Faculty of Law Spring Reception honours exceptional contributions of practicing bar and bench

The Faculty of Law was pleased to host its annual community-building Spring Reception on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, where five new Jurists of Robson Hall were honoured, along with two recipients of the Faculty’s annual Alumni awards. In a jam-packed evening that honoured practicing professional instructors, moot competition coaches, mentors, externship supervisors and volunteers, the Faculty also presented its inaugural Externship Supervisor Award. The Manitoba Law Foundation announced a $4.5 million grant it has made to the Faculty to create transformative bursaries to ensure a diverse future practicing bar. Guests were also invited to tour the student areas of Robson Hall to see the many recent changes including a giant mural created by Indigenous artist and second-year law student, Jessie Canard.

Jurists of Robson Hall

In 2022, Dean Richard Jochelson created the honour “Jurist of Robson Hall,” to recognize members of the legal community for their extraordinary service and commitment to the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law, be it through teaching or other contributions to Manitoba’s law school. This year’s Jurists were:

• The Honourable Marianne Rivoalen, Chief Justice of Manitoba
• The Honourable Glenn D. Joyal, Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba
• The Honourable Ryan Rolston, Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba [LLB/99]
• Andrew Torbiak [JD/15]
• Heather L. Wadsworth [JD/15]

Learn more about the Jurists of Robson Hall on the Faculty of Law website.

Faculty of Law Alumni Awards

The 2024 Faculty of Law Alumni Award recipients: The Honourable Catherine Carlson, Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba [BA/83; LLB/86], Outstanding Alumni Award; and Kevin Sharma [JD/19; LLM/22], Emerging Leader Award

At the annual Spring Reception, the Faculty of Law also presented its 2024 Alumni Awards to two accomplished UM Law graduates in the categories of Outstanding Alumni and Emerging Leader. This year’s recipients were:

• The Honourable Catherine Carlson, Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba [BA/83; LLB/86], Outstanding Alumni Award
• Kevin Sharma [JD/19; LLM/22], Emerging Leader Award

Judge Carlson was presented her award by her colleague, Judge Rolston, whose glowing introduction of the President of the American Judges Association gave valuable insights into her many contributions and achievements that make her an Outstanding Alum of the UM Faculty of Law.

Sharma was introduced by his colleague at the Manitoba Financial Services Agency, Leigh Anne Mercier [LLB/94], who perfectly encapsulated Sharma’s exceptional characteristics of always learning, helping, and giving back to community.

Learn more about these two alumni in the Faculty of Law’s announcement regarding the 2024 Alumni Reward recipients.

Clinical Learning and Supervising Awards

Director of Clinics, Elizabeth McCandless [LLB/07; LLM/20] announced two inaugural awards that celebrate excellence in clinical learning and teaching. The Wolseley Law LLP Award for Student Clinical Excellence was presented earlier this spring to third-year law student Mary-Charlet Lathlin, who completed an externship with the University of Manitoba Community Law Centre (UMCLC).

The UM Faculty of Law Clinical Supervisor Award was presented to Shasta Benaim [JD/14], a staff lawyer at Legal Help Centre, one of the Faculty’s externship placements.

Manitoba Law Foundation $4.5M grant announced

Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law, and Erin Wilcott, Executive Director, Manitoba Law Foundation

Dean Jochelson invited Erin Wilcott, Executive Director of the Manitoba Law Foundation to share the news of three new transformational bursaries created out of a $4.5M grant given to the Faculty.

The bursaries were designed to address systemic barriers in legal education and to support students whose lived experiences have placed them at a disadvantage in pursuing legal education. By prioritizing need and lived experience over conventional academic metrics, these bursaries represent a bold step toward a more inclusive and representative legal profession in Manitoba. Prospective applicants include JD, MHR, LLM, and ITL students who meet the Manitoba residency requirement (as defined by Manitoba Health coverage).

The three bursaries include:

• Truth & Reconciliation Bursary
• Equity & Transformation Bursary
• Northern, Remote & Rural Access to Justice Bursary

The news of the bursaries was announced in the May 14 edition of the Free Press. Prospective applicants are invited to complete a pre-application form between now and July.

Indigenous Law Student and Artist Unveils Inspiring Mural

Indigenous Artist Jessie Canard (2L) with her newly unveiled mural titled “Turtle Island” located at Robson Hall outside the MILSA office.

The last item on the agenda was the introduction of Indigenous artist Jessie Canard (2L) who had recently completed a work of art commissioned by the Faculty of Law and the Manitoba Indigenous Law Students’ Association. Located at the foot of Robson Hall’s west stairwell in front of the MILSA office, the work is a mural titled Turtle Island, which depicts the Turtle from the Seven Sacred Grandfather Teachings. According to the Artist Statement, the mural’s purpose is “to brighten the space and make it feel more welcoming for all those who pass by.”

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Each year, the Spring Reception allows the Faculty of Law the opportunity to celebrate and thank all the practicing professional instructors, volunteers, mentors and coaches who contribute their time, knowledge and effort to educating future members of the legal profession and to helping Manitoba’s law school get the job done.

Story submitted by Faculty of Law.