PLBA 1502 Fall 2022 – Introduction to Legal Writing – Prof.

Karen Schucher
Week 8 – Class Engagement Exercises on Legal Argument

Your Name: Laxsana Sivaharan

Exercise 5.1 - Law Society Good Character

Facts:

- He applied for his P1 licence in 2018

- In 2009 he Jessie Bullock admitted to plagiarism, a paper written by someone else and
submitted it as his own
- He took another student’s essay
- He attended nine counselling sessions that year to deal with this incident
- He also wrote a letter apologising for his behaviour to the student whom he stole the essay from
- He attended law school in 2013 and graduated in June 2016
- He was involved in a second plagiarism in the law school
- He admitted to it quickly and wrote a letter to the Law Society about his guilt and remorse
- Section 27(2) of the Law Society Act requires that an applicant for a licence be of good
character.
- Jessie submitted a reference letter from one of his undergrad professors attesting to his good
character

Issue(s):
Is Jessie of good character under section 27(2)? Of the law society act?

Is Jessie of good character, hence there has been couple incidents of plagiarism?

Law: Legal Rules, Legal Tests: Insert the Legal Rules / Tests at 113-114 of the Textbook

Application:
Legal Requirements Facts

Section 27(2) of the Law Society Act requires that Jessie’s undergraduate professors attesting to his
an applicant for a licence be of good character good character in the reference letter he
submitted

Nature and duration of misconduct There have been 2 incidents where Jessie
performed plagiarism. In first year of bachelors of
 arts in 2009. He had submitted other students
work as his. Only one of the incident was
disclosed to the law society

Whether the applicant is remorseful Jessie was remorseful, he had used one student
work and submitted as his, he did not disclose
the information to the law society

What rehabilitative effort if any and their success He went to the nine counselling which helped
him change his habits including asking help from
his teachers and other resources

The applicant’s conduct since the misconduct Volunteers with Meals on Wheels and coaches a
local soccer team

Also spends his free time mentoring young law

students

The passage of time since the misconduct Nine years

Conclusion:

Yes, Jessie should be found of good character, these incidents happened nine years ago nothing else has
happened since. He has testimonies for example his undergraduate professors attesting of his good
character. One of the professors also stated he noticed a change in his habits, he started volunteering
and was participating in the community.

The End

My insights on myself:

I noticed that I was on the right track and understood the idea of the lesson.