What courses do you teach?

Criminal Law and Procedure (1L mandatory course), Constitutional Law (1L mandatory course), Evidence (2L mandatory course), Mental Health and Criminal Law (2L/3L elective), Law and Disability (2L/3L elective), and I co-supervise the Robson Hall Rights Clinic, which is now a component of the Digital Externship (3L clinical option).

What is your area of research focus?

My research focuses primarily on criminal law and procedure, evidentiary issues, and rights issues, as well as areas pertaining to progressive law and economics. I am also very interested in mental health, law and disability, political economy, and institutional design and development. I strive to have a positive impact on legal and policy developments by ensuring that my research focuses on social justice, with a particular emphasis on improving the pursuit of justice and fairness within the Canadian legal system.

What was your pathway to becoming a professor here?

I am originally from Winnipeg and worked for the Government of Manitoba as a research and policy analyst in the Office of Canada-US and International Relations as a Millennium Scholar while I was an undergraduate student in the University of Manitoba’s global political economy program. After two years of undergraduate studies, I was admitted to the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba, graduating in 2012. I then completed a Master of Laws (LLM) at the University of Toronto during 2012-13 under the supervision of Professor Michael Trebilcock, specializing in the area of law and economics.

After articling with the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Prosecutions Division and receiving my first call to the Bar in 2014, I worked as a Crown Attorney in Newfoundland and Labrador and later in Nova Scotia, where I was with the Appeals and Special Prosecutions Section of the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service. I had also been teaching (via distance) through Memorial University of Newfoundland’s law and society program between 2015 and 2020. I started working as an assistant professor here in 2020—it was great to come home after a wonderful adventure out east!

What does receiving promotion and tenure mean to you?

In a word, security. I am thrilled to be a law professor—it’s honestly one of the best jobs in the world. I love being able to constantly learn and share opinions, contributing to student learning and adding to the public discourse about pressing issues and topics. But, due to having developed post-traumatic stress disorder from prosecuting horrific child sexual abuse cases in my role as a Crown Attorney, I ended up transitioning into a career in legal academia sooner than originally planned, so it was a bit of a shock to the system to go from having a permanent position as a Crown Attorney into having the uncertainty—and lower compensation—of a pre-tenure assistant professor position. Earning tenure and a promotion to associate professor has definitely made me feel more secure in my role here.

What does an assistant professor need to do to be considered for it?

Applying for tenure and promotion is an inherently stressful process, since there are very high stakes; if an individual’s application for tenure is ultimately denied, they end up having to leave their role within a relatively short timeframe. So applying for tenure and promotion is actually a bit like approaching a trial as a prosecutor, in the sense that the applicant has the burden of proof. Essentially, this involves setting out a compelling case through proof of: 1) high-quality teaching across different courses, 2) a planned and deliberate record of research in defined areas, typically through publications like book chapters, books, or law journal articles, with an established plan for future research, and 3) contributions in the form of service to the law school, the University of Manitoba, academia, and the community more generally.

What do promotion and tenure mean for a professor’s students, their ability to do research, and to their faculty?

When a faculty member earns tenure and promotion, that is a signal that they will hopefully be around for a long time. This allows them to build long-lasting connections with scholars in other locations and/or disciplines, as well as partnering with members of the Bar and the Bench (in addition to other community members), to improve learning opportunities and experiences for students. I’m very excited to keep developing these collaboration opportunities going forward, as they’ll be beneficial for students and will lead to stronger research outcomes as well.

Brandon Trask, an assistant professor of law at the University of Manitoba who runs the university’s Rights Clinic, says his major concern is political influence creeping into the justice system and impacting wrongful convictions.

To read the entire article, please follow the link here with the Winnipeg Free Press.

Mounties continued the search Friday for 25-year-old Navjeet Singh, who was charged Wednesday in a fatal collision that killed Sara Unger, 35, and her eight-year-old Alexa Unger.

