Class A Organizations

(Last updated: 2021-10-19)

3YP Committee

What’s 3YP? Third Year Party! One last chance to celebrate the end of 3 years of summaries, moots, and, of course, Dennings. Say goodbye to Western Law and 3LOL with 185 of your closest friends.

Chairs:

Meaghan Sweeney (msweene6@uwo.ca)

Shurabi Srikaruna (ssrikaru@uwo.ca)

Admissions Committee

The Admissions Committee helps establish policy and internal guidelines concerning admission to Western Law. Further, members of this Committee review and make recommendations on applications for admission.

Student Members:

Amanjot Saral (asaral@uwo.ca)

Mark Penner (mpenner9@uwo.ca)

Hilary Lai (hlai62@uwo.ca)

Note: Another way to get involved with Admissions is to apply to become an Admissions & Recruitment Student Ambassador.  Watch for an email from the Admissions Office later in the Fall semester!

Advocacy Committee

The Western Law Advocacy Committee is committed to teaching, promoting, and supporting law students who aspire to develop strong oral advocacy skills. We aim to accomplish this goal through coaching and mentoring students who choose to compete in internal and external mooting/trial competitions. Additionally, we liaise with London and Toronto litigation firms to host advocacy related seminars. The Western Law Advocacy Committee is also responsible for organizing and judging the Lerners LLP Cup and First Year Appellate Advocacy Competition.

Chairs:

Shannon Reid (sreid247@uwo.ca)

Safiya Nanji (snanji9@uwo.ca)

Rheanna Geisel (rgeisel@uwo.ca)

Community Outreach Committee

Even while in law school, we are important members of the community in which we live. This committee attempts to raise awareness of that fact by organizing community outreach programs and fundraisers. As future lawyers, we must be aware of our ability to become leaders in our communities. Therefore, it is important to spend time now creating a positive image for the Law School through involvement with community agencies that can benefit from student assistance. Without your participation, these goals will be hard to reach.

Chairs:

Safiya Nanji (snanji9@uwo.ca)

Hilary Doyle (hdoyle3@uwo.ca)

Distinguished Speakers Committee

The Distinguished Speakers Committee (DSC) invites prominent members of the legal profession and related fields to lecture at Western Law and share their extensive knowledge with law students and faculty. Our speakers are all at the top of their respective professions and include members of the judiciary, high-ranking politicians, and experienced practitioners. Topics vary widely and can involve current social and ethical issues in the legal field, valuable advice to take into practice, as well as unique perspectives from specialists outside of law, such as medicine or international politics. Recent speakers have included the Right and Honorable Chief Justice Richard Wagner, Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” attorneys Dean Strang and Jerry Buting and criminal defence lawyer Marie Henein.

Chairs:

Safiya Nanji (snanji9@uwo.ca)

Rheanna Geisel (rgeiseil@uwo.ca)

Diversity Committee

We have an amazing team to help diversify our faculty by celebrating the view that diversity and merit are two sides of the same coin. Our committee seeks to research and model a law school environment at Western Law that is welcoming, safe, and inclusive for all our administrators, staff, and students by viewing differences in nationality, race, religious belief, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and ablebodiedness as opportunities for understanding, learning, and growth. This year our focus will be on hosting events and activities aimed at recognizing and celebrating diverse perspectives and experiences to foster meaningful and respectful engagement in all aspects of life at Western Law. We look forward to meeting you all in September!

Chairs:

Nikki Sandhu (nsandh46@uwo.ca)

Justne Dryburgh (jdryburg@uwo.ca)

Law Ball Committee

What is Law Ball? It’s only one of the most anticipated events of the year and is Western Law’s semi-formal event. It is your chance to get dressed to the nines and dance the night away with your Western Law family! Most importantly, Law Ball is a night to celebrate student excellence at Western Law. The awards distributed at our winter formal recognize the academic achievements of our peers and their significant contributions to the Western Law community. We will be welcoming applications for committee member positions in September. We can’t wait to meet you during O-Week! Cheers!

Chairs:

Nicole Dietz (ndietz@uwo.ca)

Nikki Sandhu (nsandh46@uwo.ca)

Law Games Committee

Each year at the beginning of January, law schools from across Canada gather for Law Games, a four-day competition comprised of several activities including sports, a moot, trivia and a talent show, all for the highly-coveted Law Games Cup, Sports Cup, and Spirit Cup. The team is comprised of students across all three years with interests in playing sports, mooting, participating in a talent show, or producing a closing ceremonies video.

Last time, the Universite de Montreal and the City of Montreal hosted this unforgettable week. Joining the team is not only a great way to get to know students from all years at Western Law, but also to meet students from across the country. Most Western Law team members claim that this one-of-a-kind experience is a highlight of their time in law school. Be on the lookout in September for more information on how to apply, and in the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about applying or just in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Co-Captains!

Chairs:

Daniel Alievsky (dalievs@uwo.ca)

Shawn Medeiros (smedei24@uwo.ca)

Law Library Advisory Committee

Chairs:

Tom Leschinski (tleschin@uwo.ca)

Merchandise Committee

Are you the person all your friends turn to for fashion advice? Do you take pride in your school spirit? Do you want to have a say on the Western Law swag circulated this upcoming year? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the Merchandising Committee is for you! This past year we launched our 24/7 merchandise website so that you never have to wait to show off your love of Western Law! This upcoming year we will be focusing on making sure there is always something for everyone! If this sounds like a role you would be interested in, please keep your eyes open for the 2019/20 applications. If you have any questions, please reach out to any of our committee heads. We are always interested in hearing new ideas and are happy to answer any of your questions. We look forward to meeting you all! Until then, we hope you have an amazing orientation week. Welcome to Western Law!

