The Faculty of Law’s Director of Clinics, Liz McCandless announced Thursday, April 9, 2026, that the recipients of the inaugural Moot Coach Award for the 2025-2026 academic year are Laura Robinson and Evan Roitenberg, K.C. of Wolson Roitenberg Robinson Wolson, and Adam Gingera of Manitoba Prosecution Service. The award was presented in-person at the Faculty of Law's annual Spring Reception held May 13, 2026.
This new award, created by the Director of Clinics, recognizes a lawyer or judge who has provided exceptional guidance and mentorship as a moot coach. The task of coaching moot teams is a huge time commitment and requires deep dedication to mentoring and training law students to have the skills necessary to become lawyers.
For this award’s inaugural year, rather than selecting a single recipient, the Director of Clinics chose to recognize a team of three coaches whose collective contributions made a lasting impact on their students.
“Laura, Evan, and Adam joined forces to coach the MacIntyre Cup team in February 2026 after coaching teams for the Solomon Greenberg mock trial in November 2025,” said McCandless. “They invested exceptional time and care in their students’ development, fostering a supportive environment where students could grow as advocates and build confidence in their abilities.”
Third-year law student Priya Dhillon who competed at the MacIntyre Cup along with Jasmine Yakabowich, shared that working with these knowledgeable and experienced coaches was “both inspiring and so much fun.”
“They challenged us to think deeper, pushed us to improve, and believed in our abilities even at times when we doubted ourselves. Their mentorship made the experience unforgettable and pushed us to become better advocates,” said Dhillon. “Collectively, Adam, Evan, and Laura are a powerhouse. Our practices were intense, but they were a safe space. We laughed, cried, ate, and we practiced. Most importantly though, we built self-worth. We were constantly reminded of all that we have achieved and all that we will achieve throughout our careers. As much knowledge as the three of them distilled together, on their own, each of them contributed to my success in their own ways.”
McCandless extended thanks to all of the dedicated moot coaches who contribute to Robson Hall’s Moot competition program each year. “Their generosity, mentorship, and commitment to student learning are the foundation of our mooting program, and it would not be possible without them.”