“I think anybody looking back on this turn of events on this case might say, ‘Well, wasn’t it foreseeable, wasn’t it predictable that this could have happened?’” said former prosecutor and assistant law professor at the University of Manitoba, Brandon Trask.

To read the entire article, please follow the link here with the Winnipeg Free Press.

To listen to the conversation, please visit CBC Manitoba.

The mission of the MLJ, as succinctly explained by Dr. Schwartz, is to bring “world-class scholarship to interests in our community.” This world-class scholarship is evident in the MLJ’s placement among top-ranked journals in Canada, according to Google Scholar citation metrics, and consistent winning of awards in the highly competitive SSHRC program for scholarly journals.

Volume 46 contains the inaugural issue of The Review of Enterprise and Trade Law dimension: “To get TRETL where it is was a massive undertaking,” explained Dr. Schwartz. “It is the culmination of work going back almost twenty-five years. It began with the creation of the Asper Review of International Business and Trade Law, which on its own became one of the top-ranked journals in Canada. Over the years, the Asper Chair collaborated with the Desautels Chair on projects such as our franchise law conference and book, which had a significant impact on the legislation here in Manitoba. With TRETL, we now have a combined effort of the two chairs to produce a regular publication reflecting the mandate of both. A further synergy has been achieved by fully integrating this journal into our thriving MLJ program.”

Readers of Volume 46 will find several issues forming part of the journal’s Underneath the Golden Boy dimension, which is concerned with legislation and public policy. Issues 1 and 3 are the first two of a trilogy focussing on our legal system in times of crisis: Issue 1, Canada’s Emergencies Act: Beyond the Rouleau Report, deals with the Emergencies Act and the controversy surrounding its use while Issue 3, Online Dispute Resolution: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic, looks at the recent health crisis through both academic articles and oral-history interviews with local lawyers. The third and final issue of this trilogy, yet to be released, will focus on the perspectives of leading lawmakers and political figures in Manitoba in relation to the COVID crisis. Issue 2 steps away from the crisis lens and broadly reviews general developments in public policy and administration.

The three criminal law issues edited by Dr. Richard Jochelson and Assistant Professor Brandon Trask – 4, 5, and 6 – published under the Robson Crim dimension of MLJ, are wide-ranging. They include articles on wrongful convictions, legislative measures targeting proceeds of crime (even maple syrup), and incarcerees’ access to healthcare. These contributions, as with all of MLJ’s dimensions, are authored by students, faculty, and practicing professionals, and undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process.

This dimensions-based approach allows the MLJ to focus on local issues through clear and specific lenses, while leaving the door open to national or international discussion of important fields more inherently (inter)national in scope.

The Executive Editors-in-Chief would like to thank the student-editorial teams at the MLJ and its Robson Crim dimension for their hard work in bringing this volume to fruition. As put by Professor MacPherson, “We congratulate and thank all the students for the time that went into getting this entire issue out the door. We really believe our readers will find something within its pages that is both academically rigorous and useful.”

Thank you to:

MLJ Student Editors

Selene Sharp

Vicky Liu

Apara Grace

AubrieAnn Schettler

Avery Alexiuk

Brayden Juras

Brent Tichon

Diana Gutierrez

Heather Peterson

Joshua Dondo

Steven Csincsa

Vilciya Rajput

All of the editors – both faculty and students – would like to thank Lily Deardorff, MLJs Digital Editor, for her co-ordinating efforts, guidance, and persistent positivity.

With Volume 47 already beginning pre-print, the MLJ is poised to continue delivering cutting-edge, readable, and independent legal commentary.

This year’s STRR reception was held on May 2 with Seth Lozinski (they/them) selected as the Faculty of Law’s Outstanding Student. In turn, Lozinski chose their high school French teacher Ingrid Moehlmann and Assistant Professor Brandon Trask from the Faculty of Law as teachers who had the biggest impact on their education.

“As a student, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had some amazing educators who are passionate, knowledgeable, engaging, and truly care about their students’ success. Professor Trask certainly embodies these qualities,” Lozinski said in their speech at the awards presentation.

