Military, U of A offer internships in Judge Advocate General’s office
Ali Matour and Dane Patton are in their final year of studies at the University of Alberta’s faculty of law.
They are also interns at the Canadian military’s Judge Advocate General’s office — the first of their kind, because no other law school in Canada offers such an opportunity.
At a ceremony Wednesday, the internship was made formal after Paul Paton, dean of the faculty of law, and Commodore Geneviève Bernatchez, the Canadian Forces’ Judge Advocate General, signed a memorandum of understanding.
The internship is open to two students per fall and winter term and involves gaining experience in the areas of criminal procedure, evidence issues, administrative law, case law and writing legal opinions.
“For our students to contribute very directly to the knowledge, the understanding and legal understanding of the Canadian military about the issues of the day is a wonderful chance,” Paton said.
Matour and Patton, who both come from military families, consider the internship invaluable. They began their work at JAG in September.
“It comes down to mentorship and leadership that’s provided,” said Matour, about how this internship is different from others.
He gets to work with military lawyers who supplement their knowledge with real-life experience, he said.
The internship lets the students translate what’s taught in class to the real world.
Patton said he would consider a career as a military reservist while he works as a lawyer in Calgary.
Matour said he wants to be a litigator or an advocate.