Contributed by: Athina Pantazopoulos and Glenn McAleer
Glenn and I are honored to present you all with our very last issue of The Moot Times. As contributors, we have both been active with The Moot Times since Fall 2021, and we took on the role of Co-Editors-in-Chief in Fall 2022. It has been an absolute pleasure bringing this publication to you all, and as we embark on the next stage of our legal careers, we know we are leaving our little law school magazine in good hands.
The Moot Times has been a special place for me in my law school journey. It was the first club I joined, it introduced me to the first friends I made, and it contained the first piece of writing that I really felt proud of in my journey into the legal profession. In my three years here at the Times, I’ve had the opportunity to chase issues that are important to me and share my interests with this community. In the 20 articles that I’ve contributed to the last 9 issues, I’ve been able to see the development of human rights law, Indigenous reconciliation, and privacy rights in real time. I’ve made lifelong friends that have stood by me through rounds of edits. I’ve had amazing fun learning and writing with all of you.
This issue, as with all issues, has been a labour of love. We are thankful to our incredible team, who work tirelessly to get our final drafts ready to go to print, and our fantastic contributors, who have been chasing stories all year to produce the best articles for our readers. We leave you here with this issue as we prepare to embark on our respective articling journeys and enter the legal profession!
Much like Athina, The Moot Times was the first club I joined in law school. I remember feeling overwhelmed in my first few weeks of law school; I was nervous about the workload. I shied away from other clubs that I thought would be too demanding. Instead, I attended my first Moot Times pitch meetings in the lower level of the Den in fall of 1L. Ironically, I was voluntold to contribute, not just a one-off article, but the recurring “Ask the Experts” column. Since that day, I have had the opportunity to interview a securities lawyer, a criminal prosecutor, a public interest lawyer, and many more incredible people in the legal world. The irony of wanting a low-commitment club and soon after accepting a position as Co-Editor-in-Chief is not lost on me, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Two recurring columns, dozens of articles, pitch meetings, hundreds of e-mails, and several Clubs' Day booths later, here we are. Looking back to the beginning fills me with all kinds of emotions, but all good things must come to an end. Our publication has made its way into the hands of, and in front of the eyes of, many people here at the faculty. If the students and staff have enjoyed reading it half as much as we enjoyed putting it together, I’ll consider it a win. Thanks for supporting the Moot Times over the last three years. By students, for students.
P.S.: Keep an eye out for us in our flashy new Moot Times’ sweaters – we'll be wearing them with pride.
Athina Pantazopoulos & Glenn McAleer
