University of Calgary

Graduate Student Research

  • A list of completed LLM theses by Faculty of Law graduate students is available on the Law Library Theses Collection page, complete with abstracts and, in the case of recent theses, copies of the theses themselves.
  • The collection of Annotated Bibliographies prepared by our graduate students as part of Law 703 offers a glimpse into the wide variety of topics that are the subject of our students' research work, as well as providing useful starting places for others' research in the areas of natural resources, energy and environmental law covered by those Annotated Bibliogaphies. 
  • The LLM LibGuide is designed to make available information on library resources to graduate law students. It includes the materials from the in-class library sessions for Law 703,  as well as reminders about where to go for legal and interdisciplinary research assistance. 
  • Watch for Graduate Student workshop presentations, held in April of each year, where LLM students in their first year in the program present their work in progress for their theses or major research papers as part of Law 705.

2011/2012 Graduate Student Awards, Publications and Presentations

In May 2012, LLM student Giorilyn Bruno presented a paper at the Graduate Law Annual Conference on "Emerging Legal Issues of the 21st Century" at McGill University. She was part of a panel on ecosystem services. Her paper was entitled "Ecosystem Services: Are We Advancing Nature Conservation or Developing Earth Inc.?"

Dave PoultonIn December 2011, LLM student, Dave Poulton, was awarded funding by the Sustainable Prosperity Research and Policy Network for his project entitled “Legal Requirements of Diverse Offset Programs: Lessons from Three Case Studies.” The SP Network funds research projects on market-based approaches to environmental protection and economic sustainability.   

The Canadian Energy Law Foundation (CELF) has awarded thesis-based LLM student Salimah Janmohamed a $10,000 Graduate Scholarship in Law. The CELF is  an organization comprised of legal practitioners who focus on the Canadian energy industry. The organization invites universities across Canada to designate one candidate from their LLM Program for a scholarship. Designated candidates are assessed on the basis of thesis topics of interest to energy lawyers or candidate's potential to make a significant contribution to Canadian energy legal practice.. Salimah’s thesis research concerns voluntary carbon markets and their regulation. Salimah, who has an LLB (2004) and a B. Comm. (with distinction) from the University of Calgary, worked for the University of Calgary/OLADE Project in the Energy and Environment before law school and articled and practiced with Macleod Dixon after law school.

Astrid KalkbrennerIn August 2011, PhD candidate Astrid Kalkbrenner (right) has been awarded a Scholarship for Energy Law Studies from the International Bar Association (IBA) Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL) and Academic Advisory Group (AAG) Scholarship Committee. Her PhD research deals with the analysis and design of compensation funds for activities potentially harmful to the environment.

LLM graduate Kamaal Zaidi published "Environmental Mitigation Aspects of Water Resources in Geothermal Development: Using a Comparative Approach in Building a Law and Policy Framework for More Sustainable Water Management Practices in Canada" in (2011) XXIII Georgetown International Environmental Law Review 97-144. This article is derived from Kamaal's LLM major paper, which was supervised by Professor Allan Ingelson.

Liz Whitsitt

In the spring of 2011 PhD candidate and sessional instructor Elizabeth Whitsitt was awarded the Marc Lalonde Prize for Excellence in International Commercial and Investment Arbitration for her paper on the "Application of Most-favoured-nation Clauses to the Dispute Settlement Provisions of Bilateral Investment Treaties: An Assessment of the Jurisprudence", published in (2009) 27(4) Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law 527-557. The Prize is awarded annually by the Canadian Arbitration Congress to a Canadian law graduate who is pursuing further studies and who submits the best essay on an issue arising in international commercial or investment arbitration.  Ms. Whitsitt's graduate work focuses on the National Treatment and MFN principles in international trade and investment law

The February 2011 edition of the Journal of Energy & Natural Resources includes an article by LLM student Terra Nicolay entitled "Regulation by Any Other Name: Electricity Deregulation in Alberta and the Power Purchase Agreements." This paper argues that the PPAs represent an attempt to mirror by contractual means some of the purpose and effects of the pre-restructuring regulatory scheme.

The U. S. Consulate General Calgary sponsored a luncheon in February 2011 to recognize the U of C students who won an essay contest that challenged students to write about who has most influenced human rights since the Universal Declaration in 1948. The contest was co-sponsored by the U.S. Consulate, the University of Calgary's Faculty of Law and the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre.  Graduate law student Geoff Ellwand placed third with an essay about Internet developers Tim Berners-Lee and Vincent Cerf.