After a new initiation ceremony, the Phi Delta Phi chapter at UWO Law, Rand Inn, is back.

From the Phi Delta Phi website:

The University of Western Ontario has had a chapter since 1978, called Rand Inn after the founding dean of the law school. But Rand Inn has been defunct in recent years due to lack of participation.

In celebration of UWO Law’s 50th anniversary this year, Phi Delta Phi decided to reinvigorate its local chapter by hosting a membership drive. On March 3, 2010, Rand Inn initiated 7 new members at UWO. Al Burton, the Province President for Phi Delta Phi and a partner at Thomson Rogers, came from Toronto to administer the ceremony.

“The principles of Phi Delta Phi stand for professionalism and legal ethics, said Omar Ha-Redeye, a third-year law student, and Magister of the Inn. “It’s a perfect match for our school, which is considered a pioneer in this field.”

Over 400 members of Rand Inn are listed in the fraternity’s directory, all graduates of UWO Law since 1978.

Current members of Rand Inn at the University of Western Ontario Law; (From Left) Kristopher Manitius, Joel Welch, Matthew Wilson, Omar Ha-Redeye, Benjamin Tinholt, Stephanie Lafrance, John Magyar, Chris Berrigan, Province President Al Burton

Omar Ha-Redeye finished as a finalist in the Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP Labour Law Advocacy Competition.  The winners were Eric Grigg and Ben Howard.

The case was an appeal of the Ontario Court of Appeal decision in Fraser v. Ontario, which is currently pending judgment at the Supreme Court of Canada.

The moot was judged by Paul Broad, Barry Brown, Aida Gattfield, Bob Atkinson, and Margaret Szilassy.

Read about some of the hurdles and obstacles of law school in Completing the Circle of Blood for Future Law Students, in the 6th annual Black Law Students Association of Canada (BLSAC) magazine.  A text version is also available on Slaw.

Speakers included:

• Honorable Daniel Dortèlus, Judge to the Court of Quebec
• Flora Terah, Kenyan Community Advocate, Kenyan Parliamentary Candidate – 2007 and Founder of “Terah Against Terror”
• Phil Carpenter, Photojournalist, Montreal Gazette, Reports on Haiti and Rwanda
• Honourable Dr. Pemba Braveboy, Senator of Grenada
• Professor Emeritus Peter W. Hogg, Scholar in Residence, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
• Honourable Juanita Westmoreland-Traoré, First Appointed Black Judge, Court of Quebec, District of Montreal
• Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Dudley Saunders, Caribbean Court of Justice
• Honourable Guylène Beaugé, Judge of the Superior Court, Province of Quebec, District of Montreal.
• Sean Robichaud, Toronto Criminal Defence Lawyer
• Frank Walwyn, Partner, WeirFoulds L.L.P
• Mr Will Prosper, Activist, Montreal-Nord Republik,
• Daniel Albahary, Producer, Why Copyright? Canadian Voices on Copyright Law
• Éloge Butera, Quebec Government “young volunteer of the year” and Claude-Masson Award Recipient
• Kent D. Lollis, Executive Director for Diversity Initiatives, Law School Admission Council
• Dr. Dorothy Williams, Historian & Author
• And much more!

The event was hosted by the York Federation of Students and Xpressions Against Oppression

From Dakshana Bascaramurty at The Globe:

1. Get personal

2. Be civil

3. Don’t underestimate e-mail

4. Follow up

But keep in mind:

92.2% said an online campaign has never changed their mind on an issue

55.4% said their written communication is mostly handled by administrative staff

94.3% said they save contact information and communications they receive from people

54.5% said they have profiles on MySpace and/or Facebook

Charon QC points out that for four weeks Blawg Review will be headed by Canadians, starting with Blawg Review #249.

Rania Combs also mentioned it on her site:

Blawg Review is a roundup of the best recent legal blogs, hosted each week by a different site. This week’s edition was hosted by Slaw, a Canadian co-operative law blog, and authored by Omar Ha-Redeye, who wrote an informative and interesting review following the theme of African slavery in America. I was honored and flattered that my article about the problem with LegalZoom was mentioned in this week’s review. You can read the full post by visiting Slaw.

Law Shucks gives it a shout out,

Blawg Review #249 – Slaw – Why did we have to learn that February 1 is National Freedom Day in the US from a Canadian law blog? Enjoy Blawg Review #249- Roots: The Legality of an American Slavery

Here’s what the Editor of Blawg Review had to say:

If you’re wondering what’s the point of blogs and other social media, in the context of the legal profession’s greater concerns, take a look at this week’s presentation of Blawg Review, on Slaw.ca, a Canadian law blog with a global perspective.

Be sure to check out the following sites in coming weeks:

• Feb 8 The Trial Warrior Blog
• Feb 15 Canadian Trademark
• Feb 22 Law Firm Web Strategy

Blawg Review 249 is on Slaw, with the theme of Black History Month, National Freedom Day, and National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Interesting video from H&K.

h/t David Jones

Muslim youth and the media