Ontario Trial Lawyers Association

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MEDIA RELEASE
March 7, 2011

Queen’s University law student big winner at OTLA Cup

Annual mock trial competition awards law students $4,000 in prizes

KINGSTON, ON – Queen’s law student Molly Flanagan was the big winner at this year’s OTLA Cup Competition, garnering four awards for Best Opening Argument, Best Examination-in-Chief, Best Overall Advocate and Best Team.

First-year law students from four schools participated in this year’s event, which was held at the Frontenac County Courthouse in Kingston on March 5, including Queen’s University, University of Ottawa, University of Windsor and the University of Western Ontario. This year’s competition was presided over by the Honourable Mr. Justice Timothy Ray.

Hosted by the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the annual OTLA Cup competition provides law students with a unique opportunity to develop and demonstrate their advocacy skills in the courtroom environment. It’s one of the very few competitions where students get to participate in a full mock trial. The trial focuses on a civil case, and students present their case before a jury made up of OTLA member lawyers and volunteers.

Ontario Trial Lawyers Association congratulates all of this year’s student award winners:

Will Davidson Award for Best Opening Argument	Molly Flanagan, Queen’s University
Greg Monforton Award for Best Examination-Chief	Molly Flanagan, Queen’s University
George Bonn Award for Best Cross-Examination	Branden Miller, University of Ottawa
Tim Boland Award for Best Overall Advocate	Molly Flanagan, Queen’s University
H. Bruce T. Hillyer Award for Best Closing Argument	Branden Miller, University of Ottawa
Bergeron Clifford Award for Best Team	Molly Flanagan, Rupa Karyampudi, Queen’s University

The OTLA Cup is generously supported by the association and its Members, who help organize the event, act as jurors and donate financial prizes to the students. OTLA Member Derek Nicholson, who practices with Beament Green in Ottawa, also generously sponsored lunch and dinner at the event. This year’s OTLA Cup Chair was Michelle Jorge of De Rose Barristers & Solicitors in Toronto.

About the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association – www.otla.com
Founded in 1991, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) is an organization of more than 1,200 plaintiff lawyers, law clerks, articling students and law students. Our purpose is to promote access to justice for all Ontarians, preserve and improve the civil justice system, and advocate for the rights of those who have suffered injury and losses as the result of wrongdoing by others, while at the same time advocating strongly for safety initiatives.

For further information:

Linda Langston, Executive Director/CEO, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, (905) 639-6852 or llangston@otla.com.