▁under ▁ ▁Career ▁Sch ab as ▁began ▁his ▁legal ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁art ic ling ▁student ▁and ▁Associ ate ▁lawyer ▁under ▁Morris ▁Mann ing ▁Q C ▁in ▁Toronto ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁major ▁trial ▁was ▁as ▁Mr ▁Mann ing ' s ▁student ▁in ▁Regin a ▁v . ▁M org ental er , ▁Sm ol ing ▁and ▁Scott , ▁in ▁which ▁a ▁j ury ▁refused ▁to ▁conv ict ▁three ▁phys icians ▁for ▁operating ▁an ▁abort ion ▁clin ic ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁Toronto ▁in ▁viol ation ▁of ▁Canada ' s ▁C riminal ▁Code . ▁As ▁a ▁student , ▁and ▁subsequently ▁as ▁Mann ing ' s ▁Associ ate ▁following ▁his ▁Call ▁to ▁the ▁Bar , ▁Sch ab as ▁was ▁co - c oun sel ▁on ▁the ▁land mark ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁case ▁which ▁struck ▁down ▁Canada ' s ▁abort ion ▁law ▁under ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Char ter ▁of ▁Rights ▁and ▁Fre ed oms ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁While ▁with ▁Mann ing , ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Sch ab as ▁pract iced ▁criminal ▁defense , ▁administrative ▁and ▁constitution al ▁law . ▁▁▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Sch ab as ▁joined ▁Bla kes ▁as ▁an ▁Associ ate ▁in ▁its ▁Lit ig ation ▁Department . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁several ▁years ▁Sch ab as ▁developed ▁skills ▁in ▁civil ▁lit ig ation , ▁municipal ▁and ▁environmental , ▁est ates , ▁tax ,