“He pushed me to look at the law critically and approach legal issues from my own unique perspective. It is obvious that Professor Trask loves teaching and he goes out of his way to make the law both interesting and accessible in the classroom. He has always been there to support me both academically and my future career goals.”

“[T]hanks to him, I have a better grasp of the justice system, a passion for the criminal law, and a clear vision for my future in the legal profession. I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be where I am today if it were not for his mentorship.” – Seth Lozinski, 3L

Lozinski later reflected on their law school experience and the influence Trask had on their chosen career path, stating, “there was no hesitation in choosing Professor Trask as an influential instructor throughout my law school career.”

Because of Trask’s encouragement, Lozinski ultimately chose to pursue the practice of criminal law. “I’m grateful for the care he took in crafting his lectures and offering a balanced perspective on how the legal system operates as well as on access to justice issues within the province,” they said.

Trask, who taught Lozinski for five courses, said, “Seth is incredibly deserving of the Most Outstanding Student Award.[…]In addition to writing wonderful papers for these courses, which demonstrated Seth’s exceptional critical thinking skills and advocacy abilities, Seth was extremely involved in community service work, with a particular focus on raising and addressing concerns relating to intersectionality and improving policies and procedures.”

“Given Seth’s unwavering commitment to the pursuit of social justice, I have every confidence that Seth will have a profoundly positive impact on the justice system and on the profession in the years to come.” – Brandon Trask, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law

Lozinski graduates this Spring having completed their law degree with a concentration in Access to Justice in French, which will make it possible for Lozinski to represent French-speaking clients otherwise unable to obtain legal representation due to language barrier. Completing this program would not have been possible without Moehlmann’s influence Lozinski explained.

Lozinski was able to enter the French concentration and participated in several oral advocacy competitions, winning the 2024 Spirit of Negotiation (French stream ) award for the Canadian National Negotiation Competition along with teammate Eric Gagnon. “That would not have been possible without Madame Moehlmann’s steadfast guidance and support. She had a tendency to ‘volun-tell’ me into extracurricular projects at school, and that improved my French and also helped me develop a passion for storytelling, which I still use in my legal writing today.”

“She pushed me to meet my potential,” Lozinski said.

Please watch Seth Lozinski’s full speech (which starts at 1:04:48) on the University of Manitoba’s Youtube Channel.

In seeking to further the understanding of the human experience of coerced and forced ignorance on social, human rights and criminal justice related topics, the editors of this book have drawn together scholars from multiple disciplinary fronts. As a whole, the book argues that people in our social world are forced or coerced through either implicatory or interpretive denial that is normalized through specific cultural and social mechanisms by which we refer to as non-knowledge or agnosis.

This book’s focus fills a gap in scholarship examining how human victimization and power intersect through the systematic orchestration of forced ignorance and doubt upon daily human life. The chapters examine the ways in which people find themselves in social spaces without empirical clarity and understand that absence as satisfaction, stability, or perhaps even pleasure. This book seeks to make visible the role of ignorance in governing society, highlighting how the late modern human experience in a post-World War II human rights era subsumes, subverts, and sublimates the complex relationship between knowledge and denial; and that the empirical gulf between knowledge and resistance may indeed breed complicit bliss.

The book includes chapters written by other UM Faculty of Law affiliated scholars including: Assistant Professor Martine Dennie, author of “You Just Roll with the Punches”: The Production of Ignorance in Professional Ice Hockey“; Gacek and Jochelson with former Associate Professor David Ireland [JD/2010; LLM/2014] (now a Manitoba Provincial Court judge), co-authors of “Gone, but Not Forgotten: The Agnotological Necropolitics of Inquest Fatality Reports“; Shawn Singh [JD/2022] and Assistant Professor Brandon Trask [JD/2012], co-authors of “Faded by Design: Manufacturing Agnosis of Settler-Colonialism in an Era of Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation in Canada“; Dr. Katie Szilagyi, author of “Fragmenting Epistemologies: Toward Philosophical Foundations for Machine Learning in Law“; and finally Shawn Singh and Brandon Trask individually with papers titled “Shortfalls of the Bioethical Approach to COVID-19: Vaccine Hesitancy, the Right to Choose and Public Health Management in Canada” (Singh); and “Call It Democracy: The Slippage Amongst Rights, Laws, and Values in Canada During the Pandemic Era” (Trask).

