With so many clubs at U of T Law, there’s something for everyone. This year, a number of new and inventive clubs have emerged. To learn more, I chatted with the founders and presidents of three new clubs: Emily Ernst (2L) of the Fashion Law Society; Ben Elhav (2L) of the Student Statecraft Society; and Audrey Wu (2L) and Brianna Grieff (2L) of the Run Club.
Whether you’re looking to stay active, explore the world of fashion law, or test your diplomatic skills, these new clubs offer an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow in ways that extend beyond the classroom.
Ultra Vires (UV): Thank you all for taking the time to chat about your clubs! To start things off, why did you decide to create your club in the first place?
Emily Ernst (EE): I started the Fashion Law Society to shine a spotlight on a legal field that’s often overlooked but incredibly exciting! Fashion law blends creativity with complex legal issues, from protecting designers’ intellectual property to tackling sustainability challenges in global supply chains. I wanted to give law students a platform to explore these topics and connect with professionals who are shaping the future of the industry. After my own experiences learning about fashion law, I realized how much I loved exploring this field. I decided to create a space where my peers could do the same. By creating this society, I hoped to inspire curiosity and provide opportunities for students to engage with the fascinating world of fashion law.
Ben Elhav (BE): The Student Statecraft Society was created to give students a chance to practice advocacy and negotiation in a fun and relaxed context. By immersing our participants in a new world populated by new countries that have to navigate challenges much like ours, we wanted to borrow from what makes moot problems so appealing, but without all the necessary complication of research, writing and proofreading. This club is for students interested in geopolitics, debate, or simply in thinking creatively. It’s only as serious as you want it to be, and it’s designed in a way that fosters any level of participation.
Brianna Grieff and Audrey Wu (BA): We started the Run Club as a way for law students to connect with new people over something other than school. Given the surprising amount of law students who love running in their free time, we thought: “Why not run together?” The club actually began as a casual Facebook group chat started by a 3L (who graduated in 2024). We thought it’d be fun to keep it going and make it an official club so more people could join in.
UV: What kinds of activities or events do you run?
EE: The Fashion Law Society is all about creating unique opportunities for students to engage with the field. We organize informative panels featuring leading lawyers and fashion industry professionals, giving attendees firsthand insights into the challenges and opportunities in fashion law. We also host creative social activities, like crafty collage and mood board socials and team field trips to fashion-related events/locations (we attended a Vegan Fashion Show last semester and are planning to visit the Fashion History Museum in Cambridge to speak to fashion professionals who have acted as expert witnesses in recent design related intellectual property cases). On top of that, we maintain an active blog where students can read about cutting-edge fashion law issues and contribute their own articles, exploring topics they’re passionate about.
BE: As part of the Student Statecraft Society, members create and represent fictional nation-states in a diplomatic forum known as the Union of Territories (U of T). Using the intuitive online website NationStates, students develop their country’s policies and engage in discussions, negotiations, and decision-making through an online server and bi-weekly in-person meetings. Key activities include responding to press briefings, participating in regional initiatives that tackle global challenges, and debating policy. The club fosters creativity, strategic thinking, and collaboration, with leadership rotating among our elected executive body.
BA: We plan weekly 5km runs that start and end at the law school. Everyone and all paces are welcome, and it’s a great way to meet new people while getting in a good workout. When the weather warms up, we’re hoping to add post-run coffee runs to the mix!
UV: What ìs one thing about your club that you’d like the Faculty to know?
EE: The Fashion Law Society is a welcoming space where curiosity meets creativity! I want the Faculty to know that it’s not just about exploring exciting and niche areas of legal practice: it’s also a fantastic opportunity to connect with peers and professionals at the intersection of fashion and law. Whether you’re passionate about intellectual property, sustainable fashion, business, labour and employment, real estate law, or international trade, the society is here to inspire, educate, and help you build meaningful networks (and make new friends!).
BE: That they’re welcome to join too! Professor Mariana Prado is considering participating as the representative of an observer state, like the Vatican (I suggested her state’s national religion might be Prado-stantism).
BA: We make sure that no one is left behind during a run. No matter what your pace or experience with running are, all are welcome to join!
UV: How can students get involved?
EE: Getting involved with the Fashion Law Society is easy! You can attend any of our academic or social events – we would love to see you there! Feel free to follow our Instagram @fashionlaw.uoft for updates on our socials and events! If you’re interested in writing, we’d love to feature your work on our academic blog. It’s a fantastic way to engage with topics that excite you and build your portfolio. Just email us at uoft.fashionlawsociety@gmail.com if you’d like to submit a blog post for our website! Whether you’re coming to events, exploring our blog, or contributing your own ideas, there’s a place for you in the Fashion Law Society!
BE: Students can attend our bi-weekly in-person meetings, but they can also get involved online by creating a country at nationstates.net and letting us know about it. The good thing is that participation is entirely flexible. This is a fictional world, and so new news affecting all member countries is generated all of the time. We don’t expect you to respond to any of it. This means that you can show up to one meeting to represent your country, see if that format is a good fit for you, and then not show up again for the rest of the year! It doesn’t matter – we can write you out of the story at your request. You can also transition attendance from in-person meetings to online discussion or vice versa.
BA: You can stay updated on weekly runs through our Instagram @uoftlawrunclub. Follow and join us for a run!
These interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.