728 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 80 PART 5 SEPTEMBER 2022
writing, the updated writing requirement may also include practical writing
that junior lawyers are likely to see in their day-to-day work, such as memo
writing, factum writing and the like.
RESEARCH SERIES FINISHES FIRST YEAR
For most of its existence, TRU Law has focused on providing high-quality
teaching to its students. That said, with a faculty that has been highly productive
in research, TRU Law is looking to expand its outlets for its faculty
members to share their research work. Dr. Blair Major, as chair of the TRU
Law Research Committee, established the “Research Series” in the fall of
2021. The series sees TRU Law faculty members and others give public talks
on their current research and published scholarship in an open and engaging
environment.
The first year of the Research Series was a success. Speakers covered a
broad range of timely and important legal topics: the B.C. overdose crisis
and decriminalization, the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal, intellectual property
law and big data, access to justice methodology and theory, Indigenous
agreements with municipal governments and access to justice in congregate
care settings during the COVID-19 period.
During these talks, faculty presented their research, at times in tandem
with the student research assistants who helped carry out the research. The
audience members consisted of faculty, students and members of the general
public. TRU Law is growing as a research institution. It hopes to
become a place where not only academics, but also members of the bench
and bar, as well as the public, can come to engage in a robust, intellectually
stimulating discussion of cutting-edge legal issues.
NEW DEPARTMENT CHAIR
TRU Law has appointed a department chair, who will take over much of the
work from the associate dean’s position (more on this below). We are proud
to announce that Dr. Robert Chambers is our department chair for the next
three years. Rob joined TRU Law in 2018, coming to us from King’s College
London’s School of Law. Rob is recognized as a leading scholar in property
law and trust law. Since returning to Canada, Rob authored The Law of Property
(Toronto: Irwin, 2021), and is a co-author of Oosterhoff on Trusts, 9th ed.
(Toronto: Carswell, 2019). If you work as a sessional instructor with TRU
Law in the next few years, you will likely have the pleasure of interacting
with Rob.