U of T’s 12th annual HACC a resounding success
On March 11 and 12, U of T Law’s Sports and Entertainment Law Society (SELS) hosted the 2022–23 Hockey Arbitration Competition of Canada (HACC). This was the first in-person HACC since 2020.
HACC is a mock salary arbitration competition hosted annually by SELS since 2012. The competition is open to law students across Canada and the United States. This year, 16 teams representing 14 law schools competed, including three American law schools (Denver University, Villanova University, and Rutgers University). Four U of T Law students—Shelby Martin (2L), Sang Park (2L), Brody Zukerman Schure (2L), and Alex Sweatman (2L)—formed two teams to represent the Faculty of Law, alongside two students who filled in as a swing team, Patrick Cowley (1L) and Dimitris Logothetis (1L).
The HACC started with a preliminary round. Each team competed with a randomly assigned opposing team. Afterwards, the winners of the preliminary rounds, and each successive round, competed until there was a final winner. The teams represented either the players or the club and prepared mock NHL salary arbitration briefs. During the competition, competitors presented oral submissions to guest arbitrators with extensive salary arbitration experience. Each team had 18 minutes to present and rebut the other side’s arguments every round. After deliberation, the guest arbitrators chose a winner and provided feedback.
Kristen Buckholt (2L), Co-Director of the 2022–23 HACC, thought that returning to an in-person format greatly benefited all participants, particularly with the new inclusion of a social event for competitors.
“It was incredible to return to in-person competition. We were able to meet so many talented competitors from across North America, and our accomplished guest arbitrators made HACC such a success. It’s amazing to see schools travel from as far as Colorado to attend our competition.”
Students who participated in HACC had a very positive experience. Shelby Martin, who placed second in the final round, said that HACC was a very unique and valuable experience. “The arbitrators were extremely impressive and gave us incredibly helpful feedback on our advocacy. A particular highlight was having the opportunity to argue in front of Brandon Pridham of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
Other arbitrators included Stefanie Holland of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, André Nowakowski and Dan Rabinowitz of Miller Thomson LLP, and Amir Torabi of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The results of this year’s HACC are as follows:
Quarter-Finalists:
- Team 1 (Rutgers University)
- Team 2 (Thompson Rivers University)
- Team 3 (Université de Montréal)
- Team 6 (Osgoode Hall)
- Team 7 (University of British Columbia)
- Team 10 (Université de Sherbrooke)
- Team 11 (University of Alberta)
- Team 14 (University of Toronto)
Semi-Finalists:
- Team 6 (Osgoode Hall)
- Team 7 (University of British Columbia)
- Team 11 (University of Alberta)
- Team 14 (University of Toronto)
Finalists:
- 1st Place: Team 6 (Osgoode Hall: Corbin Boes & Jordan Mamelak)
- 2nd Place: Team 14 (University of Toronto: Shelby Martin & Sang Park)
