ARCTIC OBITER

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 | 11
can finally relax and close their books. But the night is still
young, and most of them will head to the much-anticipated
pizza party a few blocks away. It’s been a long week.
•••
The Northern model for a Trial Advocacy Program was the
brain-child of Justice John Vertes, who had just finished
teaching at the course offered by the University of Calgary.
Citing the many benefits the resident bar could reap from a
Northern program, he quickly convinced the Law Society to
adopt the program for the territories. An organization
committee was formed, headed by Terri Nguyen, and plans
began for a program to be offered in Yellowknife. Closely
following in Calgary’s footsteps, and borrowing much from
their materials, the new Northern-based program was
launched in 2007.
Feeding from the very positive response of this inaugural
offering, as well as each successive course, the program is
now offered every two years, growing and expanding each
time.
This year, the 3-day intensive program was again hosted at
the Yellowknife Courthouse which, for the second year,
opened all of its courtrooms and boardrooms for use by the
program. Placing even more emphasis on the insitu
atmosphere, many from the local Bench then presided over
demonstrations and instructed during smaller group
sessions, ensuring students received a full perspective in
their feedback and critique. In all, at a capacity of 24
students and a heavy line-up of judges and instructors,
students were paired with instructors at a 2:1 ratio.
LEARNING BY DOING
The basis of the program is its hands-on approach to
teaching. Using demonstrations from instructors as a guide,
students become actors and actresses as they navigate
through the various exercises and components of trial
advocacy. It is this learning-by-doing model that not only
teaches the fundamentals of a trial performance, but also
puts the teachings to immediate use by the students. By
acting out each exercise, students also open themselves to
individualized critique and feedback as the rest of the class
takes pointers on style and delivery.
“The opportunity to practice and try things was fantastic,”
said one student, “and getting to supplement that with
comments and suggestions was even better. I would
NOTICE OF ELECTION
and ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
TAKE NOTICE THAT an election of members to the
Executive of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories
will be held on Friday, December 2nd, 2011 pursuant to
the Legal Profession Act and the Rules of the Law Society
of the Northwest Territories.
AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE THAT the Thirty-
Fourth Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of the
Northwest Territories will be held on Saturday, December
3rd, 2011 commencing at 09:00 am, in the Champagne
Room, (2nd Floor) 5004 – 50th Avenue, Yellowknife,
Northwest Territories.
The Annual General Meeting shall be immediately
followed by a meeting of the present and newly elected
members of the Executive.
LEARNING FROM THE PROS: Students discuss the role an expert witness plays in a trial.