw piano rock that he is probably most well known for, he is an artist that I think everyone should (and probably does) have in his or her record collection.

Being a huge Elton John fan, I had a little family outing to the concert. And what a concert it was. Three straight hours of Elton John on stage to a sold out crowd at the Air Canada Centre.

Although the stage was not the most impressive, there was an incredible light show. It might have been incredible because I was drunk from the Niagara wine tour all day, but either way, I liked it. Regardless, the performance was amazing. He took a bow after every song, and he sounds just as good as he did on Yellow Brick Road. He even spent about 20 minutes signing autographs for people in the front rows before he started his encore. Aside from him being a nice guy, he played every song I know, as well as many that I don’t. He also played a lot of songs from his newest album The Captain and the Kid. But of course, it was the staples like “Your Song”, “”Daniel”, “Crocodile Rock” and “Rocket Man” that made the show so enjoyable. All in all, I would sum it up as a once in a lifetime experience.

KATE MCGRANN AND CHRISTOPHER P. TRIGG Shout Out Out Out Out!, Crystal Castles, and Pants and Tie

The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Rating: 4/5

Pants and Tie opened this packedto-the-tits evening at the Horseshoe with a bang. A local up-and-coming two-piece, whose sound defies descripshow.. The high points of the production were undoubtedly when Galinda did an insufferably hilarious routine of teaching Elphaba how to be Popular, as well as at the Finale of Act I, when Elphaba gave her shot at Defying Gravity.

As Long As You’re Mine, my dear playlist, you’re gonna be repeating yourself for a while yet... I am not a Sentimental Man, but the soundtrack to Wicked has really been growing on me these few weeks, so don’t act too surprised that I’m unintentionally using all the song titles in this article. And if it isn’t already appar-

tion (save maybe for “awesome”), commanded the attention of the filling room with their nonstop, charismatic performance and distinctive sound.

Crystal Castles, another local twopiece, followed with a short and slightly confusing, but highly entertaining set at least to me. Their adorable frontwoman danced and sang/shouted over largely preprogrammed backbeats, and then they disappeared from the stage with nary a wave to the crowd, leaving many in the room wondering if they had finished their set or were just taking a break.

Shout Out Out Out Out! are not subtle (as one might expect from a band with an onomatopeic name). Their Terry-and-Deaner haircuts and Edmonton area-code tatoos alone tell you that they are here for your daughters.

By the time they take the stage, after a rather slim set from Crystal Castles, the capacity crowd's attention is beginning to wander towards the hockey scores.

Not for long. Within a few double hihat clicks and synth squelches they have the audience by the hrum, as Borat would say. And they don't stop. The energy that the mirrored rhythm section brings to the tavern is quite arresting - the twin drummers pulverize our inner-ears, whilst their bass-playing colleagues double punch us right in the gut. Yes, the songs are repetitious, and, indeed, rather hard to tell apart. It doesn't matter. When a band manages to get a Toronto audience whooping, hollering and cutting a rug (especially on a Friday night in November) then 'nuff respect is due. All in all, a great night . It's heart-warming to see a Canadian band concentrate on groove and breakdown, rather than limp lyric and feeble melody (naming no names, Metric). And they're a clean-cut bunch of guys too! Did I mention that they're from Edmonton? Holler. ent by now, YES I’m totally recommending that you go see Wicked too. For Good reason. Thank Goodness the musical lasts till Dec 31st, which means that after our exams I’m gonna be Dancing Through Life while I rejoin the March of the Witch Hunters...

Wicked runs till Dec 31st, 2006, at the Canon Theatre. Tickets are selling at $26$110, and twenty lottery tickets will be sold at $25 each, two hours before the start of every show. For more information, check out www.mirvish.com/Wicked.

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

DIVERSIONS

Sports: Hot or not?

NEIL SHAPIRO

With the rigorous demands of law school it can be difficult to keep up with the busy world of sports. Some teams have been dominant while others have been dominated. Some players have been tearing it up while others have been struggling badly. Here’s my look at what you need to know:

hind…While Ohio State’s QB Troy Smith and Notre Dame’s QB Brady Quinn battle it out for the Heisman, the guy to watch is Georgia Tech’s WR Calvin Johnson…Adam Scott continued his emergence as one of the best on the PGA Tour with his win at the seasonending Tour Championship…Roger Federer keeps dominating even if no one is noticing.

