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BRIEFS
DISTINGUISHED
VISITOR LECTURES
A Supreme Success!
2012 GRADUATES DAN BYMA AND DAYNA
STEINFELD ARE OFF TO CLERK AT SUPREME COURT
Robson Hall had a very
interesting series of
distinguished visitors this
past year. Justin Piche,
an Associate Professor at
Memorial University, and a
vocal critic of the criminal
justice system, most
particularly, of Canadian
prisons, delivered a
prevocative Distinguished
Visitor Lecture to a packed
house at Robson Hall
on November 22, 2011.
Shirish Chotalia, Chair
of the Canadian Human
Rights Tribunal delivered
an equally well-received
presentation on changes
to the federal human rights
complaints mechanism.
The 2 nd Annual DeLloyd
J. Guth Visiting Lecture
in Legal History was
held on March 8, 2012.
Professor James Oldham
(Georgetown University
Law Center) gave a talk
on “Habeas Corpus, Legal
History and Guantanamo
Bay.” Bruce MacDougall,
Professor, UBC, presented
Making It Better Now:
Contention over Gay-
Straight Alliances in
Schools” on Thursday,
March 22, 2012.
Robson Hall is delighted to
announce that Dayna Steinfeld
and Dan Byma, class of 2012 were
chosen from 150 short-listed
applicants to clerk at the Supreme
Court. Steinfeld will be clerking
with Justice Rothstein in 2013 and
Byma will be clerking with Justice
Deschamps in 2012.
Steinfeld credits the faculty at
Robson Hall for doing a great
job in “preparing us for any
endeavor we take on. Having
the opportunity to work with
Professor Karen Busby and to
do research and be involved in
appellate advocacy in a moot
setting gives you a chance to
understand what happens at
those higher courts. The faculty
provides the opportunity to
do the clerkship course at the
Manitoba Court of Appeal, which
I did last fall. It’s great preparation
because it’s very similar work.”
Dayna says this opportunity is
the perfect fit, doing research is
what she loves to do and she looks
forward to witnessing the legal
process at the highest level.
Byma, views clerkship “as a unique
opportunity to see the litigation
process from the other side of
the bench. I look forward to
challenging complex legal issues
and to being exposed to the
knowledge and experience of a
Supreme Court Justice.”
Dan Byma was humbled to be
selected given the sheer number
of exceptional candidates. He
states, “I feel that my selection
reflects on the accomplishments
of the University of Manitoba
and the quality of the legal
education it provides. Beyond
providing an excellent base in
the classroom, the University of
Manitoba provides a variety of
extra-curricular opportunities that
allow students to become well
rounded candidates. I hope to
exceed expectations and further
our school’s reputation.”
We are very proud of Dan Byma
and Dayna Steinfeld for securing
these highly coveted positions.
Robson Hall is committed to
supporting students to excel and
achieve their goals and looks
forward to seeing more of our
students as Supreme Court clerks
in years to come.
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, FACULTY OF LAW robsonhall.ca 10