Upon the release of Justice in the Age of Agnosis Jochelson and Gacek addressed some questions regarding the need for this book at this time in this era of widespread access to information and widespread ignorance and misinformation.

What inspired you both to join forces to publish a book on this topic?

Gacek: During the height of the pandemic I watched how various conspiracy theorists seemed to be gaining traction on social media. I, like the rest of the world, was concerned about the uncertainties of Covid-19, but I was also alarmed with how misinformation was being weaponized to attack scientists, academics, and health care practitioners. Speaking to Richard on these topics, we agreed that this production of non-knowledge, or the avoidance of knowledge, seemed to leach into other areas of our social world – like how those who are climate change deniers could also potentially deny the benefits of vaccines, or believed that if they ‘did their own research’ on vaccines they would end up realizing a ‘New World Order’ was coming to replace them (i.e., where we see inklings of white nationalist thought).

[W]e felt it necessary to question whether ignorance was indeed blissful, or if the production of non-knowledge or said avoidance would worsen the conditions of already marginalized populations more so than the privileged. – Dr. James Gacek, Department of Justice, University of Regina

As an academic I’m not immune to hate mail on my justice research and teachings, but even I couldn’t believe the correspondence I received during the pandemic, with the rationales some individuals used to suggest the examples above were facts! Climate change denial, anti-vax conspiracy, white nationalism… the list goes on, but how firmly rooted these perspectives are in these people is where the ruminations on the book began. These people, whether they peddle in ignorance claims or are victims to said claims (or both), exist, and Richard and I became fascinated with them. [This was] where we set out to conceive the book.

Richard and I have worked on projects for a few years now, and given our interdisciplinary research relationship, we felt it necessary to question whether ignorance was indeed blissful, or if the production of non-knowledge or said avoidance would worsen the conditions of already marginalized populations more so than the privileged. Agnotology – the study of ignorance, misinformation, and following on, conspiracy—is a new area for us, but it is where we felt we needed to be having this discussion alongside other pertinent and cognate disciplines like law, socio-legal studies, criminology, and criminal justice (among others). Our discussion slowly evolved into where we assert in the book we are living in now: the Age of Agnosis; the political warfare and weaponization of non-knowledge and avoidance of knowledge to harm people in our world.

Jochelson: I was interested in the seeming disconnect between empiricism and the growing spiritual claims of both the left and right of the political spectrum. This is something I had commented on in 2016 upon USA presidential elections and it was a good example of how the left reacted to that election almost spiritually in its conception of repugnancy of the result. I noted that the left was making claims that were echoing some of the right’s moralistic reasoning during the 1980s.

There seems to be a late modern anxiety about waiting for science, law or disciplinary skill to yield a final result, and we seem to be advocating, shouting down and calling out each other, increasingly and at times, in a vacuum of empirical findings. In other words, in a state of ignorance. – Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law, University of Manitoba

I had always viewed the left of the spectrum as prizing evidence-based practice. In the intervening years, spiritual polarization between left and right has increasingly mobilized social movements. The Pandemic is a good example, with true believers on both sides of the political spectrum.  There seems to be a late modern anxiety about waiting for science, law or disciplinary skill to yield a final result, and we seem to be advocating, shouting down and calling out each other, increasingly and at times, in a vacuum of empirical findings. In other words, in a state of ignorance. 

What audience can benefit from the knowledge contained in this book and how?

