National Labour Arbitration Competition

Labour law has a unique advocacy component, not always found in other types of litigation. In 1999, Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark envisioned a way to promote labour law and help Canadian law students become proficient in this area of law. So began the annual Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark National Labour Arbitration Competition (“NLAC”). It is now an eagerly anticipated event by members of the labour community and law students alike.

Teams from law schools across Canada join Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark to compete in a simulation of a grievance arbitration hearing before tri-partite panels. Truly a national event, competitors include teams from British Columbia, Nova Scotia and everywhere in between. The oralists, coaches, panelists, and other invitees from the labour law community gather at Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark for an opening reception on Friday night. The competition then officially begins Saturday morning.  Please click here for more information.

What You Need to Know

  • This is a labour law competition
  • The competition takes place over one weekend in January at the Ontario Labour Relations Board
  • Each team presents once as union counsel and once as management counsel
  • Based on the panelists’ scoring, the Moot Committee determines the two finalists, who are announced at a Saturday night banquet
  • These finalists then go on to compete against each other for the Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark National Labour Arbitration Competition Trophy on Sunday morning

Teams

  • Teams are comprised of two students
  • Team members will be selected from among second year students enrolled in Fall semester Labour and Employment, during the regular mooting tryouts

Credits/Courses

  • Team members receive three graded credits for their participation, which will be applied in the Winter term
  • Team members are NOT required to enroll in the Appellate Advocacy Workshop