Who’s not? Down and Outers

There is no shortage of established NHL players that have gotten off to rough starts; this group includes expected superstars such as Alfredsson, Forsberg, Gerber, Nash and Cheechoo, as well over-the-hillers like Roenick, Belfour and Hatcher…Ben Roethlisberger has struggled all season while Duante Culpepper’s season and Drew Bledsoe’s career might both be finished.

Meanwhile, loudmouth wide-receivers Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens (crucial drops all season) have had a tough time consistently Who’s not? Often-Defeated backing up their words…Mike Weir The Philadelphia Flyers, a consistent got rid of his long-time swing coach threat over the last decade, are making a in hopes of rejuvenating his career push for first pick in the 2007 draft, even though it was his struggles though the Phoenix Coyotes are making their case…The Miami Dolphins' upset with the flat stick and his terrible win over the then-undefeated Bears was final-round scoring that led to ana rare bright spot in a thus-far disastrous other disappointing year.

Who’s hot? Undefeated

A law firm where you’ll learn law, not politics.

29

The Buffalo Sabres suffered their first defeat of the season after starting the season with 11 wins, while the Anaheim Mighty Ducks suffered their first loss in regulation last Friday and have still yet to lose in regulation at home…The Indianapolis Colts remain the NFL’s only undefeated team at 9-0 after the Chicago Bears suffered their first loss in week 8…. The surprising New Orleans Hornets and Utah Jazz were the last unbeaten teams in the NBA….Ohio State, and Rutgers remain the only major conference unbeaten teams in College football.

season, while the Arizona Cardinals and the defending-champion Pittsburgh Steelers are easily the biggest disappointments in the NFL…No one would be shocked that the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats are off to a terrible start this season, but the same cannot be said of the struggling Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns who are picked by many to challenge for the NBA title…although they are still in the hunt for national championship, the USC Trojan’s 34-overall, 23-game PAC-10 and 16game against Top 25 teams regular season win streak came to an end with a loss to Oregon State, while both Miami and Florida are struggling to just to remain bowl-eligible.

Who’s hot? Up and Comers

Many new faces in the NHL are making a bid for rookie of the year (Malkin, Kopitar, Carle, Semin) while the crop of super-sophomores (Crosby, Ovechkin, Phaneuf, Staal, Higgins, Vanek, Wellwood) continue to dominate…Reggie Bush might not be living up to expectations, but several rookies (Colston, Maroney, Addai, Huff, Rivers and Mario Williams) have made huge impacts on the league, while other young players (Roy Williams, Andre Johnson, Ronnie Brown, Gore, Eli and Merriman) are emerging as superstars…Lebron, Wade, Carmello and Bosh have established themselves as household names and a new crop of young stars such as Chris Paul and Shaun Livingston are not far be-

Who’s hot? Heroes

NHL: Hossa-Kovalchuk-Kozlov, Lecavalier; StLouis, Crosby, Malkin, Tucker, Higgins, Ovechkin, Jagr-Shanny, Ryan Miller, Modano, Iginla, Manny Fernandez and, believe it or not, Alexi Yashin (whose wife, model Carol Alt, also belongs in a HOT columm of her own) NFL: Peyton, Wayne and Harrison, LT, LJ, Baltimore and Bears Defense, Roy Williams, Andre Johnson, and the entire New Orleans Saints (Editors Note: And Bears kicker Robbie Gould for carrying my fantasy team!)

NBA: Iverson, Chris Paul, Kirilenko, Odom, Brand, King James, Joe Johnson and the New Orleans Hornets Who’s not? Zeroes

NHL: Ottawa, Philly, Phoenix, Boston, Chicago, inconsistent bullshit refereeing and the reluctance to change the ridiculous schedule NFL: Roethlisberger and the Steelers, Chad Johnson for talking but not walking, Shawn Merriman for his steroid use, Terrell Owens for dropping the ball, Edgerrin James for running nowhere, overrated Rex Grossman and the morons at Monday Night Football who scheduled the Raiders twice this season

NBA: Still too early to judge, but the Raptors' no-defense style won’t win many games against legitimate teams and the new rules against any display of emotion by players are a joke.

30

Television Amsterdam's got nothin' on Saget JOANNA GOLDENBERG

So, this time, a confession and a digression. Starting with the latter. So, over Reading/Bridge/Interview week, I took off for Amsterdam to visit a couple of the exchange students there. Which led to a raging case of jealousy. They have one day of class per week (pass/fail), Amsterdam itself is a gorgeous city, plus once you’re there, you can find cheap flights throughout Europe.

The only flaw in the ointment? The television. They had four English language channels—two news networks and two purveyors of music videos and all things related. And the few times we actually sat down to watch TV, it drove me crazy. Even worse, there were shows that looked interesting or that I recognized...in Dutch: A language with which I have no familiarity.

