U of T team wins Arnup Cup trial advocacy competition

The U of T team of Joe Heller and Mark Rieger has won this year’s Arnup Cup.

The Arnup Cup is an annual trial advocacy competition for Ontario law schools, organized by The Advocates’ Society and sponsored by WeirFoulds LLP. The Cup bears the name of the Honourable John D. Arnup, O.C., Q.C., who for many years sat as a distinguished member of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

This year mooters argued a 2nd degree murder case involving a bar room fight that included a self-defence argument. The problem included evidentiary issues such as character evidence, post-offence conduct, a Vetrovec warning, and hearsay.  The teams were graded on the basis of advocacy and trial performance.

Joe and Mark will be advancing to the Sopinka Cup, together with second and third place teams from the University of Windsor and University of Ottawa, respectively. 

The Sopinka Cup is Canada’s national trial advocacy competition, and will be held in Ottawa on March 12—14th, 2010.