Students from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University came out on top at this year’s Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) Cup competition, with two individual wins and the prize for best team.
This year, student Karolina Iron won the Bonn Law Award for Best Cross-Examination and student Alexander DeParde won the H. Bruce T. Hillyer Award for Best Closing. The Osgoode team (DeParde, Iron and Alexander Rozine) won the Bergeron Clifford Award for Best Team.
Alexander DeParde and Karolina Iron
The OTLA Cup is an annual competition that invites schools from across Ontario to compete in a simulated trial that covers all aspects of a real court case. It is held in a courthouse and is presided over by a local judge (this year, Madam Justice Heather J. Williams), with OTLA members standing in as the jury.
This year, participating schools included Osgoode Hall Law School, Ottawa University, Queens University, Western University, Windsor University and Lakehead University.
The exercise was designed for OTLA lawyers to support students in the development of trial skills, civility and professionalism.
Through the support of various law firms, OTLA members award prizes to the law students who exemplify the best in trial advocacy.