Chairs:

Emily Lynch (elynch9@uwo.ca)

Obiter Dicta Committee

Obiter Dicta is Western Law’s annual charity talent and variety show. It is a fantastic night where students of all years can dazzle their peers with talents of all stripes; music, dance, comedy, improvisational slam poetry, whatever you’re into! The show also features a contest where each year puts forward a video about what its really like to be in 1L / 2L / 3L! Additionally, all proceeds from the event benefit St. Joseph’s Hospice, a London-based palliative care and bereavement centre run by amazing people.

So if you have a passion for performance, a creative mind for events that can bring people together during this time of distance, or just want to help a great cause, the Obiter Dicta Committee is the place for you!

Chairs:

Liz Whelan (ewhela5@uwo.ca)

Orientation Week Committee

Chairs:

Jaidyn McEwen (jmcewen7@uwo.ca)

Misha Apel (mapel@uwo.ca)

Meaghan Kenley (mkenley@uwo.ca)

Programs Committee

The Programs Committee is chaired by the Associate Dean (Academic), and comprises faculty members and two student representatives. The Committee meets to discuss curriculum-related issues such as program and graduation requirements and grading policies; the Committee then makes recommendations to Faculty Council for approval. The student representatives may solicit feedback from students regarding courses and bring this feedback to the attention of the Committee.

Chairs:

Neha Gulati (ngulati3@uwo.ca)

Social Committee

No way, is someone at this school actually having a party?” (Legally Blonde) – said no Western Law student ever, because there’s always a party. The Social Committee is your link to all things social at Western Law. We provide much needed study breaks in your busy schedule with fun-filled events. This year we want to focus on making the social culture at Western Law as fun and inclusive as it could possibly be! We’re striving to design enjoyable online activities to connect students and pass the time until it is safe to be around each other again! Always feel free to reach out to us with ideas or feedback, or better yet, join our team!! Keep an eye on our Facebook page “WLaw Social” for your social calendar and all the can’t-miss social events in the upcoming year. Welcome to Western Law, we are so excited to meet you!

Chairs:

Andrew Au-Yeung (aauyeun6@uwo.ca)

Laura Wade (lwade5@uwo.ca)

Sports Committee

The Sports Committee aims to get each and every law student involved in the Western community through sport. Each semester, the Sports Committee registers teams in intramural sports on campus, with teams in hockey, volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, and many others like inner tube water polo. We also have a competitive hockey team that plays against other law schools from across Ontario. Our student lounge is equipped with both a pool and foosball table, as well as a PlayStation 3.

Given the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sports Committee will aim to add socially distant options, including, but not limited to, tennis, golf, esports, etc. We encourage all members of the Law community to reach out to us with any options that they believe will be viable given our new normal.

With each new initiative, our mission is to provide students an opportunity to bond with their classmates and escape the pressures of law school. If you have any questions regarding intramurals, or anything you think could benefit the Law faculty, please reach out to the Co-Chairs, Isaac Ameerally and Brendan Weiler.

Chairs:

Andrew Au-Yeung (aauyeun6@uwo.ca)

Student Alumni Committee

The Student Alumni Committee is the bridge between current students and Western Law’s Alumni Relations & Development department and the law alumni community. The Committee helps to support alumni events by working closely with Law’s AR&D staff. The most important events in the Alumni portfolio are Homecoming, an Alumni Awards of Merit Reception, and possible Alumni Dennings in the Fall and Spring months.

Chair:

Meaghan Sweeney (msweene6@uwo.ca)

Student Appeals Committee

The Student Appeals Committee is a faculty committee that meets to consider any appeals on decisions made by the administration or faculty members. This can be anything from a grade petition based on a belief of bias to a request for an exemption due to a medical condition. Student members on this committee ensure that student voices are considered in the appeal decision while maintaining the tradition of academic integrity at Western Law.

Student Members:

Neha Gulati (ngulati3@uwo.ca)

Nikisha Thapur (nthapar@uwo.ca)

Student Careers Committee

The Student Careers Committee represents the professional interests of Western Law students, and aims to assist students in their career and professional development. The Committee provides assistance to the Western Law Career & Professional Development Office (the “CPDO”), and acts as a liaison between the CPDO and Western Law students.

Chairs:

Nicole Dotson (ndotson@uwo.ca)

Justine Dryburgh (jdryburg@uwo.ca)

Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee at Western Law promotes positive mental, social and physical health among law students. The Committee is composed of 1Ls, 2Ls and 3Ls who plan a number of wellness events throughout the year. Given the unique structure of the 2020-2021 school year, the Wellness Committee is committed to hosting interactive online events that are designed to connect and engage students. All students at Western Law are invited and encouraged to participate in virtual events!

Chairs:

Rheanna Geisel (rgeisel@uwo.ca)

Morgan Kearns (mkearns7@uwo.ca)

Western Law Gives Back

Western Law Gives Back has two major goals: to give back to our greater community and to bring the Western Law community together. Each year, the Western Law Gives Back team plans an event in each semester in support of either a local or national organization to raise awareness and funds. Events can be anything from coffee houses, talent shows, food drives, or other community-building activities. This is the perfect opportunity to give back in a big way and make an impact, not only within London and Canada, but also right here at the law school!

Chairs:

TBD

Yearbook Committee

The yearbook committee organizes the publication  and sale of the yearbook. We are always looking for potential photos from events for the yearbook. Have a photo you think should be in the yearbook? Send it to the chair.

Chair:

TBD