UNB Law students continue to make their mark across Canada, securing prestigious clerkships at some of the nation's highest courts. This spring, six students accepted clerkships at courts including the Federal Court of Appeal, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, and the Tax Court of Canada.
Jacob Stoddard, who is entering his third year at UNB Law, will clerk for Hon. Justice David Stratas at the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA).
“I decided to apply for clerkships for a few reasons: the opportunity to work alongside a judge is fascinating; I think my communication and research skills make me well-suited for the role; and I enjoy working for the public sector and feeling like my work contributes to the public good.”
Jacob plans on returning to New Brunswick following his clerkship to pursue a career in labour and employment law. He is excited by the prospect of this unique mentorship opportunity with one of Canada’s top jurists.
“I look forward to working on important administrative and other public law cases with the court, as I have a particular interest in this area. I’m hoping to develop my legal skills by working through complex and difficult problems, and I think appellate court is a great place to do so.”
Jacob will begin his clerkship in 2025, following graduation. Recent alumna Maggie Washington (JD’24) is set to begin her clerkship with the FCA later this summer.
Julia Belanger, who just completed her second year of study, will clerk under the supervision of Chief Justice Marc Richard and his team of eight Justices at the New Brunswick Court of Appeal (NBCA) in 2025.
“I knew that I wanted to clerk because I love the practical aspects of applying the law and the nerdiness of constant learning. What I’m most interested in right now is seeing how trial judge decisions and discretion are treated at the appellate level. This past year, I’ve studied quite a few cases where courts of appeal made decisions on intervention and discretion to trial judges. I want to see that process play out in real-time.”
Julia explained that her decision to apply to the NBCA ultimately stemmed from a visit by Chief Justice Richard to her Legal Advocacy class in first year.
“He took the time to answer all our questions; his honesty and transparency solidified for me that I wanted to work under his supervision. I got to know some of the other Justices through conversations following lectures hosted by the law school. I knew it would be the right fit for me.”
Jason Foster, entering his third year, and recent graduate Joshua Perl (JD’24) will both join the Federal Court of Canada (FCC) as clerks. Jason will clerk for UNB Law alumna Hon. Justice Ann Marie McDonald (LLB’93), while Joshua will clerk for Hon. Justice Elizabeth Heneghan.
“I’m interested in litigation,” said Jason. “A clerkship offers an excellent opportunity to observe different litigation styles and see how judges reach their decisions. I am hoping to learn a lot about judicial review and administrative law. I also look forward to meeting the other clerks. Former FCC clerks almost unanimously note the close and collegial environment at the court.”
Joshua shares his colleague’s excitement.
“The mentorship opportunities are unique at the Federal Court as it's the only court in Canada that pairs clerks with a single judge. I'm excited to learn what styles of advocacy resonate with judges, and which do not. I am deeply grateful to my faculty mentor Prof. Norman Siebrasse. He was instrumental in my journey. His deep understanding of the application process and his guidance on how to best prepare my application materials were invaluable.”
Prior to his clerkship, Joshua will complete his articles at Collett Read LLP, a criminal defence firm in Hamilton, Ontario. Jason will spend this summer working back in his home province of Nova Scotia at the Halifax office of McInnes Cooper.
For the third straight year, two UNB Law students are off to the Tax Court of Canada (TCC). Third-year student Michelle Chippin and recent graduate Noah Yao (JD’24) are both heading to Ottawa to clerk at the TCC in August 2025.
Michelle, who worked in accounting prior to law school, shared that she is excited for the opportunity to work with multiple judges from the court, and to see the different decision-making processes and methods of the top minds in the tax world.
“I have a bit of an unusual path to law school. While studying for my CPA and working, I really fell in love with tax. I think the way the field has evolved and the diverse ways to interpret the Income Tax Act really make tax a unique and creative field.”
She is thankful for the extensive support she received UNB Law’s Career Services Officer, Martha McClellan, who supported her application and connected her with the UNB Law alumni network, who helped guide her.
“Martha put me in touch with an alum who had previously clerked at the TCC. Speaking to him gave me a better grasp on what to expect from clerking and the application process. Once I decided to apply, I spoke with several other alumni who clerked or were clerking at the TCC. They helped me understand the application process and how to stand out. All of them were extremely encouraging and generous with their time. Without the aid of the UNB alumni I don’t know if I would have even applied, and I doubt I would have received the clerkship.”