Could this be a stumbling block to my rapidly formed plan to find some excuse of my own to live over there for a while?

Of course not—much as I love my TV, it would never prevent me from an experience like that. Plus, that’s what YouTube and torrentspy are for.

And since that little trip has thrown me behind in my regular television watching, the new thing in order is a con-

DIVERSIONS

fession. Of all my shameful show addictions (reality TV, shows featuring former Buffy cast members, no matter how dreadful), the strongest of them all is for game shows. More so the ones with trivia content—so Jeopardy, yes (oh yes, it’s the father of them all), Wheel of Fortune, not so much.

And, on that vein, there’s a couple this season that have got me hooked.

1 v. 100: The concept more than the execution is what I love about this one.

One person must answer questions at the same time as a “mob” of 100. They have to keep getting them right. As long as they do, they get money for every person from the mob who gets it wrong (and the mob member then gets disqualified as well). Technically, the top prize is supposed to be $1,000,000, but then I have a laundry list of complaints about the show: Bob Saget’s hosting style is painful [Ed: as painful as on “Wake Up, San Francisco”?], the questions are often oddly expressed, as well as too easy, and yet despite that, no one has really managed to get too far. However, I’m still watching. Hey, it’s an addiction. I could try to justify it, but I’m trying to own my issues.

Deal or No Deal: This one is even harder to justify, and in fact, breaks my own trivia-based rule. I never originally watched it, until hapless channel surfing

one night reeled me in. It’s got great tension, and apparently, a better contestant selection process than other shows, because all of the ones I’ve seen have been memorable and fun. It’s a lesson a lot of the other shows could also learn, because it really seems to be what makes the difference. Well, that and the drama of wondering what you’d be choosing, in MUSIC continued from pg. 26

“funky contemporary music” needs to be heard more than once (I didn’t walk away whistling any themes), one of the most stunning aspects of the performance is definitely the visual effect. We’re unfazed by precision in our digitally remastered world, but seeing it live will newbify even the most jaded listener.

Also, the visual element exposes the fact that behind the layers of intricate rhythm are four different bodies, each generating their own set of beats. The compositions themselves to some extent promoted this idea by often adding the players one by one, and cutting out one player at a time, so you hear what each part contributes and the difference it makes to the whole. Another favourite element of the so called laws is the way the composer practically forces you to be on the edge of your seat because the rhythm hardly ever fell into regular measures. So, even if you think you’re pretty savvy with 11/8 time, or alternating meter, you wouldn’t

ULTRA VIRES

their situation. I often find myself yelling at the TV, telling them to take the chance and keep going, try for more, but I think if it came right down to it, I would be a take-the-money-and-run type. Like so much on TV, it’s easier and more fun to be the audience at home, critiquing the choices without having to live with the consequences. find yourself counting along. Yet, the composer managed to also not make it entirely arrhythmic, leaving the listener with the nagging sense that they are on the verge of falling into a convincing rhythm, but never able to tap their toe at the right moment.

It goes without saying that none of this would have been coherent had So Percussion not pulled it off with absolute precision. Relaxing it wasn’t, spectacular it was. You heard it here first: Modern percussion ensemble is the new remix.

Still not convinced these guys are super-cool? After thunderous applause and a standing ovation, the quartet came out to play an encore … composed entirely out of claps!

Encore Can’t make it out to Swan lake?

Check out the new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts for free: Twice a week there are free concerts for every taste at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre.

Outstanding Opportunities Year 2005 e h t f o m ir F Canadian Law l Law Review ia c n a in F l a n io Internat

e charts u l a v e d i s 05 buy0 2 e h t s p o Torys t te Equity a v i r P n a c i North Amer Review in years e v i t u c ractice conse p n n e v o i e t s a for litig Ranked op corporate Toronto g the t ding firms in n i v a h s a ea rt among l Lexpe

Awarded M&A Deal of 2005 for work on the US$11.4 billion acquisition of SunGard Data Systems

Exceptional Colleagues We’re always proud to be recognized for our many awards and special achievements. But what’s really important to note is what our students say about Torys: How our collegial environment – one that brings together individuals with diverse backgrounds, personalities and styles – creates an atmosphere of friendship and team spirit.

