In March 2018, for the first time ever, the University of Alberta competed in the Oxford International Intellectual Property Moot. The team of U of A Law students included incoming Parlee McLaws LLP Articling Students Ian Andrews and 2017 Harold G. Fox Moot awardee, Jenna Handford.

Sixty-six teams, from universities all over the world, entered the moot with written submissions. Of these sixty-six, only twenty-eight (including the U of A) were accepted to compete in the oral rounds.

The U of A team faced stiff competition having preliminary oral rounds against Boston University, the University of Cambridge, the University of Greenwich, and the University of Hong Kong.

The U of A ranked fifth overall after the preliminary oral rounds and accordingly, advanced to the quarterfinals of the elimination rounds. Unfortunately, the team was knocked out in a heartbreaker of a round by Cambridge University (who ultimately went on to the Grand Final).

Michael Sharp (Practice Group Leader for the Edmonton Intellectual Property & Innovation Group at Parlee McLaws LLP) coached the U of A team in this endeavor and was amazed by the hard work, dedication, and creativity of the students.

The team is greatly thankful for the volunteer time and expertise put in by the many practices judges along the way.

 

Photograph courtesy of Edmund Blok