downloading the PDF - Robson Hall Faculty of Law

FEATURE
Leilani Kagan of TDS. “It makes the transition from
law school to practice much easier for both the
students and firms.”
Enhancing the Educational Experience for
Business Law Students
In its inaugural year, four students and three law firms
participated in the Internship program. “The course
is certainly in high demand among the students,”
says John Pozios. “I know other firms are interested in
participating as well. It’s a matter of ensuring we have
enough lawyers to act as mentors for the students so
we can properly manage the program’s growth.”
John Pozios is always looking to enhance the
students’ education through real-world learning
opportunities. The Vickar Law Clinic is developing
new experiential programming, the Corporate
Counsel Clinical Externship (Externship). It will be
comparable to the Internship program but more
analogous to a secondment; students will be
placed within large organizations under the direct
supervision of general counsel. The key feature of
the Externship is the fact that the client and legal
advisor will be one and the same. “It will expose
students to the unique work of in-house counsel,
which has a significantly different perspective
than private practice,” says John Pozios. Several
large Manitoba enterprises have already expressed
interest in participating and John Pozios expects
the program will be approved in time for the
2012/13 academic year.
The Vickar Law Clinic is actively involved in other
initiatives both on and off campus that provide law
students with meaningful opportunities to apply
their knowledge of business law, while assisting
community groups. When the Commerce Students’
Association (CSA) at the Asper School of Business
requested assistance in re-drafting its ten-year old
constitution, law student Loren Braul was quick to
volunteer. Loren worked closely with the CSA to
facilitate and guide the process, resulting in an up-todate
constitution to leave as a legacy.
With hands-on experience under their belts,
students are much more confident when they
begin articling. It is also a wonderful way to get
them thinking about corporate citizenship and
professional duties at the start of their careers. As
for the lawyers, they have an opportunity to do
meaningful pro bono work through the Internship,
and mentor young lawyers along the way. And, as
John Pozios notes, “the relationships that are built
will create positive effects for the individuals, the
legal profession, and the community-at-large.”
Left: Leilani Kagan, Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP,
John Pozios, Director, Marcel A. Desautels Centre for Private
Enterprise and the Law, and the L. Kerry Vickar Business Law
Clinic, and law student Lyndsey Amott
For more information
The Vickar Law Clinic’s website is currently in
development. Watch for it to come online soon at
www.VickarLawClinic.ca
67 ROBSON HALL ALUMNI REPORT