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w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 8 11 The hope is that the program will result in more Inuit-speaking lawyers, Crown prosecutors and ultimately judges in the territory. In their first year, besides lectures from their professors, the students have heard from some distinguished guests. They included practising members of the Nunavut bar, members of the territorial judiciary and Premier Paul Quassa. Even Supreme Court Justice Andromache Kara- katsanis dropped in for a chat. The University of Saskatchewan's regular three-year law course has been expanded to four years. "The foundational year presented lots of research and writ- ing, as well as Nunavut-specific law and touched on Inuit traditions," says Stephen Mansell, director of the Nunavut Law Pro- gram. University of Saskatchewan law pro- fessor Ben Ralston, who went to Iqaluit to help teach the course this year, says, "We wanted to make sure everyone had a basis of foundational skills." He says the stu- dents come from a variety of backgrounds, so there was an effort "to just even out the playing field." All 25 students in the class are from Nunavut, including 31-year-old Nas- tania Mullin, who is Inuit. He is the first president of the Nunavut Law Student Society. He has a varied educational background including taking his under- graduate degree at Griffith University on Australia's Gold Coast. He took a leave of absence from his job as a project man- ager with the territorial government to sign up for the law program. "When this opportunity, this amazing opportunity, came along, I felt this was the right move for me," he says. Alanna Copland, also 31, spent seven years as a finance officer. "I have always been interested in getting into law," she says. "So, when I heard about the oppor- tunity of law school being offered in Nunavut, I applied." While she says she is not sure yet exactly what legal path she will take, "I plan to work in my home territory. I want to be able to work with the Inuit using our language," she says. Language is one reason a lot of people are looking at the program not only in Nunavut and Saskatoon, but in Ottawa and beyond. It could become a model to enable other groups to develop a more robust legal network using local languages. The Nunavut law school is gearing up for the coming academic year. Mansell says he is "proud of our students and our hard-working faculty. I'm happy everyone toughed it out." Mansell notes it was a learning experience "for faculty as well as students." There were some challenges, including limited access to a law library and a less than dependable internet connection. Mansell says a lot of these issues were overcome by working with local resources such as the law society and friendly practitioners. But Mansell concedes there were some challenges even local help could not solve. "We had eight days when we couldn't hold classes because of the weather," he says. — GEOFF ELLWAND \ AT L A N T I C \ C E N T R A L \ N O RT H \ W E S T REGIONAL WRAP-UP What if you knew you could deliver the best possible outcome? Lexis Practice Advisor ® Canada has the power to enhance the way you practice. Providing practical guidance, including access to a broad range of legal expertise and professionally curated precedents, drafting notes, tools and other online materials. Book a free demo today. Visit lexisnexis.ca/lpa-cl ;bvu-1ঞ1;7bvou ® -m-7- advancing_-|Ľvrovvb0Ѵ; MORE CONTENT BETTER VALUE POWERFUL TOOLS WRITTEN BY EXPERTS ntitled-1 1 2018-05-31 3:56 PM

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