Welcome to our Rights Clinic website, where our dedicated team is committed to advocating for justice and raising awareness. Our team is composed of passionate individuals who understand the significance of their roles in ensuring that everyone has access to fair treatment and equal opportunities. By working together, we strive to make a positive impact and create a more equitable society.
Clinic Supervisors
Prof. Brandon Trask UMLaw Bio (He/Him)
Brandon Trask is an assistant professor of law at the University of Manitoba and an adjunct fellow at St. John’s College. He is a clinical professor at the Faculty of Law, with responsibility for supervising the work of the Rights Clinic. His teaching and research areas include Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Constitutional Law, and Law and Disability.
Prof. Trask worked as a Crown prosecutor in Newfoundland and Labrador and later in Nova Scotia, most recently with the Appeals and Special Prosecutions Section of the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service. While in practice as a Crown prosecutor, Prof. Trask was involved with hundreds of cases across two levels of court in Newfoundland and Labrador and three levels of court in Nova Scotia. He also regularly appeared on behalf of the Crown at the Criminal Code Review Board in Nova Scotia.
Prior to joining the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law, Prof. Trask taught (via distance) as a course instructor with Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Law and Society Program, teaching over 1,100 undergraduate students between 2015 and 2020.
Prof. Trask launched the Rights Clinic at Robson Hall in 2022 in order to advocate for the advancement of rights, including the need to insulate rights from political fluctuations.
Liz McCandless UMLaw Bio (She/Her)
Liz McCandless joined the Faculty of Law in 2022 as Senior Instructor. She co-supervises the Rights Clinic and currently serves as Director of Clinics at Robson Hall.
From 2014 to 2021, Liz served as director and legal counsel for the Manitoba Law Reform Commission (MLRC). Prior to her time at the MLRC, she practiced civil and public interest litigation primarily in the areas of human rights, constitutional, and Aboriginal law. She also served as Associate Counsel on the Commission of Inquiry Surrounding the Circumstances of the Death of Phoenix Sinclair.
Liz continues to be a practicing member of the Manitoba Bar and works on the occasional rights-related case on a pro bono basis.
Articling Student
Natasha (Tasha) Ellis (She/Her)
Tasha graduated from Robson Hall in 2023 and is excited to now be articling with the Faculty of Law, including working with the Rights Clinic.
Advocacy, problem-solving and serving the community are woven into most aspects of Tasha’s professional and personal life, both as a small business owner (HR and recruitment consultant) and as a volunteer. Tasha serves on the board of directors for the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba, as Steering Committee Co-Chair of the Family Network with Children’s Healthcare Canada, on a Psychiatry Residency pilot project committee, and previously volunteered on several other boards and working groups.
Aside from spending time with her family and two rescue dogs, Tasha has interests in health, education and disability rights, policy, family law and access to justice.
Summer Law Students
Lizzie Tough (They/Them)
Lizzie is a law student at Robson Hall with a background in community relations, research assistance, and management. Lizzie completed their Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies at the University of Winnipeg, specializing in Sustainable Environmental Resource Systems.
They are passionate about the preservation of peatlands, improving environmental laws, and advancing environmental and Indigenous rights in Canada. Lizzie has had a substantial interest in the history of human rights and ongoing rights movements since a very young age.
During the pandemic, Lizzie sought to improve access to information on available resources by creating digital content for community members and local businesses in Winnipeg’s West End and Central neighbourhoods. Lizzie also developed online presentations about Winnipeg’s history, often focusing on Indigenous histories and historic social movements in present-day Manitoba.
Lizzie has been a parent to bunnies for over thirteen years, all of whom were in need of a loving family. In their spare time, Lizzie enjoys cooking, fairy crafts, birdwatching, and travelling off the beaten path.
Siena McIlwraith-Fraticelli (She/Her)
Siena McIlwraith-Fraticelli is a law student at Robson Hall. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Political Science and a minor in Anthropology. She went on to complete her Master of Arts in Globalization & the Human Condition at McMaster University. This summer, she brings valuable experience as both a teaching assistant and a research assistant to her role as a research assistant to Liz McCandless.
With a diverse set of interests, including human rights and social justice, she is eager to contribute to the important work of the Rights Clinic in promoting and advocating for human rights. During her first year at Robson Hall, she volunteered with the non-profit organization Thrive Community Circle, where she researched and co-created an educational brochure to assist families navigating Child and Family Services in Manitoba. Siena looks forward to dedicating her time to rights-based initiatives.
In her spare time, Siena enjoys reading, theatre, music, running, weight training, and quilting.
Riley O’Hara (He/Him)
Riley O’Hara is a first year J.D. Candidate at the University of Manitoba. Prior to law school, Riley obtained an Honours Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Toronto in History and Political Science and an Ontario College Diploma from Niagara College as a Law Clerk. Riley worked for four years as a law clerk for Wellenreiter LLP in family and civil litigation. Riley has had an interest in Canadian constitutional law and rights law since he first starting learning law in high school, and part of his undergrad focus in political science revolved around constitutional law and Canadian federalism.
Esther Adegbesan (She/Her)
Esther is a law student at Robson Hall. She started her undergraduate degree in Criminology at the University of Manitoba before transitioning to Robson Hall. Esther is a proud Black Law Student Association member and served as a 1L representative for the organization during her first year at Robson Hall. Esther is excited to assist in the great work carried out by the Rights Clinic as a research assistant this summer.
Esther’s deep passion for community support is a driving force in her life. She is committed to making a difference within and beyond the legal sphere. Esther is eager to leverage her experience at the Rights Clinic to further strengthen and support the community.
Esther is an avid food lover who enjoys dining at many different types of restaurants. In addition to dining out, Esther enjoys throwing dinner parties, cooking and baking for her friends and family. Esther also enjoys painting and watching movies.