Gacek: A wide range of readers can benefit from this book! Of course, we know undergraduate and graduate students, but also scholars, policy workers, and community activists would benefit from a fresh lens on world issues like what we incorporate here. Justice impacts all in society, but not all equally; how ignorance, misinformation, and conspiracy not only takes root but insidiously pervades our world needs to be further understood.

Jochelson: Agnosis knows no politics. From political actors through to people with main character syndrome, I think readers should challenge their views by reading the book, which contains views across a reasoned political spectrum.

What solutions to the problems of oppression and ignorance does this book offer?

Gacek: It would be easy for us to say that education, like sunlight, would be the best disinfectant to shine light upon what we don’t know – but as agnosis teaches us, the politics of ignorance is profitable. Our contributors, in various ways, demonstrate that it is not just education that we need; we need compassion and empathy for the marginalized; strong legal mechanisms to hold those tasked in the political and private spheres accountable, especially those who peddle in hate and conspiratorial claims; and better ways to reconcile with traumatic histories that still play into contemporary realities for many marginalized groups in society.

Jochelson: I think we need to return to evidence-based practice whether it is the fuel that drives advocacy, social movements or law reform. We need to learn to drop straw person arguments and tether ourselves to the technologies of something more objective than blind belief or wilful spiritualism.

Do the ideas presented in this book scratch the surface of this area of legal research or is there more work to be done in this area?

Gacek: Our book endeavours to challenge readers on how they gain their knowledge of the world, on how we think about accountability for ignorance production, and on the longstanding harms marginalized peoples continuously face because of agnosis. The potential to have a more informed and empathetic world is real, and our book is a starting point for this discussion.

Jochelson: I think it is an opening salvo. I would challenge all social science, humanities and socio-legal scholars to ask themselves about the objective foundations of their arguments. To the extent that their labour is emotional or spiritual, an objective tethering point ought to at least frame the analysis so we engage in critical analysis apprised of the best information.

Initially launched in July 2022 to expand the Faculty of Law’s clinical offerings, the Rights Clinic’s primary mission is to empower individuals with a profound understanding of their rights while actively supporting public interest initiatives. The clinic focuses on three main components: non-litigation advocacy to raise public awareness about crucial rights issues, rights-related academic research akin to a mini “think tank,” and informational presentations and seminars aimed at informing the public about their rights and the rights of others.

The new website’s core is an engaging “About Us” section, offering visitors an in-depth overview of the Rights Clinic’s story, mission, and purpose. One of the highlights of the relaunched website is the dedicated “Our Team” section, where users can find detailed biographies and accomplishments of Clinic Supervisors Assistant Professor Trask and Clinical Director and Instructor McCandless. Additionally, the section features the profiles of summer students Lizzie Tough and Maria Garcia Manzano, as well as Natasha Ellis, the Faculty of Law’s articling student. This section showcases the team’s dedication and expertise.

A major step towards promoting education and awareness is the “Introductory Resource Center,” thoughtfully organized to provide free access to legal materials and information. Here, visitors can access important resources covering various human rights topics.

The Rights Clinic’s website now boasts an interactive and regularly updated blog section featuring insightful articles from team members and guest writers on current legal developments, case studies, and social justice issues. The aim is to foster a vibrant community and create a platform for open discussions on pressing human rights and social equality matters. The “News” section also informs visitors about the latest clinic events and news stories featuring the Rights Clinic.

To pay tribute to the Clinic’s remarkable history of impactful initiatives, the website features a “Project Archive” section. Users can explore past projects undertaken by the Rights Clinic, each with its unique contribution to advancing social justice and human rights causes. This inspiring section highlights the Clinic’s commitment to advocacy and serves as a guiding light for future endeavours.

Learn more about the new Rights Clinic website.

