Ever since the announcement of the federal election (set for May 2, so mark your calendars), there have been two reactions: either a flurry of excitement — including newspaper diving and furious Googling — for political buffs, or a barely suppressed sigh of apathetic annoyance. For Torontonians, the mayoral election is still fresh in their minds, and it seems like all too soon, they’ll have to make that arduous trek to the nearest government-approved public space to scribble in their choices with nubby pencils.

Joey Flowers, centre, and team prepare the plates during the recent fundraiser for the Native Women’s Shelter. Photo: Allison Flowers

Like any good food, the fundraiser organized by Joseph Flowers and the Native Women’s Shelter was done with fresh ingredients, good people, and garnished with love.

Last spring, the Winnipeg and Manitoba universities mingled inspiration, hard work, and solid planning to create a legal help centre. Almost exactly one year later, this dream is now planted, quite solidly, in the reality of the University of Winnipeg’s campus. Located on Spence Street, the Legal Help Centre offers seminars and legal advice for the people in their community.

The Inaugural McLachlin Prize recognizes best female mooter at the Gale Cup:, Safia Lakhani of McGill University with Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin.

The national and regional moot competitions across Canada have wrapped up, giving students a chance to relax their newly acquired reflex to practise speech gestures in front of reflective surfaces and understanding friends and family. While everyone is taking a well-deserved breather — or gearing up to make grand arm sweeps in front of an international crowd — 4Students has tallied up the results of the various competitions.

Photo: Hannah Gal/Photodisc

Reputation is a key component in all legal careers. With the world becoming increasingly virtual, lawyers have to become ever more aware of the impact and potential consequences of their “virtual” reputations.

Osgoode Hall Law School’s winning team Kim Lawton and Devin Doyle with Lord Justice Robin Jacob.

A duo from Osgoode Hall Law School took the prize for top moot team at the third annual Harold G. Fox Moot.

The beginning of the year is not a particularly pleasant time for most Canadians. It means back to work, blizzards, and no official holidays. For many 1L students, there is another reason to dread it — moots. The moot is usually students’ first oral presentation in front of their peers (unless you count drunken karaoke). It is nerve-wracking, to say the least. Fears of stammering, turning beet red, and worse, bursting into tears, run rampant.

Some University of Ottawa students contribute to the Ottawa Law Review as part of their extracurricular involvement.

Law students are notorious for being stereotyped as library hermits. If you delve deeper, however, you will find a group of passionate people who do get involved, both at school and in their communities. Whether its recreational floor hockey, the local food bank, student governance, or a combination of other activities, there is often a lot more to law students than meets the eye.

Matt Gorman wrote seven NCA exams in one week.

FACT: An increasing number of Canadians are deciding to obtain their legal training outside Canada. According to statistics published on the National Committee on Accreditation’s web page, the number of applications submitted for evaluation has been consistently increasing since 1999, with a dramatic 34-per-cent increase in 2009.

André Bacchus counsels students to start planning their careers ASAP.

With the job market the way it is today, law students are advised to start planning their careers earlier than ever before. What used to be the articling-position rush, has now become the second-year summer position rush. What used to be considered a summer to relax between first and second year, has turned into an opportunity during which many are trying to distinguish themselves from their peers.