Law History Profiles

Christopher Hiebert had heard of the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic, a program offered by the Allard School of Law at UBC, long before he became a law student. He lived in a single-room occupancy hotel in Gastown, a block from the clinic’s front door.

He was intrigued. “The clinic inspired the idea that I could do something as a lawyer that wasn’t typical,” Mr. Hiebert says. Once he decided to become a lawyer, the Allard School of Law was the only law school he applied to – with the specific intent of working with the clinic.

“I have very high hopes for my generation. As millennials, we are fortunate to have been born into a world where many of the legal battles re: discrimination, racism, sexism etc. have already been fought and won, and so treating people equally and caring about human rights is second nature to us. That said, we are also a generation that is keenly aware of the gap between formal equality and what happens in reality.”

“Each person has a different perspective that is so incredibly valuable and I am so grateful for the friends I have made.”

Lisa Guidi participated in the Allard Law History Project Student Survey in 2016. The Project intends to track Ms. Guidi's career and build upon this historical record in the future. Her responses as a student are below:

Why did you choose to do law? 

“Whatever I end up doing, I know that I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to go to law school, so I feel an obligation to develop my strengths to their fullest potential in order to better help others.”
Robert Mason participated in the Allard Law History Project Student Survey in 2016. The Project intends to track Mr. Mason's career and build upon this historical record in the future. His responses as a student are below:

Why did you choose to do law? 

Rumana Monzur has completed law school with much more than a JD degree. After surviving a brutal attack in her native Bangladesh which left her blind for life, her decision to go to law school while learning to live without sight was itself a study in patience - with a steep learning curve. But her persistence and passion remain unabated four years later. With an expanded horizon of interests and a new outlook on life, Monzur has hardly slowed down...

Michelle Casey graduated with the JD class of 2017 from the Peter A. Allard School of Law. She currently works as an Associate at Lawson Lundell LLP (“Lawson Lundell”) in Vancouver. Her practice’s core focus is on regulatory and environmental law. She has litigation experience at both the British Columbia Provincial Court and the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

The Allard School of Law is pleased to welcome Professor Debra Parkes to the faculty. Professor Parkes will be joining us on July 1, 2016 as the Chair in Feminist Legal Studies and Director of the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies.

What attracted you to the Chair in Feminist Legal Studies position at the Allard School of Law?

Connor Bildfell graduated from the JD program at the Peter A. Allard School of Law in 2016. Upon graduating from law school, Bildfell clerked at both the British Columbia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2018 and currently works as an Associate at the Vancouver office of McCarthy Tétrault LLP (“McCarthy Tétrault”).

“I gave myself one year to see if I liked law school, and after 1L, I have never looked back.”
Lucy Yuan participated in the Allard Law History Project Student Survey in 2016. The Project intends to track Ms. Yuan's career and build upon this historical record in the future. Her responses as a student are below:

Why did you choose to do law? 

“I hope by practicing thoughtful client-centered advocacy, I can empower my clients to retain agency and control over their lives…”
Naomi Nattrass Moses participated in the Allard Law History Project Student Survey in 2016. The Project intends to track Naomi's career and build upon this historical record in the future. Naomi's responses as a student are below:

Why did you choose to do law? 

Meet Jessica Lewis (JD ’15), the newest member of the Allard School of Law Alumni Assocation Board. Like many Board members, Jessica felt compelled to give back to the Allard School of Law community after she graduated and looked to the Board for that opportunity. When a spot opened, she jumped at the chance to join.

Just a few months into her role she has already enjoyed welcoming new JD students through the Alumni Association’s Orientation Banquet and is looking forward to many other events, including the annual trivia night for 3Ls.

After a six-year career as a Border Services Officer with the Canada Border Services Agency, Anil Aggarwal shifted his focus to legal studies. He enrolled in the JD program at the University of Manitoba in 2012 before joining the law school at UBC in his second year. He graduated from the Peter A. Allard School of Law in 2015 and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2016. He is currently an Associate at Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP (“Alexander Holburn”)—the same firm at which he summered and articled following law school.

Blair McRadu graduated from the JD Program at the Peter A. Allard School of Law in 2015. McRadu entered law school after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics in 2011. While at law school he participated in the Oxford Intellectual Property Moot where he won the 2015 David A. Vaver Award. During the summer of his second year at law school he worked as a Summer Legal Intern at Earls Kitchen & Bar. He articled with Barker & Company and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2017.

Yue Fei is a graduate of the JD class of 2015 from the Peter A. Allard School of Law. Prior to attending law school, Fei obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science in 2009 from the University of Toronto and a graduate certificate in Regulatory Affairs in 2010 from Humber College. She currently works as both a solicitor and trademark agent at Farris LLP (“Farris”) in Vancouver with a focus on intellectual property.

Jamie Hoopes graduated from the JD program at the Peter A. Allard School of Law in 2015. He currently works as an Associate at Harris & Company LLP (“Harris”) in Vancouver. His legal practice involves representing and advising public and private sector employers on a wide range of matters concerning employment law, labour law, privacy law, and human rights law.

Assistant Professor Efrat Arbel is a highly-accomplished alumna and one of the newer members of the Allard School of Law faculty.  She earned her doctorate from Harvard Law School in 2012, where she worked under the supervision of Dean Martha Minow.  She holds a BA from McGill University, a JD from UBC, and completed her LLM studies at Harvard Law School before proceeding with her doctorate.  Dr.

Aside from being a successful lawyer at Osler, Hoskin, & Harcourt LLP, Steven Ngo is also a self-described "social entrepreneur". He co-founded a chapter of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) in Alberta and also founded Healing Using Music (HUM), a musical not-for-profit organization that helps disadvantaged and at risk populations attain happiness and joy through music.

You call yourself a social entrepreneur, can you tell us what that means to you?

"When I was born, the doctors told my parents that there had been a tragedy," says Josh Vander Vies, who has no arms and no legs. "They painted such a bleak story." Now at 29, Vander Vies has charted a course filled with achievements: elite athlete, abstract painter, motivational speaker and father of two. In June 2014, he will add a law degree from the University of British Columbia to the list before working towards his next goal: competing at the 2014 World Boccia Championships in Beijing.

Alain Saint-Onge is a graduate of the JD class of 2014 from the Peter A. Allard School of Law. He currently works as an Associate in the Employment & Labour Group at the Calgary office of Stikeman Elliott LLP (“Stikeman Elliott”). His practice focuses on a diverse range of matters relating to employment and labour law as well as privacy law and human rights. He has ample experience regarding employment contracts, arbitration, employment standards, and the Labour Relations Board.

Adam Way graduated with the 2014 JD class from the Peter A. Allard School of Law. He currently works at Harper Grey LLP (“Harper Grey”) in Vancouver as an Associate in the firm’s Environmental, Commercial, and Construction Law Groups.