Director of Clinics and Clinical Instructor Liz McCandless (She/Her)

McCandless, who joined the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law in 2022 as a Senior Instructor currently serves as the law school’s Director of Clinics, and brings a wealth of experience to the team. From her previous role as director and legal counsel for the Manitoba Law Reform Commission (MLRC), along with other work experience, she has extensive knowledge of human rights, constitutional, Aboriginal law, and mechanisms to advance rights and reform laws. Notably, she also served as Associate Counsel on the Commission of Inquiry Surrounding the Circumstances of the Death of Phoenix Sinclair. McCandless remains an active member of the Manitoba Bar and occasionally takes on pro bono rights-related cases.

Lizzie Tough (They/Them), 2L

Lizzie Tough brings a diverse background in community relations, research assistance, and management. With a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, specializing in Sustainable Environmental Resource Systems from the University of Winnipeg, Tough is particularly invested in preserving peatlands, enhancing environmental laws, and advancing environmental and Indigenous rights in Canada. Tough’s dedication to human rights and ongoing rights movements began at an early age. During the pandemic, Tough played a vital role in improving access to information by creating digital content for community members and local businesses in Winnipeg’s West End and Central neighbourhoods. Additionally, Tough developed online presentations exploring Indigenous histories and historic social movements in present-day Manitoba.

Maria Garcia Manzano (She/Her) 2L

Maria Garcia Manzano completed her Bachelor of Science at Brandon University. During her undergraduate studies, Garcia Manzano conducted her thesis on first-generation immigrants in Canada for her Psychology Honors major while minoring in chemistry. Actively involved in promoting gender equality, Garcia Manzano served on the executive team for the Gender Empowerment Collective and organized events focusing on empowering women. She also dedicated her time to volunteering for the Bee City Committee and the 4R Waste Ambassador programs in Brandon, working to raise awareness about environmental issues and proper waste diversion techniques. As a first-year law student, Garcia Manzano continued her commitment to community service by volunteering at the Trans ID Clinic (through Pro Bono Students Canada) and Welcome Place, where she provided valuable support in client intake sessions and assisted with name and gender marker change applications and refugee claims.

The Rights Clinic’s primary mission is to enhance knowledge of rights and support public interest initiatives. As such, the clinic currently does not provide legal advice or representation services. Established just last summer, the Rights Clinic has enjoyed a successful inaugural year. Students enrolled in the fall and winter terms had the opportunity to present their projects, including a noteworthy presentation to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) on matters concerning Manitoba Public Insurance. As former Director of Clinics, Associate Professor David Ireland (as he then was) noted, “This is yet another example of how our clinical programs are adding value the community through the hard work and dedication of our students and professors.”

The PUB Decision which was impacted by Rights Clinic students’ participation can be found online in Proceedings Decisions. 

Other projects include: an awareness campaign about healthcare issues focused mainly on religious symbols in hospitals; research into issues about the use of public-school spaces after school hours by outside organizations; an environmental project that focused on anti-SLAPP legislation; a non-disclosure agreement project seeking to regulate the use of NDAs in Manitoba, especially in relation to sexual abuse cases; a project on Universal Basic Income and its benefits from a rights issue perspective; and addressing rights-related issues concerning organizations receiving government grants.

Visit The Rights Clinic at Robson Hall website to learn more about the clinic’s projects, resources, and recent website renovations. For real-time updates, follow the Rights Clinic on Instagram @rightsclinicatrobsonhall.

“The Desautels Centre is growing and it will take a village to ensure its success,” said Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law. “Congratulations to all our new appointments in these important roles. We look forward to a bright new future at the Desautels Centre.”

Since its inception in 2007, the Desautels Centre has undergone a number of stages of growth in its progress towards finding a balance between providing effective experiential learning opportunities for students and serving Manitobans needing help with business law matters. Partly through the L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Centre for-credit clinical course, the Desautels Centre provides future lawyers and their clients with a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing privately held businesses. The Centre’s areas of strength include Law and Technology, Business Organizations, Business Transactions and Obligations, Financing and Insolvency, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Darcy MacPherson, Professor, Faculty of Law

As the Desautels Centre’s Research Director, Professor MacPherson will serve as Faculty editor of the Desautels Review of Private Enterprise & Law, including its paper competitions and social media activities. He will run the Desautels Research Seed Funds competition, organize regular meetings of the Desautels Research Cluster and develop new initiatives to promote and celebrate private enterprise research. This will include developing and organizing a Desautels Conference, forming strategic partnerships with publishers, publications and scholarly associations to advance the mandate of the Desautels Centre, and building a broad network of Affiliated Researchers.

