Dominique Gibson (3L) and Eric Gagnon (3L) perform a duet at the first Robson Hall Coffee House since the pandemic.
Robson Hall Coffee House revival
Annual fundraiser returns post-pandemic to support community organizations
The Manitoba Law Students’ Association’s Spirit and Community Outreach committees hosted a revival of the annual Robson Hall Coffee House on March 22 at VW Social Club. The event is an opportunity for law students and faculty members to reveal hidden talents for a good cause.
Organizer Dominique Gibson (3L) reports: “During the Coffeehouse, students and faculty had the opportunity to gather together and enjoy performances from the Robson Hall community. There were several performers throughout the night, including a practice exam from Professor Curran and a karaoke set to finish the evening! Thanks to donations from attendees, we were able to raise $300 for Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, which will go to support their important work in Winnipeg”.
A good-sized crowd of law students turned out to support their brave fellow students, along with at least 10 faculty and staff members coming out to show support.
Gibson hosted the evening and accompanied most of the performers on his guitar. A highlight of the evening was when Eric Gagnon (3L) joined him on stage to sing “If I had a million dollars” by Canadian folk rockers, The Barenaked Ladies.
Associate Professor Bruce Curran, a repeat supporter of the Robson Hall coffee house tradition, introduced three folk songs (performed by Gibson, and a fiddle-playing law faculty staff-member) as law school exam fact scenarios, and invited the students in the audience to identify the legal issues therein. The “fact scenarios” included Woody Guthrie’s “Philadelphia Lawyer,” the ever-cheerful traditional tune “Bury Me Beneath the Weeping Willow,” and the Andy Desjarlais classic fiddle tune, “Whiskey Before Breakfast” (but with lyrics). The students later humorously thanked Curran “for educating us at the bar.”
Several other law students displayed remarkable musical talents, proving that the next generation of lawyers will greatly add to the ranks of multi-talented legal professionals serving the public today.