2008 Peter Burns Mock Trial Competition

On Friday November 7, eight students competed in the Peter Burns mock trial at the UBC Faculty of Law. Students paired up to “play” counsel in R. v. Landry, a trial by jury involving various charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while street racing, an offence added to the Criminal Code in 2006.

This year’s competitors were Aaron Burns, Christina Cook, Rebecca Hockin, Anthony La Bar, Margaret Mackie, Preston Parsons, Laura McPheeters, and George Roper.

The 2008 winners of the Peter Burns Trophy are Laura McPheeters and George Roper, who will go on to represent UBC in the Western Canada Moot Competition (the MacIntyre Cup) in Saskatoon on January 31, 2009. The first and second place teams at the Western Canada Moot will compete in the National Trial Moot Competition (the Sopinka Cup), held in Ottawa on March 13 and 14.

This year’s alternate in the Peter Burns Moot is Anthony La Bar, and the recipients of the 2008 Attorney General Awards are Anthony La Bar for the best direct examination and Aaron Burns for the best address to the jury.
Two practising lawyers and a provincial court judge coached each pair of students. 

The Honourable Judges Joanne Challenger, Ellen Gordon, Jocelyn Palmer and Herbert Weitzel were involved in the coaching process as well as the following lawyers: Joe Doyle, Richard Fowler, Chris Johnson, Tara Laker, Matt Nathanson, Michele Peacock, Patti Tomasson and Sandra Watson. 

Judges presiding on the case were the Honourable Judges Conni Bagnall, Tom Crabtree and Carol Baird Ellan. Students from the Faculty of Law found out what it was like to be cross-examined, acting as witnesses in the case, as well as in the starring role of Mr. Landry.

The clerk for the trials was Joe McCarthy, a practicing criminal lawyer and former winner of the competition. The jurors, as has now become traditional, were high school students from David Thompson High School.
The sponsors of the competition are Russ Chamberlain, Q.C., Richard Peck Q.C., and Michael Tammen.

UBC Faculty of law would like to thank all involved, the generous sponsors, the hardworking and skilled coaches, the affable and decisive judges, the collegial witnesses, and co-ordinators Christine Boyle and Karima Andani.

2008 winners of the Peter Burns Trophy
- Laura McPheeters and George Roper

2008 Peter Burns Mock Trial Competitors