“To me, the Desautels Centre provides the Faculty of Law with a unique opportunity to do research and other programming that will be of relevance, not only to Manitoba, but also to private enterprises across the country as they develop, grow and prosper,” said MacPherson.  “Private enterprise and the law that surrounds it are key economic drivers in Manitoba and in all of Canada.

My goal is that the Centre and its Associates will provide top-flight research for entrepreneurs and others, including our students, who will have a front-row seat and immediate opportunities to learn while they are at Robson Hall, and the ability to use that knowledge for the benefit of their business clients when they leave us.”

Dr. Rebecca Jaremko-Bromwich

As Academic Co-Directors, Professor Trask and Dr. Jaremko-Bromwich will run the Desautels Centre Blog, Case Reporter and social media, plan and organize several Desautels lectures per year, and develop and administer new student prizes and awards related to private enterprise. They will also oversee curriculum development including a forthcoming Private Enterprise Concentration and the development of new courses related to private enterprise. Finally, the newest and most exciting development for which they will be responsible, will be bringing to fruition a new joint JD/MBA program in collaboration with the Asper Chair in International Business and Trade Law.

“I am tremendously excited about what we can build together here with the Desautels Centre and L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic, collaboratively providing a hub for business excellence in Manitoba by serving access to Justice, and leading research and education,” said Jaremko-Bromwich.

Brandon Trask, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law. Photo Credit: Dr. Amar Khoday.

“I’m honoured to have the opportunity to help the Desautels Centre at this exciting stage in its development, said Trask. “In addition to assisting with the growth of the academic program, I look forward to helping to foster partnerships and build important connections across disciplines, institutions, and organizations. It’s vital to recognize that it is possible—and indeed essential—to have success in private enterprise connected to prosperity for society as a whole.”

MacPherson has numerous private law publications and practice expertise having been an associate lawyer at what was then known as Tory, Tory, DesLauriers and Binnington (now Torys LLP). A Cambridge graduate, he has expertise in Corporate Law, Agency and Partnerships, Commercial Law, Contracts, Advanced Corporations, and has, over a number of years, been instrumental in coaching the Corporate/Securities Law Moot. He has also become an expert on corporate criminal liability and brings experience as a co-managing editor of the Manitoba Law Journal to the portfolio.

Trask completed graduate work at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Professor Michael Trebilcock, specializing in the area of law and economics. He also has research expertise in political economy, economic regulation, hydro-electric regulation and labour negotiations. Trask also dealt with white collar crime files during his extensive practice career with the Crown.

In addition to her doctoral studies, Jaremko-Bromwich has an MBA and mediation training from Harvard. She has years of experience with Gowling WLG and was involved in ensuring big firm corporate and commercial practice was apprised of EDI fundamentals. She has taught at the Sprott School of Business and has also been a successful business person, running a multi-million dollar business.  YWCA Woman of Distinction Award Winner.  Both of the Academic Co-Directors have extensive publication output.

Dr. Laura Reimer, who currently serves as Master of Human Rights Practicum Program Coordinator, will assist the Desautels Centre with program development in the JD/MBA and related areas and provide program development support for the Directors in running the blogs, case reporter, guest speaker events, conferences and the Desautels Review.   Reimer, in addition to her doctoral training, has multiple credentials in mediation, extensive experience in program development and also brings business expertise from time working in Human Resources with The Bay, Steinbach Credit Union, Mordyck Auctions, Momentum Software, Online Business Systems and in providing training in workplace conflict. She has an extensive publication record and related expertise in Indigenous education policy, and is currently involved in other program development responsibilities at the Faculty of Law.