Zaia says he was mid-clerkship with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice when he received the news that he had been accepted to clerk at the Supreme Court. “After the call, I ran to my mentor [the Honourable Justice Pomerance]’s office to share the news, and then I called my family and close friends. It was truly an unforgettable feeling.”
Under the direction of a judge, a law clerk will research points of law, prepare memoranda of law and assist the judge in the work of the Court. A small group of law clerks, from across the country, are selected to assist the nine judges of the Supreme Court of Canada. Zaia says he looks forward to contributing to the important work of the Court and that he considers it “a great honour and privilege to be among those selected to clerk at Canada's highest Court.”
Zaia recently joined the firm Henein Hutchison LLP, as an associate, following the completion of his clerkship with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. His practice focuses on criminal and regulatory litigation.
Prior to joining the team at Henein Hutchison LLP, Zaia worked with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada as well as the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (Public Safety Canada).
While at uOttawa, Zaia served as the Editor-in-Chief (English articles) of the Ottawa Law Review (OLR) and won awards for his research and academic performance in criminal law. He says that his work with the OLR “provided the opportunity to deeply engage with a variety of legal issues and exposed [him] to the development of cutting-edge legal scholarship.” Zaia has published articles on law and policing, and his work has appeared in journals such as the Canadian Criminal Law Review, the Canadian Bar Review, and the Canadian Journal of Law and Technology.
We are cheering this accomplishment and wishing Mathew Zaia a fulfilling experience during his clerkship.