ARCTIC OBITER

10 | ARCTIC OBITER
TRIAL ADVOCACY
Intense, but definitely worth it
TRIAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM PACKS A PUNCH, LEAVING REGISTRANTS WITH MUCH TO DIGEST
On September 30, the Law Society and
CBA Northwest Territories Branch
hosted a very successful 2nd Bi-
Annual Intensive Trial Advocacy
program. For four days, the
Yellowknife Courthouse became a
hands-on school of Advocacy.
In three intense days, 23 students
learned from common courtroom
s c e n a r i o s p l a y e d o u t i n
demonstrations. They then divided
into groups to practice their
techniques and receive feedback from
the instructors. On the fourth day,
students prepared their own civil or
criminal cases for final mock trials.
Instructors came from near and far to
participate in the program. Molly
Naber-Sykes, a coordinator of the
Alberta program, lent a major hand in
intructing and organizing. Susan
Cooper (Iqaluit, NU) and Peter Harte
(Cambridge Bay, NU) joined
Yellowknife’s Sarah Kay, Sheila
MacPherson, Terri Nguyen and Janice
Walsh in representing the North.
Experience from the South came from
Eugene Meehan, QC, (Ottawa, ON),
Shelley Miller, QC, (Edmonton, AB),
Laura Stevens, QC, (Edmonton , AB),
and Sandra Weber (Edmonton, AB).
The program, closely based on the
similar program offered through the
University of Calgary and the Legal
Education Society of Alberta, was
adapted to meet the needs of lawyers
practicing in the North.
Susan Cooper, of Iqaluit-based
Chandler & Cooper, gave a lecture on
the importance of understanding
cultural subtleties and the proper use
of a translator. In small northern
communities, she says as an example,
the court must accommodate and
prepare for the use of the term
‚maybe‛ as an affirmative phrase,
citing that a ‚yes‛ answer may not be
possible. Cooper also stressed the
importance of communication beyond
verbal language, such as the raised
eyebrows or crunched nose indicating
‚yes‛ or ‚no‛ respectively.
TEXTBOOK CASES [clockwise from top left]: Instructor Shelley Miller acts as a witness during a mock trial. Ian Rennie et al look on as instructors act out a courtroom scenario. Stephen Mansell and
Patricia Tiffen listen to a talk by Eugene Meehan. Molly Naber-Sykes gives pointers on cross-examining witnesses. Peter Harte and Sarah Kay provide techniques on delivering opening statements.