How our dedication to professional excellence and a client roster of prominent Canadian and international corporations provide an exceptional platform for learning and professional growth. To find out more about what Torys can offer you, please call Deborah Dalfen, Director, Student Affairs, at 416.865.7544 or visit our website at

www.torys.com

NOVEMBER 21, 2006

Ultra News

Party working group announced

Bonnie Goldberg has started an innovative new, yet to be named, working group. Its mission is to explore ways to bring a law school party to fruition without royally f***ing up. Students fear that the worst is yet to come after the boat cruise brawl and Halloween electrical mishap. Goldberg denies that students have anything to be concerned about.

“The boat cruise was a great success. The whole incident with the cops was staged for educational purposes, of course."

Goldberg also laughed off suggestions that the Halloween party was blacked out. "Seriously you guys love making this shit up," she told UV. Stan (2L) begs to differ, as he will present first to the working group and tell the story of how he was denied his one chance to ‘score-big’ this year. He demands that the law school fund his remedial relief.

MaMo, Castro, Saucy, Hacksaw, and...whatever

Since many less-bright law students can’t remember professor names, all professors have been assigned nicknames. Starting in January a first batch of nicknames will be publicly unveiled. Professors may only respond to their own nicknames or face a disciplinary hearing in front of UV

DIVERSIONS

Editors. Dean Mayo Moran will go by “MaMo.” Mohammed Fadel will only be responding to class questions addressed to "Castro,” Michael Trebilcock wants to be called the “Viagra Man,” Lorne Sossin is our very own “Saucy Intruder,” Anthony Duggan will go as "Hacksaw Jim", Michael Code is “Let’s get those f-**** bastards,” and finally, Ed Morgan will only answer to whatever the three students who attend his class call him.

When asked for comment, MaMo said this was a great project and she was sure that alumni and students are going to get behind it. She may have been talking about the building—we weren’t sure.

Proof of Law Students Making Informed Decisions

Overheard at Mayo's Muffin Madness: Student A: “This Dean is the greatest Dean ever, wow she is serving the muffins herself.”

Student B: “Yeah she sure beats that corporate Daniels guy.”

Student A: “He was a bad Dean for sure, I didn’t like that guy one bit. Nobody did.”

Student B: “Yeah he was a bit of a jerk, were you here when he was here?”

Student A: “No.” Student B: “Me neither.”

Celia's Crack Habit Exposed

In a stunning series of events, it has been revealed that all the money students pay

to write exams using Examsoft actually goes to a man named Javier at the corner of Yonge and Queen. Yes, Celia uses the money for drugs. After some investigation, it has also been revealed that a mysterious F.E. is the financier of the drug ring. Some have speculated that F.E. and Celia have a connection, while others just think that Celia's past has crept up on her, leading to a raging crack addiction.

Bob (2L) commented, saying "I always noticed that Celia was really excited about Examsoft...now I finally know why."

Briefly Noted

Fadel ordered to train with U of T debating team.

Davies Recruiter: Work/life balance means accept our offer and we guarantee you no life.

First year says “I got bridged from behind.”

Faskens admits: We sent robots to conduct OCIs Merril Boden—man, woman or neither?

Trailblazer exhibit wins acclaim from stormfront.org Stikemans to seek treatment for premature offer ejaculation Law Follies to end at intermission.

Inverse correlation found between bragging about interview success, sexual prowess

31 UV editors

Hot

1Ls that are still single Pass/Fail papers Duff

Getting together: congratulations to Jessica Norman (3L), Gabe Stern (3L) and Nadine Dostrofsy (2L), Erin Murray (2L), Laura Zizzo (3L), Daron Earthy (3L), Danielle Marks (3L), Sunita Chowdhury (3L), Darshana Patel (3L) and others on their recent engagements.

Breakups: Georgie-boy and Rummy; Brittney & K Fed; Reese & Ryan

Not

Law journal staff

3Ls that are STILL single Extended papers Tarantino

Students who plan their weddings in class

Straight 1Ls making out with their samesex counterparts

People who surf dating sites during class

DIVERSIONS

ULTRA VIRES

Want pictures of your event featured in Ultra Vires?

Submit photos to ultra.vires@utoronto.ca

Scenes from the ALSA Fall Feast and Pow-wow, and the Red Sky Singers and accompanying dance troupe, featuring U of T alumni Nicole Richmond

32

“I hope to article with a firm that regards me as cheap labour.”

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

No you don’t. In fact law students told us they want to contribute. So what do we do differently? We put your knowledge to work, often for clients involved in mergers and acquisitions, securities, intellectual property, information technology, bankruptcy, real estate, banking, advocacy and more. To learn about our student programs contact Shelby Anderson at sanderson@casselsbrock.com or 416 869 5377.

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