Law History Profiles

Christine Arnold (LLMT ‘22) is one of two Allard alumni to win the prestigious BIV 2024 Forty Under 40 Award. Among her accomplishments, Christine was the inaugural director of clinic services of the Access Pro Bono Society of B.C.’s Everyone Legal Clinic, a first-of-its-kind fully virtual legal services provider and teaching incubator aimed at improving access to justice in British Columbia.  She now serves as the CEO and Registrar for the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia and a lecturer for the Sauder School of Business.

“Too many people in BC face legal issues without the benefit of legal advice,” says Craig Ferris, QC, FCIArb. “As lawyers, we have a duty to help fix this problem.” 

Dr. Carol Liao has played a pivotal role in Allard Law since she joined in 2017. In addition to her role as faculty member and instructor, she is the UBC Sauder Distinguished Scholar of the Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, Director of the Centre for Business Law, and Principal Co-investigator of the Canada Climate Law Initiative. 

James Struthers (JD 2017), at a crossroads in his career, pursued law school for the intellectual challenge and the ability to contribute to society. Now, as founder of macushlaw and 253 Columbia, he is helping rethink how lawyers work and provide their services to the public. 

Founded in 2020, macushlaw specializes in corporate, commercial and real estate services to SMEs, non-profits, and Indigenous groups and individuals. The macushlaw team prides itself on providing affordable and approachable legal services without sacrificing quality. 

“Social movements need more access to lawyers,” says lawyer and mediator Katrina Pacey. This realization, her passion for social justice and desire to fill this gap, motivated Katrina to pursue a law degree.

Shawnee Monchalin graduated from the Allard School of Law in 2020 and is one of four students completing her articles at the Vancouver offices of Miller Thompson LLP in 2020-2021. 

During her time in law school, Monchalin was the Vice-President of the Indigenous Law Students’ Association (ILSA) as well as its representative at the Allard Women’s Caucus. She also competed on the Allard rugby team. 

Bob Dick, QC graduated with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from UBC in 1966. Soon after, he became a partner at the Prince George law firm Wilson King, where he practiced until he retired in 2014. 

During his nearly 50 years in practice, Dick held a wide variety of roles, including being retained as City Solicitor for Prince George for more than 30 years as well as a number of positions with the Canadian Bar Association. 

Dick was recognized with the Queen’s Counsel designation in 1986 and was elected president of the Law Society of British Columbia in 1991.

Chris Heslinga earned his JD from the Allard School of Law in 2012 but soon found himself back on campus. 

After a brief time in private practice, the Campbellford, Ontario native returned to the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program (LSLAP) where he now helps students handle client matters, oversees legal decision-making and teaches students how to think and practice like lawyers. 

When Andrew Halper graduated from the Allard School of Law in 1981, little did he know that his degree would lead him to live and work around the world. 

After a stint in Vancouver as a Crown Counsel and then in private practice until 1989, Halper joined the Canadian diplomatic service, working in Ottawa and Hong Kong, and then at the Canadian embassy in Beijing between 1991 and 1994. 

Nigel is a Gitxsan-Cree lawyer at White Raven Law. He’s also the lead dancer with the Vancouver-based Indigenous dance troupe Dancers of Damelahamid, a scholar and a teacher of law, as well as a father to two young children – and just three years out of law school.

From her first year of law school, Carly Stanhope has shown a commitment to addressing issues around access to justice through countless hours of volunteering and taking on numerous roles both within and outside the Allard School of Law. 

Recent graduate Jordan Leigh Lacroix is currently working as a Legal Aid in South Africa through the CBA Young Lawyers International Program. The program places young law graduates and lawyers in internships with overseas organizations working in law reform, human rights and access to justice. 

Tell us about the work that you’re currently doing in Cape Town, South Africa.

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. 

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. 

“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.” Ana Mihajlović participated in the Allard Law History Project Student Survey in 2016. The Project intends to track Ms.

“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:

“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:

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... 

“I gave myself one year to see if I liked law school, and after 1L, I have never looked back." says Lucy Yuan, who participated in the Allard Law History Project Student Survey. 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:

“I hope by practicing thoughtful client-centered advocacy, I can empower my clients to retain agency and control over their lives…”, says Naomi Nattrass Moses, who 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: