Fourth Annual Art Braid Business Law Case Competition

The fourth annual Art Braid Business Law Case Competition took place on Friday, March 20th, 2026, at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS), with a reception following at Mottola Grocery thanks to Academy Hospitality. Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Art Braid Business Law Case Competition: Katie Rogers (1L), Nia Sharma (1L), Kiera Butterfield (1L), and Sarah Janzen (1L) and to the finalists: Paul Chorney (3L) and Lise Conner (1L). 

Edwin Arthur Braid, Q.C. (1934 – 2020), also known as ‘Art’, was a beloved former Dean and Professor at Robson Hall, the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law. Art was widely respected for his kindness, intellectual rigor, and dedication to teaching, but above all, he was deeply passionate about business law. His legacy continues to inspire future generations of law students, particularly through the Art Braid Business Law Case Competition.

The competition was a valuable opportunity to engage students in the process of legal reasoning, a central value for Art Braid. This year’s case challenged students to review and analyze the contractual provisions of a Letter of Intent in a potential purchase agreement. Acting as the Chief Legal Officer for a company, students considered key issues, suggested changes, and developed creative solutions for the company’s path forward, all while presenting in a clear and concise manner. 

Law student Philo Rezk (1L ) noted that the problem was different than any exam fact pattern, and required creativity and teamwork to tackle. Paul Chorney (3L) shared that this experience offered a unique opportunity to engage with the practical side of business law. With various mooting opportunities at Robson Hall focused on criminal and litigation practices, Paul said that the Art Braid Case Competition provided a great experience learning about the corporate side of legal practice. 

The Business Law Group (BLG) organizes the Art Braid Competition each year. It is the only student group at Robson Hall focused exclusively on corporate/commercial legal practices. The competition was first introduced in 2023 as a way to offer students a practical learning experience in transactional practice. The Desautels Business Law Accelerator has been pivotal in ensuring the success of the competition each year through their continued support for student experiences in business law. 

The BLG is fortunate to have had the assistance from guest judges Don MacDonald (Pitblado), Caroline Christie (Pitblado), Steven Dressler (MLT Aikins), and Celyna Yu (TDS). Together, they provided students with thoughtful and constructive feedback that they may take into their future practices. Lise Conner (1L), explained that she learned a lot through the both the preparation and from the judge’s feedback, giving her more insight into the practice of corporate law in a hands-on setting.

The BLG extends its deepest gratitude to the family and friends of Art Braid, whose ongoing support helps sustain his legacy, and looks forward to continuing this event and Art Braid’s legacy in the future. We also offer sincere thanks to the Desautels Business Law Accelerator for its generous funding, TDS for hosting the event, Dr. Laura Reimer, Program Director of the Desautels Centre, Dean Jochelson, and the Faculty of Law for their unwavering support. Finally, our appreciation goes out to the entire BLG Executive team and all the students who participated, making this year’s competition a continued success. Without the ongoing support of these individuals and organizations, the Art Braid Business Law Case Competition would not have grown into what it has become today.