Get Involved
Your business law journey starts here!
Explore the different opportunities through the Desautels Business Law Accelerator and be part of shaping Manitoba’s business law future.
Business Law
Group (BLG)
The Business Law Group is the largest student group at Robson Hall—and the only one dedicated exclusively to corporate and commercial law.
Whether you are aiming for a career in a large law firm or simply want to broaden your understanding of what corporate and commercial practice can involve, the BLG offers opportunities to learn, connect, and grow.
The executive team is composed of 11 students from across all years of study, and new members are encouraged to apply in March for candidacy for open executive positions. As an executive of BLG, you will be on the inside track of business law in Manitoba by working side by side with the Accelerator. From hosting speaker series and workshops to running the annual Art Braid Business Law Case Competition, the BLG provides hands-on experiences that bring business law to life.
The BLG is always open for new members to join! If you’re interested in becoming involved, or simply want to learn more, please send an email at Business.Law.Group@umanitoba.ca. Follow the Desautels Accelerator on LinkedIn to stay up to date with what the BLG is up to!
Why join?
Build connections with lawyers and firms in Winnipeg and beyond
Compete in case competitions and negotiation challenges
Attend Boardroom Briefings and events tailored to practical business law skills
Strengthen your leadership by serving on the executive
All Robson Hall students are welcome, because knowing the business of law is everyone’s business. Come and get involved.
Business Law
Group Presidents
Katie McKenzie (2025-2026)
Katie is a 2026 Juris Doctor candidate at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law and the BLG President for the 2025-2026 school year. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Labour Studies, and outside of law school, Katie enjoys staying active and competing in competitive curling competitions. Katie will be articling with Fasken’s Calgary office.
Alli Knox (2024-2025)
Alli graduated from the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law in 2025 and thereafter joined MLT Aikins’ Winnipeg office. During law school, Alli was the BLG President for the 2024-2025, and provided pro bono legal services as a student clinician through the L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic and Manitoba Legal Clinic for the Arts, as well as through Welcome Place.
Rebecca Penner (2023-2024)
Rebecca graduated with her Juris Doctor from the University of Manitoba in 2024 and is now an associate with MLT Aikins in Winnipeg. During law school, Rebecca was the BLG President for the 2023-2024 school year and provided pro bono legal services as a student clinician through the L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic and Manitoba Legal Clinic for the Arts. She placed second at the Robson Hall Negotiation Competition and competed at the Canadian National Negotiation Competition in 2024.
Research Assistant
(RA) Jobs
Each year, Desautels supervises Research Assistant (RA) positions for JD and graduate students who are passionate about business law. RAs play an important role in everything from research, event support and social media outreach to content creation and community engagement. RAs are the lifeblood of the Accelerator and work directly with faculty members on cutting-edge Desautels projects in areas such as:
- Hands-on experience in business law initiatives.
- Contribute to blogs, podcasts, and reports.
- Support events like the Canadian National Negotiation Competition and Insights ’25.
- Build your network while giving back to the Robson Hall community.
- Indigenous Economic Reconciliation
- Corporate Governance and Mergers & Acquisitions
- Business and Human Rights
- Artificial Intelligence, Law, and Ethics
RA positions provide paid Research Assistantships of varying weekly hours. Students are opportunities to develop relevant and practical legal competencies such as strong academic writing, legal research, and analytical skills. Many RA projects also lead to publications on Accelerator reports or blogs, offering valuable exposure and a platform for student voices.
👉 Please email Dr. Laura Reimer at laura.reimer@umanitoba.ca for more information on RA opportunities.
The L. Kerry Vickar
Business Law Clinic
The L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic is the practical arm of the Desautels Business Law Accelerator. The Vickar clinic offers JD students the opportunity to develop experiential, practice-based skills in an innovative, community-facing setting for those seeking business advice, and for Indigenous artists seeking advice for their businesses.
Canadian National
Negotiation Competition
The Desautels Business Law Accelerator is a proud to be the national sponsor of the Canadian National Negotiation Competition (CNNC). The CNNC brings together law students from across Canada to practice and improve their negotiation and problem-solving skills. The competition simulates negotiation in which teams of two law students, acting as lawyers, negotiate a series of legal, social policy and business problems. The competition hosts two concurrent streams, one in English and one in French. The winning teams go on to represent Canada at the International Negotiation Competition with top law school teams from around the world. University of Manitoba students are selected to try-out for the Robson Hall team based on their performances during the Negotiation final in 2L.
Each team participates in three rounds of realistic simulations of two-party and multi-party negotiation scenarios. The students’ self-analysis reflection coupled with the judges’ feedback ensures that students will strengthen their skills even further.
Founded in 2017, the CNNC promotes lawyer competency in non-litigation dispute resolution forums and builds networks among Canadian teaching programs. The competition includes a master-class demonstration or talk and some mix-and-mingle social events.
The competition is open to law students from across Canada. Students compete in teams of two, representing their schools. Law faculties can send up to four students in the English stream and can also send up to four students to compete in the French stream of the event. The Desautels Business Law Accelerator support ensures that students are coached by our excellent legal negotiation professors. We are honoured to support the bright future of the students involved.
Past Accomplishments at the CNNC
- Best Process Management (2025): Manitoba – Erin Kyriakopoulos & Heather Peterson
- Excellence dans l’esprit de la négociation (2024): Manitoba – Eric Gagnon & Seth Lozinski
- 3rd Place (2023): Manitoba – Samantha Harvey & Ramsay Hall
- 2ième Place (2023): Manitoba – Chris Dick & Kennedy Pinette
- Frederick H. Zemans Spirit of Negotiation Award (2022): Manitoba – Allison Kilgour & Anna Siemens
- 3rd place (2021): Manitoba – Amber Harms & Braeden Cornick
- Best Process Management & Analysis Skills (2020):University of Manitoba (Meghan Jede & Caleb Henry)
- 2nd Place (2018): Manitoba – Kaitlin Buchko & Tanci Carvalho
Art Braid Business
Law Case Competition
Edwin Arthur Braid, Q.C. (1934 – 2020), also known as ‘Art’, was a beloved former Dean and Professor at Robson Hall, the building that houses University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law. Art was widely respected for his kindness, intellectual rigour, and dedication to teaching. 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 Business Law Group (“BLG”), a student group focused on corporate and commercial law at Robson Hall, first introduced the competition in 2023 as a way to offer students a practical learning experience in transactional practice. The event, which continues to be a resounding success every February, has led to a continued partnership with the Desautels Business Law Accelerator, allowing the BLG to run the competition every year. To get involved, join BLG or look out for news for the annual competition every winter semester.
Get Involved with the Desautels Centre
If you are interested in collaborating, supporting our work, or exploring ways to engage with the Desautels Centre, please click the button below to email us. A member of our team will be in touch shortly.