WeirFoulds is proud to announce the winners and congratulate all the law students who participated in the 2026 WeirFoulds-Arnup Cup. The trial advocacy competition is held each year for teams from all eight of Ontario’s law schools. The competition this year took place on February 5th and 6th in Toronto.
Established in 1988, the WeirFoulds-Arnup Cup is named in honour of the late Honourable John D. Arnup OC, QC, a legendary Canadian litigator, former partner of WeirFoulds, and esteemed member of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
As in previous years, the Honourable Justice C. Conlan of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice presided over the trials while a jury of experienced litigation lawyers acted as assessors. The student teams conducted full trials, with opening statements, examinations-in-chief and cross-examinations of witnesses, and closing arguments.
Members of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and the Ontario Court of Justice attended a reception on Thursday evening to meet the student teams, their coaches, and others assisting with the competition. We would like to thank our speakers for the evening, The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch, Chief Justice of Ontario, and The Honourable Sharon M. Nicklas, Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice.
The winners and finalists from the WeirFoulds-Arnup Cup will represent Ontario in the Sopinka Cup, Canada’s national trial advocacy competition.
We congratulate this year’s participants and look forward to another exciting competition in 2027.
WeirFoulds-Arnup Cup Winners:
- Osgoode Hall Law School – Sarah McPherson and Will Graham
Finalists:
- University of Toronto – Rachel Bernardo and Humza Khan
“The Arnup Cup is a testament not only to the students’ hard work but also to the support of coaches, judges, and volunteers who help foster the next generation of litigators,” says Caroline Abela, Chair of the WeirFoulds-Arnup Committee. “Congratulations to all the teams on a remarkable competition.”
Founded in 1860, WeirFoulds’ history spans over 165 years of litigation excellence. Many of the firm’s lawyers have made significant contributions to the legal profession and broader community, including service as members of the judiciary, key regulatory bodies, panels, commissions, and professional organizations. These include four Treasurers and multiple Benchers of the Law Society of Ontario, 14 federally appointed judges, multiple appointments to appellate courts, and recipients of the Order of Canada.
For more information about the WeirFoulds-Arnup Cup, please visit the overview page.
To learn more about WeirFoulds’ Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group or to contact one of our litigation lawyers, please visit our Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group overview page.
